The main challenges in translating innovative basic research into the clinical practice are particularly evident in the field of biofilm research and several hurdles need to be overcome to move new approaches from academia into clinical testing. Some strategies, such as nanotechnologies, suffer from limitations related to their difficult industrial scale-up and toxicological profile identification. Lack of an appropriate regulatory framework holds back other technologies, such as phages. In addition, the intrinsic complexity of the biofilm structure and biofilm/host system makes it difficult to standardize protocols for clinical studies [i], which turns into low predictability of clinical outcomes and, often, in trial failure.
The pressing need for effective alternatives to antibiotics should support stronger collaborative efforts among universities, health institutions and pharmaceutical industries to allow relevant innovation to come through. The obstacles highlighted in this work can be overcome by sharing information, programs, and results from all research stages, promoting start-up initiatives in the biofilm field, and opening more opportunities to finance innovative strategies.