In Russia, the first patent was issued for the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia with bacteriophages

Scientists of the RPC "Micromir" received it together with the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Federal Scientific and Clinical Center of Intensive Care Medicine and Rehabilitology" (FSCC ICMR).

The invention relates to the anesthesiology of resuscitation, it can be used for the treatment and prevention of relapses of nosocomial pneumonia in patients in intensive care units.

Hospital-acquired pneumonia (NP) is one of the most severe infectious complications in intensive care units (ICUs) worldwide, accounting for up to 25% of all infectious complications (1). The incidence of NP ranges from 5 to 20 cases per 1,000 hospitalizations (2), and the mortality rate from ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) alone, a common form of NP, ranges from 20 to 50% (3).

Until now, there have been no truly effective methods of treating NP — success largely depended on the speed of diagnosis and the adequacy of antibiotic therapy. Difficulties arise with the latter: in the ICU, patients are exposed to infection with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including broad-spectrum bacteria. The problem has only worsened over the years – the WHO includes resistance of microorganisms in the list of 10 threats to the health of the world's population (4).

Therefore, obtaining the first patent in Russia for the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia using bacteriophages is an important step in ensuring global patient safety. A team of scientists from RPC Micromir and FRCC ICMR formed a complex of bacteriophages active against 14 main pathogens of NP, including strains of pan-resistant bacteria, described the method of their use and confirmed the effectiveness of therapy. It has several significant advantages over currently available treatments for NP:

The principle of therapy is as follows: a ready-made complex containing an adapted composition of bacteriophages is administered to patients by inhalation so that the drug can affect bacterial populations on the mucous membranes of the oropharynx, trachea, larynx, bronchi and alveoli. It also enhances the microbiocenosis of the mucous membranes and the protective properties of the body against viruses, bacteria, protozoa and mycoplasmas.

Bacteriophages can be combined with antibiotics, antiseptics (except for Octenisept), hormones, as well as antispasmodics, painkillers, and cardiac drugs. The use of the cocktail is not limited to the ICU, it can help all patients at risk of developing nosocomial pneumonia. It can be scaled to oncological, hematological, surgical and other departments.