A comprehensive review of advanced strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an escalating global threat as first-line antibiotics lose effectiveness due to overuse and misuse, while no new antibiotic class has been developed in the past decade. To address this, innovative alternatives such as antimicrobial peptides, phage therapy, CRISPR-Cas gene editing, nanomaterial-based antimicrobials, immunomodulators, novel physicochemical strategies, and combination therapies are emerging as next-generation solutions. These approaches represent a paradigm shift beyond conventional antibiotics, yet AMR remains a pressing challenge that demands inventive, collaborative, and multidisciplinary action from researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the pharmaceutical sector.