Bird Flu’s Human Risk Spurs Phage Therapy Research
Engineering bacteriophages as precision treatments and vaccine vectors. Bacteriophages can precisely target and destroy harmful pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Scientists at Armata Pharmaceuticals utilize tools such as synthetic biology to engineer therapeutic improvements into both phages and manufacturing hosts.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1, commonly known as HPAI or bird flu) is a formidable worldwide public health concern. With approximately a 100% mortality rate, the World Organization for Animal Health estimates that more than 633 million birds (poultry and wild birds) have been lost globally over the past 20 years.
Author's summary: Research on phage therapy is underway to combat bird flu.