ESCMID: ESGNTA

Aims and objectives

The ESCMID Study Group for Non-Traditional Antibacterial Therapy (ESGNTA) brings together professionals from various expertise dedicated to advancing the use of bacteriophages and other new non-traditional therapeutic approaches to treat infectious diseases. Their mission includes:

Developing microbiological guidelines and supporting the clinical use of phages and phage-derived products, via clinical trials and compassionate use
Identifying bacterial pathogens and infectious disease indications where non-traditional antibacterials, including bacteriophage therapies, may lead to cure or improved clinical outcomes
Increasing knowledge and fostering research on phage-derived enzymes, especially lysins, to identify the optimal carriers and applications in clinical settings, such as gels and nanoparticles
Creating a network and promoting the establishment of academic phage therapy centres across European countries, based on the models developed in Belgium, France, Israel, Australia, and the USA

Activities and resources

ESGNTA Newsletter, December 2025

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ESGNTA Newsletter, July 2025

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ESGNTA Newsletter, March 2025

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Cross-border dialogue: An international survey of regulators on phage therapy.

Alvarez RD, Årdal C, Classen AY, Nagel TE, Ceyssens PJ, German GJ. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2025 Dec;66(6):107614

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Phage therapy.

Mikael Skurnik, Sivan Alkalay-Oren, Maarten Boon, Martha Clokie, Thomas Sicheritz-Pontén,Krystyna Dąbrowska, Graham F. Hatfull, Ronen Hazan, Matti Jalasvuori, Saija Kiljunen, Rob Lavigne, Danish J. Malik, Ran Nir-Paz & Jean-Paul Pirnay. Nature Reviews Methods Primers 2025. 5, Article number: 10

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2025 ICM: Role of Unconventional Medications.

Suh GA; ESGNTA; Scobie A; ESGNTA; Piuzzi NS, Bartak V, Anyaehie UE, Arciola CR, Batailler C, Benes M, Binlaksar R, Buttaro M, Damioli LE, de Beaubien BC, Dietz MJ, Doub JB, Elmenawi KA, Falez F, Ferry T; ESGNTA; Goswami K, Kucukdurmaz F, Li B, Metsemakers WJ, Moriarty TF, Saeed M, Shah RP, Springer B, Tootsi K, Tsiridis E, Urish KL. J Arthroplasty. 2025 Oct 31:S0883-5403(25)01395-6

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Phages and phage-borne enzymes as new antibacterial agents.

McCallin S, Drulis-Kawa Z, Ferry T, Pirnay JP, Nir-Paz R. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2023;20:S1198-743X(23)00528-1.

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Personalized Phage Therapy: Basic Principles of monitoring and treatment: Supplement 5 1 Nov 2023

Nir-Paz R, Iredell J, Suh G, Fabijan AP. Clinical Infectious Diseases, Vol 77, Issue Supplement 5, 1 November 2023.

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