In Treatment

Abstract

The development of any new drug depends on the successful collaboration between physicians and researchers. In the case of phage therapy, surgeons like R. Nichol Smith, who saved actor Tom Mix; Alexander Tsulukidze, who pioneered the use of phages to treat surgical infections in the Soviet Union; and Gouram Gvasalia, who helped develop a powdered form of the drug to administer to his patients in Tbilisi, have all helped advance the medicine. In United States, however, it seemed phage therapy would be kept out of physicians’ hands until the day Intralytix or Gangagen raised enough money to start clinical trials. In January 2006, Dr. Randall Wolcott of Lubbock, Texas found a better way.