Phage therapy: innovations, challenges, and future directions in combating superbugs and antibiotic resistance

INTRODUCTION: Antimicrobial resistance is undermining the effectiveness of conventional antibiotics and represents a critical global health challenge. This review evaluates the resurgence of bacteriophage therapy as a precision strategy to address multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. AREAS COVERED: The review critically examines the biological principles of phage therapy, including host specificity, lytic activity, and biofilm disruption, and synthesizes current evidence from clinical, veterinary, and environmental applications. Recent technological advances such as engineered phages, phage cocktails, and novel delivery systems are discussed together with regulatory, manufacturing, and translational barriers. A structured analysis of contemporary literature, encompassing experimental studies and early clinical investigations, was undertaken to assess therapeutic potential and limitations. EXPERT OPINION: Although phage therapy offers a promising complement to existing antimicrobials, routine clinical implementation requires harmonized regulatory pathways, scalable production standards, and rigorously designed clinical trials. Strategic international collaboration and integration of emerging technologies will be pivotal in advancing phage therapy toward sustainable clinical adoption.