Armata Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NYSE American: ARMP) announced the publication of research in the Journal of Molecular Biology examining the therapeutic bacteriophage Ar-KM, which targets Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the pathogen addressed by the company’s AP-PA02 program.
The paper, titled "Insights into Genome Ejection by a Therapeutic phiKMV-like Bacteriophage", was published on March 9, 2026. Researchers employed cryo-electron microscopy, proteomics, and bioinformatics to analyze three distinct states of the phage particle from a single purified preparation, constructing atomic models for eleven structural proteins at near-atomic resolution.
Key findings included the identification of an enzyme activity facilitating penetration of the bacterial cell envelope and characterization of a protein enabling genome release and delivery into the bacterium. These mechanisms are critical to the stability and efficacy of phage therapeutics, according to Dr. Deborah Birx, Chief Executive Officer of Armata and co-author of the study. In a statement, she noted that stability before infection and efficient genome delivery at the point of infection are fundamental characteristics of a viable phage therapeutic, adding that the work provides important insight into how Ar-KM can achieve both.
The research was led by Dr. Gino Cingolani, Anderson Family Endowed Chair in Medical Education, Research & Patient Care, and Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics at The University of Alabama at Birmingham, who served as senior author. The collaboration between Armata and the university has produced four publications characterizing the company’s Pseudomonas aeruginosa phages.
Armata is a late clinical-stage biotechnology company based in Los Angeles, focused on developing bacteriophage therapeutics for antibiotic-resistant and difficult-to-treat bacterial infections. The company’s AP-PA02, an inhaled bacteriophage product candidate, has completed Phase 2 clinical studies in patients with cystic fibrosis and non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis suffering from chronic pulmonary P. aeruginosa infection.
