A phage built from your own biology
When the right phage doesn’t yet exist, Parallel creates it, matched to your unique bacteria.
- Bespoke phage development for rare or resistant bacteria
- Board-certified dermatological oversight throughout
- Formulated in-house into a personalized topical
- In-network with Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare & Blue Shield (CA)
When you need a unique phage for your uncommon bacteria
For patients whose bacteria are uncommon enough that no existing phage can be found or accessed, so we develop one. This is often the case in long-standing, chronic skin issues where bacteria have evolved and grown resistant, with high antibiotic resistance scores where antibiotics are no longer a sustainable option, or in body odor, where the bacteria behind a scent profile can differ dramatically from person to person.
MD-03 Protocol™
Microbiome Dermatology in three steps, completed in about three months from testing to your first serum.
- Test your skin microbiome
- Collaborate with our dermatology and microbiology team on your care
- Receive the right phage serum, matched from our biobank, or a custom compounded Rx
CPD-01 Protocol™
Custom Phage Development Protocol, completed in 3–12 months depending on the complexity of your bacteria.
- Test your skin microbiome
- Isolate your unique bacterial strains
- Discover and develop specific phages that target your bacteria
- Formulate your one-of-a-kind custom phage serum
- Collaborate with our dermatology and microbiology team on your care
Test. Isolate. Develop. Formulate.
A precision pathway that builds a phage around your biology, rather than fitting you to something off the shelf.
Test
A gentle swab collects microbial DNA from your skin for quantitative microbiome testing.
Isolate
We isolate the single strain driving your concern, directly from your own sample.
Develop
We find and grow the one phage that specifically targets that bacteria, the key to your lock.
Formulate
Your phage becomes a personalized cosmeceutical topical, made for one biology and no one else’s.
A fully guided development journey
CPD-01™ builds on everything in the MD-03 Protocol™, then adds the specialized science of developing a phage from scratch.
Skin Microbiome Testing
Quantitative whole-genome shotgun metagenomic testing that reads the bacteria on your skin and identifies the strain driving your concern.
Quantitative Microbial Analysis™
A detailed read of your microbiome, including a resistance assessment that helps determine whether custom development is warranted.
Dermatological Oversight
Board-certified dermatologists guide your case from initial testing through formulation, as a clinician-led telehealth practice.
Custom Phage Development
Our scientific team isolates your bacteria and develops a unique phage specifically targeting your issue-causing bacteria.
Personalized Cosmeceutical Topical
Your phage is formulated in-house into a personalized topical, made for your biology alone, and delivered to your door.
Ongoing Clinical Support
Continued guidance and complimentary retesting to track how your skin responds over time.
Concerns we can help
Both protocols involve clinical oversight that support concerns, including:
Now in-network in California
If you’re a member with one of our covered carriers in California, you may be eligible to apply your benefits, depending on your medical evaluation and clinical situation.
Lower Monthly Costs
Apply eligible insurance benefits to reduce out-of-pocket expenses for your protocol.
Same Personalized Care
Full access to testing, consultations, and precision development, with dermatological oversight.
Easy Verification
Email insurance@parallelhealth.io to check your eligibility within 1–2 business days.
Frequently asked questions
What is the CPD-01 Protocol™?
CPD-01™, the Custom Phage Development Protocol, is the next tier above the MD-03 Protocol™. When your skin microbiome test reveals a bacterial strain that cannot be matched to a phage in our existing biobank, our scientific team isolates that bacteria and develops a unique phage specifically targeting it. That phage is then formulated into a personalized cosmeceutical topical, made for your biology alone.
How is this different from the MD-03 Protocol™?
MD-03 Protocol™ is our foundational protocol: test your skin microbiome, collaborate with our dermatology and microbiology team on your care, and receive a phage serum matched to you from our biobank, or a custom compounded Rx, typically within three months. For most patients, a match already exists. CPD-01™ is for the cases where it does not, and a new phage has to be created from scratch.
Who is a candidate for custom development?
Candidates are identified through skin microbiome testing and clinical evaluation. You don’t need to be an existing MD-03 Protocol™ member to graduate into the CPD-01 Protocol™. It is often the right path for long-standing, chronic skin issues where the bacterial composition has evolved and grown resistant, for patients with a high antibiotic resistance score, and for body odor, where the bacteria behind a scent profile can be highly unique to an individual.
How long does development take?
Because CPD-01™ involves specialized development and formulation, it takes longer than a biobank match. Timelines range from three to twelve months depending on the target bacteria. As our biobank grows with each new case, development timelines are expected to shorten over time.
What is a bacteriophage?
Bacteriophages are naturally occurring nano-microbes that target specific bacteria with a level of precision broad-spectrum ingredients cannot replicate. Your custom phage is developed to target the issue-causing bacteria on your skin while preserving the beneficial microbes your skin needs.
Is it covered by insurance?
Parallel is in-network with Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, and Blue Shield of California in California. Some patients pursuing this pathway may be eligible for insurance coverage depending on their medical evaluation and individual clinical situation. Email insurance@parallelhealth.io to check your eligibility.
Personalized medicine, made real
Start with the MD-03 Protocol™. If your bacteria need a phage that doesn’t yet exist, we’ll build it.
Access CPD-01™