The annual congress on inhalation and respiratory drug delivery (April 20-21, 2021) will present the results of preclinical trials of an inhalation phage preparation for the treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).

VAP is one of the most common hospital-acquired infections among intensive care unit (ICU) patients. It has a high mortality rate (20%) and prolongs the patient's stay on mechanical ventilation and in the ICU overall. VAP is often caused by Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa , and Staphylococcus aureus , which often exhibit multiple antibiotic resistance.

A phage preparation for inhalation use in patients with VAP was developed by the biotechnology company Pherecydes Pharma and tested by scientists from the Respiratory Disease Research Center at the University of Tours (France).

Preclinical studies in an animal model of lung infection demonstrated the efficacy of inhaled (nebulized) phage preparation against Pseudomonas aeruginosa . In the study, the reduction in mortality in mice after a single inhaled dose of the phage preparation was comparable to that seen with intravenous or inhaled antibiotics. A 99% reduction in bacterial load in the lungs of pigs after inhaled administration of the phage preparation was also demonstrated.

The number of patients requiring intensive care has increased significantly due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. This is leading to an increase in the incidence of VAP, making the search for new treatments for VAP more urgent than ever. Phage drugs against Pseudomonas aeruginosa may become available in French hospitals as early as this year (for use in other indications), and their potential for inhalation therapy for VAP will be studied in clinical trials in the coming years.