Turning the "phage" on drug resistance: Nature's bacterial predators offer a new way to fight infection

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Turning the "phage" on drug resistance: Nature's bacterial predators offer a new way to fight infection

A female lab worker wearing a lab coat and gloves handles a specimen bottle under a fume hood.

Danielle Peters working with phage samples in the lab.

Often called the silent pandemic, antimicrobial resistance is a global threat that grows louder every day. When bacteria adapt to survive the antibiotics meant to destroy them, once‑treatable infections become life‑threatening conditions.

For decades, this resistance has quietly weakened modern medicine, leaving doctors and patients with fewer treatment options. Now, science is striking back by breathing new life into an older idea.

One of the most promising allies comes from an unexpected source—viruses known as bacteriophages, or simply "phages." These microscopic hunters are being rediscovered as potential lifesavers in the fight against drug‑resistant infections.

What was once a forgotten chapter in medical history is re‑emerging as a story of hope, ingenuity and the remarkable resilience of life itself. The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) is helping turn this rediscovered science into real solutions for today's toughest infections.

Meet nature's bacterial predators

Phages are tiny viruses that infect and destroy bacteria. They're nature's own bacterial predators, found everywhere from oceans and soil to the human body. Unlike antibiotics, which can wipe out good bacteria along with harmful ones, phages are precise. They can target specific bacteria while leaving helpful microbes untouched.

The idea of using phages to treat infections isn't new. In fact, phages were used as a treatment long before antibiotics revolutionized medicine, but the approach faded as drug therapies took centre stage. Now, with resistance spreading faster than new drugs can be developed, phage therapy is returning as a promising way to strengthen existing treatments.

Turning discovery into treatment

Our researchers are working to make phage therapy a practical option for infections that no longer respond to antibiotics. The team brings together experts from many fields and is partnering with hospitals, universities and industry in Canada and around the world.

Like people, phages are incredibly diverse. Understanding how each one behaves takes time and teamwork. "The more we learn, the closer we get to new solutions that could save lives when antibiotics fail," says Dr. Danielle Peters, a research officer at the NRC. "There's still so much to uncover, and that means everyone working in this field can make an impact."

Dr. Peters and her team from the NRC's Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre are discovering phages that target a wider range of harmful bacteria. They are designing better ways to grow them in the lab so they can be produced safely and at scale, while also developing software to help clinicians match the right phage to each infection—making treatments faster and more precise.

"The goal isn't to replace antibiotics," says Dr. Peters. "It's about expanding the medical toolkit. If certain drugs stop working, we want to have other treatments ready to go."

The NRC also works with biotechnology companies to create new phage treatments. By sharing their expertise, our teams are helping improve quality and performance—reducing immune reactions, improving stability and refining purification methods. These partnerships support Canadian innovators in designing and testing phage‑based treatments and ensure that new therapies are safe, scalable and ready for clinical testing and commercialization.

Protecting the future of infection treatment

Drug‑resistant infections are a growing threat to health and daily life. They drive up health care costs, extend hospital stays and limit treatment options. As Canada's population ages, more people will rely on surgeries and intensive care, where infection control is critical.

By advancing phage research, the NRC is helping to build new therapies that will protect Canadians as the resistance to antibiotics continues to grow. This innovation keeps Canada ahead of this global challenge—restoring our ability to treat infections and ensuring that modern medicine keeps working, especially when people need it most.

Contact us

Media interested in speaking with an NRC subject matter expert about this initiative can contact:

NRC Media Relations



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