Daijiworld Media Network- Cambridge
Cambridge, Aug 27: In what experts are calling a landmark moment in medical science, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed two potential antibiotics using artificial intelligence (AI), raising hopes in the global fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The discovery, published in the journal Cell, revealed that the new drugs — tested successfully on mice — are capable of killing drug-resistant gonorrhoea and MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), two of the deadliest superbugs defying conventional treatment.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), antimicrobial resistance was linked to nearly 5 million deaths in 2019. Overuse of antibiotics has allowed bacteria to mutate, while the pharmaceutical pipeline for new drugs has remained painfully slow.
MIT scientists used generative AI to screen 36 million compounds, both real and hypothetical, filtering out toxic or ineffective ones.
• One AI model pieced together small molecular fragments (8–19 atoms) to create a drug for gonorrhoea.
• Another was allowed to design freely, producing a potential cure for MRSA.
Both candidates act by disrupting bacterial cell membranes, a novel mechanism not seen in existing antibiotics.
Prof James Collins, senior author of the study, hailed the development: “AI can help us create molecules quickly and cheaply, giving humanity a fresh edge in our battle against superbugs.”
However, researchers warn that years of clinical testing lie ahead. Dr Andrew Edwards from Imperial College, London, said while the findings are “hugely significant,” the real challenge is proving safety and efficacy in humans.
Experts stress the importance of responsible use. Overuse of even the most advanced drugs could reignite resistance fears. Prof Chris Dowson from the University of Warwick cautioned: “The scientific breakthrough is real, but how we deploy it will decide its future.”
For now, the MIT discovery is being celebrated worldwide as a turning point in modern medicine, proving that AI can do more than diagnose — it can design life-saving cures.