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PHAGE
ASIA
Working together to realize the full potential of bacteriophages in Asia.
URGENT ACTION NEEDED TO
COMBAT AMR
THE SITUATION
As a key stakeholder within the food value chain, you are deeply concerned about the worsening of the global antibiotic resistance (AMR) crisis and its consequences on people, animals, food and the environment. Whether your expertise lies in bacteriophage research, animal farming, food production and processing, you can help ensure that bacteriophages are developed, registered and used broadly in the field as an alternative to combat antibiotic resistance, a looming global health crisis.
THE PROBLEM
While bacteriophages are natural killers of bacteria, found everywhere in our environment, the application of this innovative technology to combat AMR is limited in many countries by an overwhelming and lengthy regulatory process for approval. Despite their natural origin and countless studies published, regulators in many countries are still unaware about bacteriophages and their beneficial value to the agriculture sector and relunctant to process favorably regulatory applications. This impediment hampers our mission to deliver this innovative, natural, safe and sustainable solution to the different stakeholders within our food supply chains.
THE SOLUTION
To overcome the many regulatory hurdles, we propose to build a community of like-minded stakeholders and collaborate to address our common regulatory challenge. Pooling resources and expertise will help us raise the general knowledge of regulators in the Asian countries and contribute to make them more comfortable with the review and approval of regulatory filings. Our coalition will empower companies to better navigate the complex regulatory process and expedite the field applications of bacteriophages in the food and animal production sectors. Bacteriophages have a key role to play in fighting AMR and align perfectly with a sustainable approach towards One Health.
ABOUT US
We are a coalition of stakeholders coming from the private, public and academic sectors who wants to ensure that we fully realize the great potential of bacteriophages in Asia for the benefits of people, animals and the planet.
In Asia, phages should be a tool readily available and use in the agriculture sector to:
Combat Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
Reduce the incidence of foodborne diseases
Improve the provision of safer foods throughout value chains via the One Health approach
Contribute to a greater sustainability of food supply chains
OUR MEMBERS
We propose to achieve these objectives by:
RAISING
AWARENESS
Raising awareness about phages among a broad range of stakeholders within the food value chains (veterinarians, farmers, animal nutritionists, food processors);
Educating regulators, government officials about the advantages of phages to fight AMR and improve food safety;
EDUCATING
REGULATORS
Participating actively at national and regional events addressing topics where phages can truly bring some value: AMR, One Health, Food safety, Food security, Sustainable food production;
Reaching out to students attending Veterinary, Animal Science, Poultry Science, Aquaculture Science, Food Science programs in Asia;
PROMOTING
RESEARCH
Promoting research and development collaborations among Phage Asia members and fostering innovation in bacteriophage applications for the agriculture and food sectors, with the goal of enhancing food safety, security, and sustainability.
Exchanging the latest knowledge about phages among Phage Asia members;
WHAT ARE
Defining Phages or Bacteriophages
Phages or Bacteriophages are viruses able to infect and kill specific bacteria, including pathogenic bacteria like Salmonella, Listeria and Vibrio.
Although phages were discovered a long time ago (1917), their applications in the field have been limited and then almost forgotten after the discovery and mass production of antibiotics.
However, the use of antibiotics in animal production is often mentioned as a source of resistant bacteria transmitted to humans.
With this growing concern about the prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria in people, the World Health Organization (WHO) has joined forces with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the UN Environment program (UNEP) to tackle this emergency under the OneHealth approach.
A Natural Killer of Bacteria
As a natural killer of bacteria, including multidrug resistant bacteria, phages will be a valuable tool to confront one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity, with a higher impact in Asia and Africa.
The great potential of bacteriophages was recently acknowledged by The World Economic Forum, listing phages as one of the top 10 emerging technologies in 2023.
Yet, few people are aware of phages and many governments are still reluctant to endorse their applications on production animals (livestock, poultry, aquaculture), on crops (fruits, vegetables) or on foods.
NEWS
The European Union One Health 2022 Zoonoses Report
The recent report issued by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) highlighted the rise of Salmonella isolates from Poultry products that are resistant to antibiotics critical for human health. One more reason to take a closer look at bacteriophages as a viable solution to reduce the presence of #Salmonella within our food supply chains….
