Phage Therapy Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Phage Therapy Market is projected to expand from USD 64.41 Million in 2025 to USD 81.73 Million by 2031, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.05%. Phage therapy involves the therapeutic use of bacteriophages, viruses capable of specifically infecting and lysing targeted bacterial pathogens. A primary catalyst for this market is the escalating global prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which has rendered many conventional antibiotics ineffective against multi-drug resistant strains; consequently, there is an intensified demand for alternative treatments that function independently of traditional antimicrobial mechanisms, fostering the development of phage-based solutions for both clinical and agricultural applications.

Despite the market's potential, the lack of a standardized regulatory framework for biological agents poses a significant barrier to commercial growth, as existing approval pathways are often poorly adapted for evolving viral therapies. This regulatory uncertainty complicates the advancement of candidates through clinical trials. Highlighting the sector's developmental activity, the World Health Organization reported that in 2024, the global clinical antibacterial pipeline included 97 agents, 40 of which were categorized as non-traditional therapeutics including bacteriophages, a statistic that underscores the industry's transition toward novel biological interventions to combat resistant infections.

Market Drivers

Technological advancements in genetic engineering and synthetic phage development are fundamentally transforming the market by surmounting the limitations of naturally occurring bacteriophages. The incorporation of CRISPR-Cas3 technologies facilitates the creation of precision-engineered phages that destroy targeted bacterial DNA more effectively than wild-type counterparts, thereby improving efficacy against multidrug-resistant pathogens. This shift is supported by substantial public sector backing; for instance, according to Locus Biosciences, in January 2024, the company announced the receipt of $23.9 million in funding from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to support the Phase 2 trial of its CRISPR-engineered bacteriophage therapy, a development that addresses a major medical burden given that an estimated 150 million people worldwide are affected by urinary tract infections annually.

Strategic collaborations and rising venture capital inflows are providing the essential capital to accelerate clinical pipelines. As the commercial landscape matures, consolidation has emerged as a key strategy for mitigating development risks and securing the resources necessary for late-stage trials, a trend illustrated by recent high-profile mergers aimed at pooling clinical assets and attracting institutional investment. According to BiomX Inc., in March 2024, the company finalized a merger agreement with Adaptive Phage Therapeutics while concurrently securing $50 million in financing to advance their combined Phase 2 clinical programs, financial injections that are critical for transitioning phage therapies from experimental compassionate use into commercially viable pharmaceutical products.

Market Challenges

The lack of a standardized regulatory framework for biological agents acts as a critical impediment to the growth of the Global Phage Therapy Market. Unlike traditional chemical antibiotics, bacteriophages are dynamic biological entities capable of genetic evolution, whereas current approval pathways are predominantly designed for static medicinal compounds. This misalignment forces developers to navigate ill-suited compliance requirements, resulting in prolonged development timelines and unpredictable criteria for establishing safety and efficacy, while the absence of harmonized guidelines addressing the unique properties of phages increases the complexity of clinical trials and makes it difficult for manufacturers to prove batch consistency to regulators accustomed to fixed formulations.

This regulatory ambiguity creates a high-risk environment that significantly discourages financial investment, thereby stifling commercial expansion. Investors are frequently hesitant to allocate capital to research sectors where the route to market authorization remains undefined and hazardous. According to the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, in 2024, companies focused on infectious disease programs received only 3.4% of the total venture capital raised for biopharmaceutical companies over the preceding decade, creating a substantial funding gap that limits the resources available for phage developers to navigate the arduous regulatory landscape and effectively stalls the progression of promising therapeutic candidates into the commercial market.

Market Trends

The Integration of Artificial Intelligence for Phage Discovery is fundamentally altering the R&D landscape by accelerating the identification of viral candidates with high specificity. Developers are increasingly utilizing machine learning algorithms to screen vast genomic libraries and predict phage-host interactions, significantly reducing the time and cost associated with traditional wet-lab isolation methods. This technological advancement allows for the rapid generation of optimized cocktails capable of bypassing bacterial resistance mechanisms more efficiently than manual matching methods; validating this shift toward computational discovery, according to French Tech Journal, in October 2025, Phagos raised €25 million in a Series A funding round specifically to scale its AI-driven platform for developing evolving precision phage medicines.

Simultaneously, the Expansion into Veterinary and Agricultural Applications is broadening the market’s scope beyond human therapeutics, driven by recent regulatory successes in the animal health sector. As restrictions on antibiotic usage in livestock tighten globally to combat One Health challenges, stakeholders are commercializing phage-based additives to ensure food safety and improve animal welfare. This sector is now witnessing tangible regulatory milestones that establish a pathway for broader commercial adoption; for instance, according to Intralytix, Inc., in September 2025, the company received formal approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine for its Salmonella-specific bacteriophage preparation intended for use in pet food processing.

Key Players Profiled in the Phage Therapy Market

• Armata Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• iNtODEWORLD, Inc.
• Phage International, Inc.
• Fixed-Phage Limited
• OCUS BIOSCIENCES, INC.
• Intralytix, Inc.
• PhagoMed Biopharma GmbH
• PHAGELUX, INC.
• Pherecydes Pharma SADIR
• Adaptive Phage Therapeutics Inc.

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Phage Therapy Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Phage Therapy Market, by Bacteria Type:

• Salmonella
• Bacteriophage
• Streptococcus
• E.Coli
• Others

Phage Therapy Market, by Product:

• Oral Consumption
• External Consumption
• Surgical Treatment

Phage Therapy Market, by Application:

• Human Medicines
• Veterinary Sciences
• Food & Beverage
• Others

Phage Therapy Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Phage Therapy Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

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