Scientists have discovered a new antibiotic using artificial intelligence (AI) in McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario. The breakthrough could help fight diseases caused by the Acinetobacter baumannii bacteria, which are resistant to most antibiotics. The bacteria can affect vulnerable patients who require ventilators, catheters, or have undergone surgery, including soldiers and veterans injured in conflicts.
The researchers used an AI model to screen thousands of antibacterial molecules and found a new structural class of antibacterial compound dubbed Abaucin. The method could speed up the discovery of urgently needed antibiotics, especially as deadly superbugs become more resistant to existing treatments. According to Jonathan Stokes, an assistant professor of biochemistry at the university, the team’s ability to analyse thousands of molecules in just hours could revolutionise antibiotic drug discovery.
The Acinetobacter baumannii bacteria is one of the world’s most important and challenging drug-resistant germs, which can cause pneumonia, meningitis, and wound infections that could lead to death. The AI model analysed almost 7,000 chemicals to identify those that could target the bacteria effectively. The scientists then tested 240 chemical compounds in the lab, with nine presenting potential as antibiotics. RS102985 was identified as the most potent of the nine, subsequently, it was modified and renamed abaucin. The compound works by preventing bacterial components from travelling from inside the cell to its surface.
According to Stokes, their study and success suggest that AI could influence and facilitate the discovery of new antibiotics for other challenging pathogens. This new approach could allow researchers to quickly search vast regions of chemical space in the hunt for new antibiotics, which would increase success and reduce costs significantly.
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a considerable global threat, with more than 700,000 people estimated to die globally from antimicrobial-resistant infections each year. WHO warns could is set to skyrocket by 2050, surpassing global cancer deaths with up to 10 million people dying each year because existing antibiotics have become useless.
In conclusion, the use of AI in drug discovery could help revolutionise the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria across the globe. The successful discovery of abaucin by the McMaster University researchers demonstrates the benefits of AI in identifying new compounds relatively quickly and accurately, something human researchers may have taken significantly more time. The study’s success is an excellent collaboration of the power of modern-day technology in the healthcare industry.
