Reinventing the fight against bacteria,
one phage at a time.

Armata to advance bacteriophage therapy to phase 3 for S. aureus LOS ANGELES - Armata Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE American:ARMP) announced Tuesday that the FDA has agreed that data from its Phase 2a diSArm study support advancement of AP-SA02 to Phase 3 clinical testing for complicated Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. The biotech company, currently valued at $238.47 million, has seen its stock surge over 230% in the past year, trading at $6.68 as investors react to its clinical progress. According to  InvestingPro  data, analysts maintain a Strong Buy consensus on the stock with price targets ranging from $9 to $15. The company plans to initiate the Phase 3 superiority study in the second half of 2026, following the FDA’s End-of-Phase 2 written response. The regulatory agency provided guidance on key elements of the study design, which will assess AP-SA02’s effectiveness compared to current standard of care treatments. "The completion of our Phase 2a diSArm was the first evid...

  $3.3M to Fund Trial of Ai-Designed Bacteriophage Therapy for HAP/VAP Locus Biosciences will conduct a clinical trial for its Ai-designed bacteriophage therapeutic for HAP/VAP caused by antibiotic-resistant P. aeruginosa. RT’s Three Key Takeaways: Federal support for phage therapy  – Locus Biosciences received a $3.3 million NIAID contract, with potential expansion to $28 million, to advance a Phase 1b clinical trial of its engineered bacteriophage LBP-PA01 for antibiotic-resistant  Pseudomonas aeruginosa  pneumonia. AI-designed precision antibacterial  – LBP-PA01 was developed using Locus’s AI- and robotics-driven platform, which rapidly designs and optimizes engineered bacteriophage cocktails to selectively kill drug-resistant bacteria. Addressing a critical public health threat  – The program targets hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia, major ICU killers for which antibiotic-resistant  P. aeruginosa  is a CDC-designated ...

Otago researchers aiming to develop phage therapy University of Otago biomedical sciences researchers Prof Peter Fineran (left) and Dr Robert Fagerlund are hoping their studies into phages will one day help in the battle against antibiotic-resistant bacterial diseases. PHOTO: SUPPLIED/NILS BIRKHOLZ Not many research projects come with a cherry on top. But this one does. University of Otago biomedical sciences researchers Prof Peter Fineran and Dr Robert Fagerlund are studying bacteriophages — tiny viruses that naturally hunt and kill bacteria — in the hope of turning the microscopic assassins into a powerful tool to fight bacterial diseases. As part of their bid to develop phage therapy for humans, they are tackling bacterial diseases that plague New Zealand’s cherry orchards; and the cherry on top is that the project has received funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to do it. "We have interacted with a number of Otago orchards to collect phage s...

Bacteriophage technology could reduce Salmonella in poultry Viruses that kill specific bacteria, known as bacteriophages, are emerging as an alternative to antibiotics in poultry production. Paul Ward | WATT Global Media A platform that creates custom phage cocktails targeting  Salmonella  bacteria could help producers reduce disease in poultry flocks. According to Hans Pieringer, CEO,  PhageLab , the technology company created an algorithm that evaluates the genome of the bacteria to identify small differences and understand specific serotypes,  antibiotic resistance  and pathology, which helps create tailored solutions for producers. Antibiotics  may kill beneficial and harmful bacteria; however, the phage technology is able to only target specific pathogenic strains while preserving gut health. The technology helps address antimicrobial resistance and offers a targeted approach that maintains flock health without contributing to resistance problems, he s...

Limitations, Risks, and Future Perspectives of Engineered Bacteriophages in Targeted Radiotherapy The advent of engineered bacteriophages for targeted radiotherapy represents a significant paradigm shift in cancer treatment. These viral vectors offer the potential for highly specific delivery of therapeutic payloads, such as radioisotopes, directly to tumor cells while sparing healthy tissues. Despite these advantages, several limitations and potential risks must be carefully considered to fully understand their clinical applicability. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the biological, technical, and clinical constraints of engineered phages, while highlighting emerging opportunities for future therapeutic integration. Theranostics  2011; 1:371-380. doi:10.7150/thno/v01p0371 Immunogenicity and Host Response One of the foremost biological limitations of engineered bacteriophages is their immunogenicity . While bacteriophages naturally infect bacteria and are non-pa...

Radioactive Vectorization: Isotope Attachment and Encapsulation in Bacteriophages The use of bacteriophages in therapeutic applications has seen remarkable advancements in recent years, particularly in the field of targeted cancer therapy. Bacteriophages offer unique advantages over traditional drug delivery methods due to their specificity, biocompatibility, and ability to be engineered for precise targeting. A key area of interest lies in the use of bacteriophages as carriers for radioactive isotopes, a strategy that can offer highly localized treatment of tumors with minimal off-target effects. This article explores the methodologies employed in the attachment of radioactive molecules to bacteriophages, focusing on the role of chelators and encapsulation strategies in controlling the release and delivery of radioisotopes. The Basics of Radioactive Vectorization The attachment of radioactive isotopes to bacteriophages forms the cornerstone of phage-based radiotherapy, a cutting-ed...

Engineering the Phage Tail: Receptor Targeting and Tumor Specificity Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically infect bacteria, and their natural specificity is largely determined by the interaction between their tail proteins and bacterial surface receptors. While bacteriophages are naturally non-infectious to human cells, this highly specific recognition mechanism has been exploited to engineer phages for a variety of therapeutic applications, including targeted cancer therapies. Phage therapy, in particular, leverages the precise interactions of phages with their receptors to deliver therapeutic agents, such as radioisotopes or chemotherapeutic compounds, directly to cancer cells, minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues. This concept of utilizing phage-tail modifications for tumor targeting has garnered increasing interest in recent years as a promising alternative to conventional drug delivery and immunotherapy systems. Phage Tail Architecture and its Role ...