UK Inquiry Tracker

The antimicrobial potential of bacteriophages

Science, Innovation and Technology Committee Closed Inquiry

Opened: 9 Nov 2022 Closed: 28 May 2024 Parliament page

This inquiry is informed by the successful pitch to the Committee’s My Science inquiry. The World Health Organisation has warned that antibiotic resistance (AMR) is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today, while the Government’s Special Envoy on Antimicrobial Resistance, Dame Sally Davies, has … Read more

23 Recommendations

10 Conclusions

1 Report

3 Oral sessions

3 Events

Activity timeline 5 events

1 Mar
2024

Report published

Government's response to the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee's report 'The antimicrobial potential of bacteriophages'

3 Jan
2024

Report published

First Report - The antimicrobial potential of bacteriophages

26 Apr
2023

Oral evidence

Panel One; Panel Two

15 Mar
2023

Oral evidence

Oral evidence session

8 Feb
2023

Oral evidence

Oral evidence session

Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions

26 Apr 2023

View on parliament.uk

Panel One; Panel Two

Dr Jonathan Pearce · Medical Research Council Dr Marc Bailey · Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Dr Morwenna Carrington · Department for Health and Social Care Dr Tim Jinks · Wellcome Trust Professor Isabel Oliver · UK Health Security Agency Professor Mark Sutton · UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Richard Hebdon · Innovate UK

15 Mar 2023

View on parliament.uk

Dr Hans Petter Kleppen · ACD Pharma Dr Jean-Paul Pirnay · Queen Astrid Military Hospital, Brussels Dr Mzia Kutateladze · George Eliava Institute of Bacteriophage, Microbiology and Virology Greg Merril · Adaptive Phage Therapeutics Naomi Zak · BiomX Professor Jon Iredell · The Westmead Institute for Medical Research Professor Robert Schooley · UC San Diego School of Medicine

8 Feb 2023

View on parliament.uk

Dr James Soothill · Great Ormond Street Hospital Laboratory Medicine Dr Josh Jones · NHS Tayside Mr David Browning · Fixed Phage LTD Ms Stephanie Lesage · Oxford Silk Phage Technologies Ltd Professor Cath Rees · University of Nottingham Professor Joanne M. Santini · University College London Professor Martha Clokie · University of Leicester

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
First Report - The antimicrobial potential of bacteriophages	HC 328	3 Jan 2024	33	Response document linked

Recommendations & Conclusions

33 results

1 Conclusion

First Report - The antimicrobial p…

Robust clinical trial data lacking for long-term phage safety and immune interactions

The safety of phages has been well established mainly on the basis of observational evidence drawn from specific clinical interventions. However, as with all medicines, robust clinical trial data is important to provide and develop assurances around all aspects of … Read more

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

The antimicrobial potential of bacteriophages

Activity timeline 5 events

Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Recommendations & Conclusions

Robust clinical trial data lacking for long-term phage safety and immune interactions

Further clinical trials required to prove consistent effectiveness of phages and combinations

Consider specific evidence standards for phage safety and effectiveness in UK healthcare settings

Further research needed on long-term phage interactions and optimal engineering strategies

Funders show reticence towards promising phage research despite general acceptance

Review status of phages in AMR plans and improve research funding prospects

UK translational phage research faces funding gap risking untapped potential

Review phage translational research funding arrangements, bottlenecks, and specific assistance requirements

Report annually on 'One Health' progress for phage technologies and therapies

UK phage expertise and resources remain fragmented, hindering potential exploitation

Require DHSC to respond to phage network proposals and outline plans for knowledge sharing

Integrate phage clinical use into medical training and ensure access information for healthcare staff

Public acceptance of phages is crucial for their effective role in tackling AMR

Good Manufacturing Practice standards remain essential for high-quality phage production and biobanks

Cost and low investment deter pharmaceutical firms from establishing UK GMP phage facilities

Establish a publicly-funded GMP facility for phage production and address industry investment barriers

Require MHRA to provide guidance on regulating phage cocktails based on individual ingredients

Require MHRA to produce guidance on regulating GE phages and enzymes for GMP compliance

Regulatory divergence on GE phages presents a competitive opportunity for the UK

Publish MHRA guidance on regulatory pathways for GMP and non-GMP phage development

Current regulatory framework for clinical trials ineffective for phage specificity

Require MHRA to outline regulatory approach for clinical safety of diverse phage scenarios

Mandate MHRA to outline support for personalised medicine development within one year

Good Manufacturing Practice requirements create impasse for UK phage development

Require MHRA to clarify phage standards for clinical trials and GMP acquisition

Mandate DHSC, NIHR and MHRA to support phage researchers' clinical trial applications

Require MHRA to outline use of international and non-health data for phage regulation

Mandate DHSC and MHRA to review phage clinical use rules for domestic and imported alignment

Compassionate use of UK-produced non-GMP phages should be permitted for last resort cases

Require MHRA to review and regulate UK non-GMP phages for compassionate use, producing monograph

Review current regulations governing liability for clinicians and hospitals using UK non-GMP phages.

Government and agency statements on phage role in AMR lack clarity.

Produce clear Government statement on phages and comprehensive support plan for AMR.