Phages in Personalized Medicine

Personalized medicine is taking a major leap forward in 2024 with the introduction of tailored bacteriophage therapies. Unlike broad-spectrum antibiotics that target a wide range of bacteria, personalized phage therapy focuses on creating phage cocktails specific to an individual’s bacterial infection. This precision approach minimizes collateral damage to the patient’s microbiome while effectively combating the infection.

Current research is centered on optimizing methods for rapidly identifying the bacterial strains responsible for infections in patients. Once identified, a phage cocktail is designed to match the bacterial profile, ensuring maximum efficacy. This approach has already shown potential in managing chronic and complex infections, such as those found in cystic fibrosis patients, where standard antibiotic treatments have failed​.