First US clinical trial for intravenous phage therapy gets FDA approval

A team from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine (CA, USA), in collaboration with biotech company, AmpliPhi Biosciences Corporation (CA, USA), have been given the go ahead for a clinical trial using bacteriophage-based therapy, delivered intravenously, from the US FDA.

The clinical trial will evaluate an experimental bacteriophage, AB-SA01, for treatment of approximately 10 participants, all suffering with resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in ventricular assist devices (VADs). VADs, electromechanical implants that assist with cardiac pumping for functional circulation, are usually given to patients with heart weakness or failure in need of a transplant. The phage will be given as a combinational therapy with antibiotics.