European-funded consortium brings together researchers from 13 countries to evaluate bacteriophage therapy as a potential alternative to antibiotics for recurrent urinary tract infections.

Researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Hadassah Medical Center are partners in a major international clinical trial that aims to transform the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Supported by a €15 million European Union grant, the project will investigate whether bacteriophages—viruses that naturally infect and destroy bacteria—can provide a safe and effective alternative to conventional antibiotic therapies.

The study, known as P-PEAKS UTI (Personalized-Phage against E. coli with IV Antibiotic to Knockout Stable Biofilms in Urinary Tract Infections), brings together 20 research and clinical partners across 13 countries and is led by Dr. Gregory German, chronic infection clinic physician at St. Joseph's Health Centre, Canada. The Israeli research team is led by Prof. Ronen Hazan and Dr. Sahar Melamed from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and by Prof. Ran Nir-Paz from Hadassah Medical Center. Prof. Hazan and Prof. Nir-Paz are the initiators and co-leaders of the Israeli Phage Therapy Center (IPTC).

Approximately 220 women suffering from chronic, recurrent Escherichia coli urinary tract infections will be enrolled at clinical sites in Israel, the United States, Canada, France, UK, Italy, Spain and Estonia.

Recurring urinary tract infections affect millions of women worldwide and are becoming increasingly difficult to treat as antibiotic resistance continues to rise. Many patients experience repeated infections despite multiple rounds of antibiotics, underscoring the urgent need for new therapeutic strategies.

Rather than relying solely on antibiotics, the trial will evaluate personalised bacteriophage therapy. Bacteriophages, or phages, are naturally occurring viruses that selectively infect bacteria while leaving human cells unharmed. Because phages target specific bacterial strains, they may offer a more precise approach to treating persistent infections while helping reduce the spread of antimicrobial resistance. During the trial, participants will receive either phage therapy or a placebo alongside a single intravenous dose of antibiotics, allowing researchers to rigorously evaluate the treatment's effectiveness.

Researchers from the Hadassah Medical Center and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem will contribute their combined expertise in phage therapy, microbiology, infectious diseases, and translational clinical research as part of the multinational effort to generate the high-quality clinical evidence needed to bring phage therapy closer to routine medical practice.

"Non resolving infections and Antimicrobial resistance are few of the defining medical challenges of our time," said Profs. Hazan and Nir-Paz. "International collaborations such as P-PEAKS allow us to combine expertise across disciplines and countries to evaluate innovative therapies that could significantly improve outcomes for patients who currently have few treatment options."

The consortium represents one of the largest international efforts to clinically evaluate phage therapy for recurrnet urinary tract infections. Beyond the immediate goal of improving treatment for chronic UTIs, researchers hope the project will strengthen the scientific foundation for using bacteriophages against a broader range of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.

If successful, the trial could help establish phage therapy as a valuable addition to the clinical toolbox against antimicrobial resistance, offering new hope for patients worldwide while advancing more personalised approaches to infectious disease treatment.