Intravesical bacteriophages for treating urinary tract infections in patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate: a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial

18 September 2020

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most prevalent microbial diseases and their financial burden on society is substantial. In the context of increasing antibiotic resistance, finding alternative treatments for UTIs is a top priority. We aimed to determine whether intravesical bacteriophage therapy with a commercial bacteriophage cocktail is effective in treating UTI.

Intravesical bacteriophage therapy was non-inferior to standard-of-care antibiotic treatment, but was not superior to placebo bladder irrigation, in terms of efficacy or safety in treating UTIs in patients undergoing TURP. Moreover, the bacteriophage safety profile seems to be favourable. Although bacteriophages are not yet a recognised or approved treatment option for UTIs, this trial provides new insight to optimise the design of further large-scale clinical studies to define the role of bacteriophages in UTI treatment.

Further reading: The Lancet Infectious Diseases

Author(s): Lorenz Leitner, MD Aleksandre Ujmajuridze, MD Nina Chanishvili, PhD Marina Goderdzishvili, PhD Irina Chkonia, PhD Sophia Rigvava, PhD Prof Archil Chkhotua, MD Giorgi Changashvili, MD Shawna McCallin, PhD Marc P Schneider, MD Martina D Liechti, PhD Ulrich Mehnert, MD Prof Lucas M Bachmann, PhD Wilbert Sybesma, PhD Prof Thomas M Kessler, MD

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