The rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a major threat to human health, with predictions suggesting that AMR-related deaths will surpass those from cancer by 2050 if left unaddressed. Thus, there is an urgent need for alternative therapeutic strategies for infections caused by AMR pathogens and to preserve our ability to perform routine medical procedures, including surgery, in a ‘post-antibiotic era’.

Among the most clinically significant AMR pathogens is Staphylococcus aureus, a Gram-positive commensal that is also an opportunistic pathogen, responsible for a wide range of infections including skin and soft tissue infections, pneumonia, osteomyelitis, endocarditis and sepsis. Currently, there is no licensed vaccine available to prevent S. aureus infections, rendering treatment heavily reliant on antibiotics. The emergence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates has severely compromised treatment efficacy, even when last-resort antibiotics are used. The therapeutic challenge of S. aureus infections has led to increased interest in the field towards alternative innovative research avenues, including anti-virulence therapies, bacteriophage therapy, immunotherapy, RNA-based therapeutics, antibiotic adjuvants and novel anti-staphylococcals.