Hadassah Joins Global Trial of Phage Therapy for Antibiotic-Resistant UTIs
Hadassah Medical Center and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have joined a major international study focused on phage therapy for recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The global initiative has secured approximately $17 million in funding and brings together research centers from 13 countries.
The trial aims to investigate bacteriophages—viruses capable of infecting and destroying specific bacteria. Researchers are exploring phage therapy as a potential adjunct or alternative to antibiotics in clinical scenarios where standard treatments fail due to antimicrobial resistance. However, this novel therapeutic approach is currently undergoing clinical evaluation and cannot yet be considered a proven substitute for antibiotics.
The multinational trial plans to enroll approximately 220 women suffering from chronic recurrent UTIs caused by *Escherichia coli*. Participants will receive either personalized phage therapy or a placebo, administered alongside a single intravenous dose of antibiotics. Investigators will evaluate the efficacy of this regimen and its ability to prevent recurrent infections.
A hallmark of phage therapy is its high target specificity. Unlike broad-spectrum antibiotics, bacteriophages can be deployed against specific bacterial strains. Consequently, treatment requires identifying the infectious agent and matching it with a phage capable of targeting it directly. This precision approach is increasingly viewed as a promising strategy to combat the escalating threat of antibiotic resistance.
Hadassah’s involvement in this new study builds upon prior work by Israeli researchers in the field of phage therapy. Specialists from the medical center have previously participated in international trials testing bacteriophages against drug-resistant infections. Notably, a study published in 2023 reported an 86.6% success rate utilizing PASA16 phage therapy against *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* infections.
This new project takes on added significance against the backdrop of the global spread of antimicrobial resistance. Recurrent UTIs frequently necessitate multiple courses of antibiotics, which can further drive the development of drug-resistant pathogens. This underscores the researchers’ push to find targeted interventions that can precisely attack the causative agents of infection.
For Hadassah, joining this international trial represents a continuation of its scientific endeavors in modern infectious disease management. With researchers collaborating globally, the clinical trial’s findings are expected to help determine the clinical efficacy of personalized phage therapy for recurrent UTIs.
At present, the primary focus remains on establishing the safety and efficacy of this novel modality. Therefore, it is premature to claim that phage therapy is ready to replace antibiotics for UTIs. Should clinical trials validate the method’s efficacy, it could potentially become a vital addition to the therapeutic armamentarium for treating infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria.
Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem is one of Israel’s premier academic medical institutions, integrating clinical care, scientific research, and the development of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic methods. Its participation in this international phage therapy trial further cements Israeli medicine’s role in addressing the global crisis of antibiotic resistance.
