Japan based Gifu University and Astellas Pharma Inc. have announced that the parties have established, inside Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, a joint research course entitled, “Phage Biologics Research Course” (Lead professor: Hiroki Nagai, Ph.D., Professor of Microbiology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine; Lead researcher: Hiroki Ando, Ph.D., Principal Investigator of Astellas is on loan to Gifu University as project associate professor).

In the Phage Biologics Research Course, Gifu University and Astellas will conduct a joint study on bacterial infection treatment by using engineered bacteriophages. The course will be retained for a term of  three years from March 2020.

Through this joint research, Gifu University and Astellas will take on the challenge of creating multiple lead programs in the field of bacterial infection treatment that uses engineered bacteriophages, to further bring benefit to patients.

Through this joint research, while making use of the strength of academia in which knowledge gained from clinical practice can be inputted, Gifu University will work to create engineered bacteriophages against multiple target bacteria through an industry-academia collaboration with Astellas.