Positive and negative aspects of bacteriophages and their immense role in thefood chain
Excellent overview by a global panel of experts on the role of bacteriophages in our food supply chain and the work still ahead of us to realize fully this potential…
READ MORE HERE!
What’s holding back phages in the Poultry industry?
Bacteriophages could be an important tool for bacterial control in Poultry production, but various hurdles are keeping the industry from enjoying their benefits. Regulatory hurdles are plenty, but things may change…
READ MORE HERE!
FAQ
Answering frequently asked questions regarding PhageAsia and bacteriophages:
PhageAsia
Why join the Phage Asia coalition?
If you truly believe in the great potential of bacteriophages to assist farmers and food processors to produce safer foods in a sustainable manner, then the Phage Asia coalition is for you! We aim to gather like-minded research organizations, companies, and individuals to share knowledge and expertise about phages and accelerate their use in the field.
Can Phage Asia really make a difference?
Sharing knowledge, expertise and experiences across the Asian markets will contribute to identify the best strategies and tactics to communicate with regulators, veterinarians, farmers, and all other stakeholders who will benefit from a greater access and use of bacteriophages in the field.
How much does it cost to join the Phage Asia coalition?
Membership to the Phage Asia coalition is totally free, no string attached. The work done by the Phage Asia coalition will be driven by the enthusiasm and goodwill of its membership. Through the years, we have met so many people passionate about phages that we are confident we can deliver on our objectives without collecting any fees from our members. Obviously, donations will always be welcomed!
Why Phage Asia?
We got inspired by our colleagues in Europe who established some years ago Phage Europe to engage regulators in the European Union and stimulate some responses regarding the regulatory status of phages for use in food-producing animals. They have achieved a lot and we wish to deliver the same outcome for the Asian markets.
How can I join and volunteer for some activities?
To join our Phage Asia coalition, please refer to the section “Join Us” in our website. We would be delighted to have you onboard and we will make good use of your expertise. Please include in your message the type of contributions you would be willing to make to the Phage Asia coalition.
Bacteriophages
What are phages?
Bacteriophages or phages are viruses that are naturally able to infect specific bacteria, including pathogenic bacteria like Salmonella, Listeria and Vibrio. After entering the bacteria, the phage multiplies rapidly inside the bacteria, causing it to burst.
Why the sudden interest in bacteriophages?
Bacterial diseases in food-producing animals are traditionally treated with antibiotics, administered in the feed, the drinking water or by injection. However, there is a rise in the prevalence of bacteria resistant to antibiotics causing three key issues:
- It is becoming difficult to treat adequately animals and restore their health and welfare;
- Poor health in animals will increase food safety risks within the food value chains, and;
- There is a risk of transfer of resistance to bacteria affecting humans. Phages are a natural, green and sustainable alternative to the use of antimicrobials.
Is it safe to use bacteriophages in food-producing animals?
Yes. Bacteriophages used to treat or prevent the presence of bacteria have been thoroughly tested and their safety fully demonstrated. They have no effect on animals, people and the environment. In fact, bacteriophages are so specific that they infect only certain bacteria and not all bacteria. And phage therapy is now also used to treat people suffering from infections caused by multi-resistant bacteria.
What does One Health mean and do bacteriophages have a role to play?
Confronted with the rise in prevalence of multi-resistant bacteria in people, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) have joined forces under the concept of One Health. The health and well-being of people, animals and our beloved planet are interconnected. Bacteriophages have a key role to play within this One Health concept: Phages will reduce the use of antibiotics in animal production, meaning less drug residues in foods and the environment and less risk of developing antibacterial resistance in people and animals.
If bacteriophages are such a great alternative, why are they not used more in animal production?
In many countries, regulators do not know how to manage the regulatory review process for these helpful viruses. In the European Union, regulators have debated for over 10 years on the topic and have yet to come to terms with a realistic approach towards their approval. And in countries where phages can legally be used in food-producing animals, the awareness of their value is extremely low within the agriculture and food processing sectors.
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