G. Eliava Institute of Bacteriophages, Microbiology and Virology produce several different types of therapeutic and prophylactic phage preparations. Phage treatment is a part of standard healthcare protocols in Georgia, as pre-clinical and clinical investigations have been performed to determine the efficacy of phage application. One of the interesting studies performed by the Eliava Institute’s scientists is the determination of antigenic and immunogenic properties of phage lysates. It was determined that phage lysates are non-toxic and immunization with phage lysates does not cause adverse reactions. Phage treatment acts in two ways, first the phage attacks the specific pathogen and neutralizes it through lysis, and second, the resultant cell lysate acts as an immune modulator. The phage-lysates that result from repeated introduction of phages, even in small amounts, result in increasing titers of specific antibodies which behave in a dose response fashion similar to traditional vaccines.

The aim of the project is to develop and test vaccines using bacteriophages. Phage lysates with the same antigenic and immunogenic properties as vaccine based on whole bacterial cells, but with reduced toxicity could be used as a potential vaccine for prophylaxis of various infectious bacterial diseases which continue to be problematic. The relatively rapid accumulation of antibodies after immunization with phage lysates indicates the potential for successful application as a vaccine.