The role of nanotechnology in overcoming barriers to phage therapy: an overview

Abstract

Phage treatment has again risen in popularity due to the rise of antibiotic resistance and the need for more reliable alternatives. Human approval of phage therapy has been delayed despite several promising investigations, so, in order to break into the clinical market, existing barriers must be eliminated, and new solutions must be developed. As such, nanotechnology has the potential to help phage formulations overcome their pharmacological drawbacks. The use of nanotechnology to improve phage therapy has received surprisingly little attention in the literature. The key method for increasing phage stability and retention inside the body is encapsulation. New developments in phage therapy using nanotechnology are summarized in this paper.