Research & Development

Our motto:

„Only those who are willing to take risks can discover and patent something completely new!“

 

Phage Therapeutics (Olympic) is doing just that with the help of AI – assisting in faster drug formulation with a novel genome-based phage application technology.

  • Phage Therapeutics is the only company globally with access to the world's largest phage library – a phage bank of microorganisms and cell cultures – viruses with a known positive effect as adjuvants for use with antimicrobial drugs. 
  • Phage Therapeutics is acquiring fundamental intellectual property (IP) to develop novel combinations of virological chemistry and immunomodulatory adjuvants, offering a new class of antibacterial drugs destined for major global markets – with the goal of securing global patent rights.
  • Phage Therapeutics will synthesize key antibacterial and immunomodulatory drugs with the intention of formulating and testing novel antibacterial product candidates.

  • Phage Therapeutics will investigate the resulting antibacterial product candidates for antibacterial activity and the emergence of resistance against bacteriophages (viruses) against a range of bacterial pathogens.

  • Phage Therapeutics will engage a manufacturing contract research organization (CRO) to manufacture batches of the resulting antibacterial product candidate drug and immunomodulatory adjuvant drug for use in formulations, screening, and preclinical studies under near-current Good Manufacturing Practice (near cGMP) and current Good Laboratory Practice (cGLP) guidelines.

  • Phage Therapeutics will use a contract research organization (CRO) to manufacture batches of the resulting antibacterial product candidate drug and immunomodulatory adjuvant drug for use in formulations, screening, and preclinical studies. Phage Therapeutics has elucidated the mechanism of action and will generate a stream of new intellectual property to validate this new class of antibacterial phages against MRSA/VAP infections.

LATEST NEWS 2026 Q1 Jan-Feb-Mar / Q2 - Q4 2026 FOLLOW PHAGE/OLYMPIC THERAPEUTICS RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT!

Phage/Olympic Therapeutics believes the current economic and political climate in Europe is conducive to further collaboration with the G. Eliava Institute, Tbilisi, Georgia.

Further meetings regarding clinical trials and potential funding with our new and existing clinical partners in Europe are planned. The world's best bacteriophages from the Georg Eliava Institute in Tbilisi, Georgia (founded in 1923), will be used in planned clinical trials thanks to excellent personal contacts and relationships established over many years, as well as a supply contract signed in 2020.

Have bacteriophages from the Eliava Institute already undergone preclinical testing?

Yes, bacteriophages, especially those from the Eliava Institute in Georgia, have already been tested preclinically, meaning in research prior to clinical trials. The Eliava Institute is a renowned center for bacteriophage therapy and has an extensive collection of various phages.

Detailed answer:

  • Preclinical testing:
    Bacteriophages are tested in laboratories and on animals to demonstrate their efficacy and safety before being used in clinical trials in humans. 
  • Eliava Institut:
    The Eliava Institute in Georgia is a leading center for bacteriophage therapy and has a large collection of various bacteriophages used in preclinical trials. 
  • Efficacy:
    Preclinical trials show that bacteriophages are effective against certain bacteria, especially antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 
  • Safety:
    Preclinical trials also show that bacteriophages are well-tolerated and generally do not have harmful side effects. 
  • Clinical Trials:
    Although bacteriophages have been extensively studied, they are not yet officially approved as drugs in Germany and other parts of the world. 
  • Treatment:
    Bacteriophages can be used for certain infections, especially when antibiotics are no longer effective or when the bacteria are resistant (or multi-resistant) to antibiotics.
  • Advantages:
  • 1. Bacteriophages have the advantage over antibiotics of acting specifically against certain bacteria and not against the entire human body, and they have few side effects, unlike all antibiotics.
    2. Bacteriophages are significantly cheaper to produce than antibiotics and therefore do not generate nearly the enormous costs of antibiotic therapy versus a severe infection, e.g., in cases of multiple organ failure.
  • 3. Example: Multiple organ failure in a severe infection. Cost of antibiotic therapy: €25,000 / €50,000 – compared to €100,000 and more.
  • 4. Example: Treatment of multiple organ failure with bacteriophages € 1.000,00 - € 3.000,00/€ 5.000,00 (based on experience from the Eliava Phage Institute in Georgia, as there is currently no approval in Germany by the Federal Ministry of Health in coordination with the WHO)

  • Disadvantages: No known disadvantages. Currently, there is no approval by health authorities.

  • Future of phage therapy: Phage therapy has the potential not only to represent a highly important alternative to antibiotics, but also to replace them in the foreseeable future—especially in light of the increasing rise in antibiotic resistance.
    We are currently working intensively toward regulatory approval of therapies using our Eliava bacteriophages by the BGA/EMA/WHO, following the planned successful completion of clinical trials

    We estimate that approval for initial bacteriophage therapies in specialized clinics could be achieved in approximately 3–5 years at the earliest, provided that suitable financing partners are secured in a timely manner according to plan.

As a foundation for our bacteriophage research and development achievements to date, we continue to build on our highly positive past experience collaborating with our former U.S. partners. Strong contacts and personal relationships remain in place, which we can rely on at any time when needed.

Phage Therapeutics GmbH / Olympic Therapeutics AG have gained important development expertise through collaboration with the U.S. research group (MycoGenyx, Inc., USA; formerly Olympic Therapeutics, Inc., USA; Directors Dr. Warren Wheeler, PhD, and Dr. Richard C. Honour, PhD, Seattle, WA / Melbourne, FL) since 2003. This work builds on decades of successful international research and development of bacteriophages targeting MRSA and other clinically significant pathogens.

In response to current developments, we have also initiated collaboration with a Swedish bio/pharma high-tech group specializing in AI-supported (Artificial Intelligence) research to further advance patentable innovations.

Following the successful completion of our planned financing and patenting of the new “Phage Genome Application Technology,” Phage / Olympic Therapeutics aim to execute an exit in the coming years after completion of clinical trial phases II/III—or earlier—together with a strong international commercialization partner.

We will keep you informed at the appropriate time about further progress in our “Genome Phage Application Technology” and upcoming clinical trials.