MIT Highlights Biochimpharm's Revolutionary Role in Combatting Antibiotic Resistance
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) recently featured an article from the Business and Technology Institute (BTU) spotlighting the revival and transformation of Biochimpharm, a historic biopharmaceutical firm specializing in bacteriophage (phage) technology.
Originating in Georgia, a country renowned for its ancient winemaking traditions, Biochimpharm is recognized as a pioneer in phage therapy—a field considered one of the world's most promising alternatives to antibiotics.
Rati Golijashvili, Biochimpharm's General Manager and Forbes' 30 Under 30 honoree in both Science and Manufacturing & Industry, expressed his gratitude to MIT and BTU for the international platform. "We are thrilled to collaborate with esteemed institutions like MIT to elevate Georgia's status as the birthplace of phage technology," Golijashvili said in an interview with Forbes Georgia.
From 2021 to 2023, Biochimpharm underwent extensive modernization to align its facilities with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), a set of European manufacturing standards. The Tbilisi-based facility is now the first GMP-certified phage production enterprise globally. Boasting state-of-the-art equipment and production lines from leading international pharmaceutical suppliers, the revamped plant is capable of annually producing 30 million vials of sterile medical preparations.
This development comes at a pivotal time. Antibiotic resistance is currently responsible for approximately 700,000 global fatalities annually, including 35,000 in the United States and 25,000 in Europe. If left unchecked, antibiotic resistance could result in more than 10 million deaths per year by 2050, inflicting an estimated economic toll of $100 trillion.
The World Economic Forum recently listed phage technology among its top 10 emerging technologies of 2023, acknowledging its revolutionary potential to reshape global healthcare paradigms.
Biochimpharm, backed by nearly a century of phage research experience, two international patents, and distribution channels in eight countries, stands at the forefront of this life-saving technological revolution.