Scientists, biotechs look to unlock the potential of phage therapy

Considered the most abundant organisms on the face of the earth, these microscopic viruses that selectively target and kill bacteria can be found wherever bacteria exist—in soil, inside plants and animals, and in oceans, streams, and sewage water.

Discovered more than a century ago, phages were at one point viewed as a potential weapon against bacterial infections. Then came the antibiotic era. Now, with antibiotic resistance spreading and the threat of a post-antibiotic future looming, scientists are again turning to the ubiquitous bacteria-killing viruses for answers.