Bacteriophage as an Antibacterial Agent: A Patent Perspective

Abstract

The present review encompasses a patent landscape on bacteriophage as an antimicrobial agent and one of the alternatives to combat antibiotic resistance in bacteria. This study gives a perspective on use of bacteriophages in various industries such as healthcare, food safety and animal and plant protection. Patenting activity was noted for all the antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens listed in the ‘critical’ category by the WHO. Broadly, claims of the analyzed patents were directed toward bacteriophage, composition/formulation containing phage, phage proteins and various methods of using or producing phage. The challenges to approval of phage therapy in clinical use may be overcome with the help of focused research and modification of the regulatory guidelines for phage therapy.

Graphical abstract

Keywords::

• antibiotic resistance
• bacteriophage
• clinical use
• drug resistance
• patent landscape
• regulatory approval
• safety

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/suppl/10.2217/fmb-2021-0062

Author contributions

P Pathak-Vaidya: substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work and the acquisition, analysis or interpretation of data for the work; drafted the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; gave final approval of the version to be published; and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. S Sharma made substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work and the acquisition, analysis or interpretation of data for the work; drafted the work or revised it critically for important intellectual content; gave final approval of the version to be published; and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. M Telang made substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work and the acquisition, analysis or interpretation of data for the work; drafted the work or revised it critically for important intellectual content; gave final approval of the version to be published; and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Acknowledgments

P Pathak-Vaidya and S Sharma thank CSIR, India, for a Project Fellowship.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

P Pathak-Vaidya and S Sharma thank CSIR, India, for a Project Fellowship.