A new antibiotic against the highly dangerous, multi-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii bacteria has been discovered by an AI. This new technology could revolutionize the search for medication in the future. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), antimicrobial resistance to antibiotics (AMR) is one of the most common causes of death in the world. More people die from infections caused by multi-resistant bacteria than from malaria and AIDS. The problem with multi-resistant pathogens is that they primarily appear in hospitals, where many people with weakened immune systems are present. Additionally, bacteria can develop their resistance by coming into contact with different medications. Therefore, new antibiotics are urgently needed, and traditional research methods are costly and time-consuming.
Scientists at McMaster University have used artificial intelligence (AI) to find a new antibiotic against the multi-resistant bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii. This bacterium is one of the most dangerous antibiotic-resistant pathogens, as it can cause various infections such as pneumonia, meningitis, and wound infections. Furthermore, the bacterium can integrate DNA components of other organisms and thus quickly develop its antibiotic resistance, primarily in hospital environments. The researchers have searched for an antibiotic that only works against Acinetobacter baumannii, as most current antibiotics are problematic because they work on different bacteria. They have named the new molecule Abaucin, which has already proven its effectiveness in treating infections in mice.
The researchers are convinced that the use of AI will revolutionize the search for medication. They believe that AI enables them to analyze broad spectra of chemical compounds and identify specific molecules that allow for targeted and efficient combat against specific pathogens. The success of this study shows that AI can significantly increase the speed of discovering new antibiotics while reducing costs. This is an essential research area for new antibiotic medications.
