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 8 events
1 Mar
2024
Report published
3 Jan
2024
Report published
26 Apr
2023
Oral evidence
26 Apr
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
15 Mar
2023
Oral evidence
15 Mar
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
8 Feb
2023
Oral evidence
8 Feb
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions
26 Apr 2023
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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
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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
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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
Title HC No. Published Items Response
First Report - The antimicrobial potential of bacteriophages HC 328 3 Jan 2024 33 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
Clear
9 Recommendation Rejected
First Report - The antimicrobial p…
Report annually on 'One Health' progress for phage technologies and therapies
The Government, the World Health Organisation and a number of the witnesses we heard from have highlighted the importance of a “One Health” approach to tackling AMR across sectors including human and animal health, the food supply chain, and the … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation to produce annual reports exclusively focused on phages, stating it is reluctant to prioritize any one technology, but will regularly review progress on its 5-year AMR National Action Plan, which will include phages.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
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14 Recommendation Rejected
First Report - The antimicrobial p…
Good Manufacturing Practice standards remain essential for high-quality phage production and biobanks
The set of consensus high standards for pharmaceutical production, known as Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), should continue to be required in the UK for high quality phages manufactured for generic products targeting the most common bacterial pathogens. It should also … Read more
Government Response
The government states that GMP requirements remain appropriate for named-patient use, thereby rejecting the committee's suggestion for non-GMP phages for compassionate use. It notes MHRA guidance for licensed products is in development.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
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20 Recommendation Rejected
First Report - The antimicrobial p…
Publish MHRA guidance on regulatory pathways for GMP and non-GMP phage development
We welcome the willingness of the MHRA to adopt a flexible approach to accelerating the authorisation of the use of phage therapies and its offer to work with phage innovators to support their development. However, the MHRA should provide clarity … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the premise of regulating non-GMP phages, stating all medicines must be manufactured to GMP standards. It clarifies that specific developmental pathways are not needed for compassionate use phages and that MHRA guidance under development will provide information on manufacturing phage-based medicinal products to GMP.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
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29 Recommendation Rejected
First Report - The antimicrobial p…
Compassionate use of UK-produced non-GMP phages should be permitted for last resort cases
We believe that the UK should allow the compassionate use of non-GMP phages produced in the UK for last resort medical cases where other medical approaches have failed or are failing. This would bring the UK in line with several … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects allowing non-GMP phages for compassionate use, stating all medicines must meet GMP standards, and defers the production of a monograph until MHRA gains experience from developing new advisory guidance.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
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32 Recommendation Rejected
First Report - The antimicrobial p…
Government and agency statements on phage role in AMR lack clarity.
If the antimicrobial use of phages is to move beyond ad hoc compassionate cases, the Government and its agencies should reflect on what role they are to play in the fight against AMR. At the moment, phages are referred to … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects producing a further definitive statement on phages or a roadmap at this time, stating it will continue to monitor developments and include phages as one of many research areas in the upcoming AMR national action plan.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
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33 Recommendation Rejected
First Report - The antimicrobial p…
Produce clear Government statement on phages and comprehensive support plan for AMR.
We recommend that the Government produces a clear statement on its assessment of phages. If it concludes that phages are to play a significant role in fighting AMR, it should produce a comprehensive plan as to how they will be … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects producing a new clear statement on phages or a comprehensive plan for their support and regulatory landscape at this time. It states that existing evidence is promising but requires more robust data, and that phages will be recognised in the upcoming 2024-2029 AMR national action plan.
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
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Government Response AI assessment · 33 of 23 classified
Accepted 10
Accepted in Part 1
Acknowledged 7
Deferred 9
Rejected 6
Total 23 recs + 10 conclusions