Rachel Yoon Chang
I am a phage formulation scientist with a strong interest in stabilising phages in various formulations such as inhalation powders and liquids for respiratory delivery, metered-dose sprays and hydrogels for topical delivery, and tablets for oral delivery. My work on inhaled phage therapy has led to the Rising Star Award from the European Respiratory Society in 2021 as well as invitations to speak at prestigious national and international conferences. I hold an International PCT Patent (PCT/AU2021/051537) for Compositions for the Delivery of Phage. I was awarded PhD in Biochemistry (proteomics), Graduate Certificate in Research Commercialisation and Bachelor of Science (Class I Hons) from the University of Queensland, Australia.
Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses with the ability to infect bacteria, and they have recently attracted substantial attention as potential therapeutic alternatives or adjuvants to antibiotic therapy due to the global urgency of antimicrobial resistance. Antibiotics have been the clinical ‘gold standard’ for treating bacterial infections, and their pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) have been extensively investigated over the past decades. Unfortunately, there has been a significant lack of research on the PK/PD of phage therapy, severely hindering its clinical translation. Recognising this as a major hurdle, excellent reviews summarising the available literature on phage PK/PD have been published over recent years. The aim of this present narrative review is to discuss the PK/PD challenges with the clinical translation of phage therapy and address the voids that need to be filled.