Near East University, ranked among the top 500 universities in the world, has passed another critical threshold in its bacteriophage research against antibiotic resistance. Having isolated the third bacteriophage from the pond on campus and named it “NEU2025,” Near East University has created a significant “triple phage cocktail” infrastructure for phage therapy, along with the previously discovered “NEU2023” and “NEU2024.”
Near East University, ranked among the top 500 universities in the world, has passed another critical threshold in its bacteriophage research against antibiotic resistance. Having isolated the third bacteriophage from the pond on campus and named it “NEU2025,” Near East University has created a significant “triple phage cocktail” infrastructure for phage therapy, along with the previously discovered “NEU2023” and “NEU2024.”
The third bacteriophage, discovered through bacteriophage research conducted by Near East University researchers in collaboration with La Trobe University in Australia, has been registered and entered the literature under the name “NEU2025.”
Found out to be belonging to the Pbunavirus group through genome analysis, NEU2025’s ability to target the multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria and neutralize some resistant bacterial strains makes the research even more clinically significant. Researchers state that a “triple phage cocktail” approach, using NEU2023, NEU2024, and NEU2025 together, could create a new treatment option as an alternative or supportive treatment to antibiotics in severe infections.
The research, led by Near East University Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ and Experimental Health Sciences Research Center (DESAM) Researcher Dr. Ferdiye Taner, also includes contributions from Assoc. Prof. Dr. Steve Petrovski and doctoral student Jed Chafer from La Trobe University in Australia, as part of an international collaboration.
The Scientific Journey from NEU2023 to NEU2025
Near East University’s bacteriophage research had previously attracted international scientific attention with the discovery of NEU2023. Classified as a new virus species after genome analysis, NEU2023 was named “Alasiavirus”, inspired by the ancient name of Cyprus, “Alasia”, and introduced to the literature.
The research pipeline, which expanded with the discovery of NEU2024, has now been taken to a much more advanced stage with the addition of NEU2025. The synergistic effect demonstrated by the combination of three different bacteriophages has created an important scientific foundation for the development of next-generation treatment strategies against resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains seen in clinical samples.
Clinical Applications Examined On-Site in Georgia
In the next phase of their studies, the Near East University research team visited the George Eliava Institute of Bacteriophage, Microbiology and Virology in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, which is considered one of the world’s leading centers in the field of phage therapy.
During the meetings, in which DESAM researcher Dr. Ferdiye Taner actively participated, clinical applications, phage production processes, and new academic collaborations were discussed. Dr. Ferdiye Taner also had the opportunity to examine the application processes of phage therapy on-site by participating in an international training program organized by the George Eliava Institute.
The program, which included researchers and clinicians from many parts of the world, brought together experts from France, Canada, Italy, and various European countries. The training covered the production processes of bacteriophages, their clinical use, examples of treatment success, and legal regulations in various countries in detail.
Throughout the program, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) approach to phage therapy, global application perspectives, and scientific evaluations were also discussed. In sessions attended by Dr. Ferdiye Taner, scientific assessments were made on the preparation processes of bacteriophages, clinical use protocols, and potential future application areas.
Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel: “The bacteriophage studies conducted at our university are creating a very important scientific infrastructure that will shed light on future treatment methods.”
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Near East Enterprises, Prof. Dr. İrfan Suat Günsel stated that Near East University contributes not only to the academic world but also to public health through scientific research, saying, “Antibiotic resistance has become one of the biggest health threats facing humanity. The bacteriophage studies conducted at our university are creating a very important scientific infrastructure that will shed light on future treatment methods.”
Emphasizing the research capacity of Near East University, Prof. Dr. Günsel said, “The triple phage cocktail approach that emerged with NEU2023, NEU2024, and finally the newly discovered NEU2025 is an extremely valuable development not only for our university but also for our region. We will continue to transform scientific production for the benefit of society and develop innovative solutions in the field of health.”
Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ: “The next step to begin the treatment process is the completion of the necessary legal procedures.”
Near East University Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Şanlıdağ stated that their ongoing research has reached a very important stage in terms of the applicability of phage therapy. Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ said, “To date, we have isolated three different bacteriophages on our campus. With NEU2025, which we recently discovered, we now have a very strong clinical potential. The triple phage cocktail we are working on offers a new approach against resistant infections. We have completed the characterization processes. The next step to begin the treatment process is the completion of the necessary legal procedures.”
Reminding that phage therapy is currently mostly used in critical cases where existing treatment options are insufficient, Prof. Dr. Şanlıdağ added, “We aim for this approach to be used not only as a last resort, but also in the early stages of infection. With the completion of the necessary legal regulations and the approval processes of the Ministry of Health, we will implement phage therapy in our country in the near future.”
Dr. Ferdiye Taner: “Creating a triple phage cocktail is an important step in terms of clinical applications.”
Dr. Ferdiye Taner, a researcher at the Near East University Experimental Health Sciences Research Center and a key figure in the ongoing studies, stated that the discovery of NEU2025 has significantly strengthened the research, saying, “Obtaining the third bacteriophage after NEU2023 and NEU2024, which we previously isolated, has created a significant alternative for phage therapy. The triple phage cocktail approach, where these three phages can be used together, is yielding promising results against resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections.”
Dr. Taner also stated that the contacts made at the George Eliava Institute in Georgia were a very important experience for them, adding, “We had the opportunity to examine clinical processes firsthand in centers where phage therapy is actively applied. In the training program, we gained comprehensive information ranging from phage production standards to patient application protocols. This process was a very important step in transforming the studies we are conducting at Near East University into clinical practice.”