A Phase 3 interventional study of Bacteriophages GMP and saline solution (placebo) in Ventilator Associated Bacterial Pneumonia and Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Infection, sponsored by Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris. Not yet recruiting at 16 sites in France. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-04.
Sponsored by Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) complicates the hospital course of up to 40% of mechanically ventilated patients and is associated with mortality rates approaching 30%, despite appropriate antibiotic therapy (ATB). Gram-negative bacteria account for approximately 60% of VAP episodes, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) being one of the most common pathogens. Recurrent Pa-VAP occurs in 19-33% of cases outside the COVID-19 setting, whereas recurrence rates as high as 79% have been reported in patients with COVID-19, most often caused by the same pathogen and frequently occurring despite adequate antibiotic therapy.
Several attempts have been made to improve pulmonary antibiotic exposure by combining intravenous therapy with aerosolized antibiotics delivered through conventional nebulizers. However, clinical results have been disappointing, largely because standard jet nebulizers deliver less than 10% of the nominal dose to the lungs owing to high residual volumes, drug deposition within the ventilator circuit and endotracheal tube, and loss through the expiratory limb. Even with more efficient vibrating mesh nebulizers, two recent randomized con-trolled trials failed to demonstrate any clinical benefit of adjunctive nebulized antibiotics in patients with Gram-negative VAP.
Bacteriophages are bacteria-specific viruses that have emerged as a promising therapeutic alternative for difficult-to-treat bacterial infections. Their highly specific host range allows selective targeting of pathogenic bacteria while sparing the commensal microbiota and human cells, thereby minimizing toxicity and off-target effects. An increasing body of preclinical evidence and clinical case reports supports the safety and potential efficacy of anti-P. aeruginosa phage therapy. More recently, a porcine model of Pa-VAP demonstrated that high concentrations of bacteriophages can be efficiently delivered to the lungs by nebulization during mechanical ventilation, resulting in rapid control of the pulmonary infection. The use of phages as compassionate treatment has been authorized in September 2021 in this indication using phages produced by Phagenix- ©.
The aim of this placebo controlled study is to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of nebulized anti-Pa bacteriophages, delivered to the lung using a vi-brating mesh nebulizer, in addition to conventional IV ATB treatment.
136 studies on the registry are indexed under Pseudomonas Infections; 27 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 184 is above the median of 55 across 93 interventional studies indexed under Pseudomonas Infections.
Browse Pseudomonas Infections studies →Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris is the lead sponsor of 3,592 studies on the registry; 1,033 are open to participants now.
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Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Childbearing potential
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraception
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Nebulization of bacteriophages PP1450, PP1777, PP1792 and PP1797 will be performed using a vibrating mesh nebulizer (Aerogen). The aerosol generator will be placed upstream of the heated humidifier, which will remain active during administration. The nebulizer chamber will be filled immediately prior to dosing. When clinically feasible, mechanical ventilation settings will be standardized (volume-controlled mode, tidal volume 6-8 mL/kg ideal body weight, respiratory rate 16-20/min, inspiratory flow \<40 L/min), with no specific adjustments for PEEP or FiO₂. Sedation may be used to minimize patient-ventilator asynchrony. Nebulization is expected to last approximately 45-60 minutes. These settings are recommended but not mandatory.
Biological: Bacteriophages GMP
Nebulization of saline solution will be performed using a vibrating mesh nebulizer (Aerogen). The aerosol generator will be placed upstream of the heated humidifier, which will remain active during administration. The nebulizer chamber will be filled immediately prior to dosing. When clinically feasible, mechanical ventilation settings will be standardized (volume-controlled mode, tidal volume 6-8 mL/kg ideal body weight, respiratory rate 16-20/min, inspiratory flow \<40 L/min), with no specific adjustments for PEEP or FiO₂. Sedation may be used to minimize patient-ventilator asynchrony. Nebulization is expected to last approximately 45-60 minutes. These settings are recommended but not mandatory.
Drug: saline solution (placebo)
Five administrations of phages daily from D1 to D5
Five administrations of saline solution daily from D1 to D5
Proportion of patients alive and cured at D28 and without any recurrence of Pa-VAP between the initial episode and D28.
Cure is defined as : * Resolution of signs and symptoms of infection * Improvement of PaO2/FiO2 ratio as compared to value the day VAP is diagnosed * No appearance of new signs of sepsis All 3 criteria must be fulfilled 7 to 10 days after antibiotic initiation Recurrence is defined as: -a clinically suspected VAP (fever, radiological opacity, increase in ventilation need) A microbiological confirmation with Pa recovered at a significant level from lung sample (≥10\^4/ml for BAL or ≥10\^5/ml for tracheal aspirate or ≥ 10\^3 CFU/mL for plugged telescopic catheter).
Time frame: Day 28
Resolution of ventilator-associated pneumonia symptoms
Time frame: Day 7 +/- 3 days
Incidence of new ventilator-associated pneumonia
Time frame: Day 7 +/- 3 days and day 14
Clinical improvement, defined by a modified Clinical pulmonary infection score <4 (range 0-12, with higher score indicating worse outcome) and no new Pseudomonas aeruginosa ventilator-associated pneumonia episode
Time frame: Day 14
Incidence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa detection in respiratory samples
Time frame: Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, Day 10, Day 14 and Day 28
Number of days alive
Time frame: Day 28
Number of day without invasive mechanical ventilation
Time frame: Day 28
Number of day without antibiotics
Time frame: Day 28
Anti-phage antibody presence and titers,
Time frame: Day 1, 7, 10, 14 and 28
Phage neutralization titers
Time frame: Day 1, 7, 10, 14 and 28
Mortality rate
Time frame: Day 28 and Day 60
Prevalence of ESBL-producing and carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria in fecal and tracheal aspirate samples
Time frame: Day 28
Plan to share: Yes — The procedures carried out with the French data privacy authority (CNIL, Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés) do not provide for the transmission of the database, nor do the information and consent documents signed by the patients. Consultation by the editorial board or interested researchers of individual participant data that underlie the results reported in the article after deidentification may nevertheless be considered, subject to prior determination of the terms and conditions of such consultation and in respect for compliance with the applicable regulations
Supporting information: Study protocol, Statistical analysis plan, Informed consent form
Time frame: Beginning 3 months and ending 3 years following article publication. Requests out of these time frame can also be submitted to the sponsor
Access criteria: Researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Aug 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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