Four Australian organisations have teamed up to test the potential of bacteriophage therapy in epidermolysis bullosa.
People living with epidermolysis bullosa could soon be treated with bacteriophages to reduce chronic wound infections and reliance on antibiotics.
A new Australian-led research project will explore whether bacteriophage therapy – naturally occurring viruses that target harmful bacteria – can improve outcomes and quality of life in people with epidermolysis bullosa.
EB is a rare genetic condition that causes painful and chronic skin wounds. People with EB are susceptible to chronic wound infections and are subsequently heavily reliant on antibiotics.
Project lead Professor Sarah Vreugde, from Adelaide University, said bacteriophages are considered a natural solution for the global antimicrobial resistance or superbug crisis, where bacterial infections become untreatable with existing antibiotics.
“Just like certain viruses cause illness in people but do not target bacteria, bacteriophages cause illness and often kill bacteria (including superbugs) but are harmless to people,” she said.
“[Our aim is] to develop bacteriophage therapy to treat or even prevent infections and help wound healing in EB patients.”
AusHealth CEO Dr Justin Coombs said exiting research into phage therapy for bacteria that commonly affect EB patients had produced positive outcomes.
“By identifying and developing combinations of bacteriophages that can be applied directly to EB wounds as a topical treatment, we will test whether these phage treatments can eliminate the bacteria most commonly found in EB wounds, helping to prevent or treat infection and support faster wound healing,” he said in a statement.
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The project will be undertaken at the AusHealth Phage Therapy Centre in Adelaide, in collaboration with Adelaide University, the Solutions for Manufacturing Advanced Regenerative Therapies (SMART) Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), and EB Partnerships Australia.
The four organisations have contributed over $1 million over the next two and a half years to support the project.
Professor Andrew Zannettino, pro vice-chancellor at Adelaide University’s College of Health, said the initiative was an example of how collaboration could deliver meaningful outcomes.
“By addressing skin infections – a cornerstone of EB management – we are helping to improve care, reduce complications, and enhance quality of life for patients and their families,” he said.
SMART CRC CEO Professor Simon Cool said the research project could benefit those both within and beyond the EB community.
“Developing treatments for rare disease communities helps accelerate therapies for more common diseases, greatly amplifying the impact of such important work,” he told media.
