Artificial intelligence has been utilized by researchers to invent two novel potential antibiotics aimed at tackling the formidable challenges posed by drug-resistant gonorrhea and MRSA, according to a recent study.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) team behind this innovation is hopeful that AI could herald a 'second golden age' in antibiotic discovery.

Antibiotics have long been the primary defense against bacterial infections; however, resistant strains are now responsible for over a million deaths annually due to the overuse and misuse of these drugs.

Bacteria have evolved to evade antibiotics, leading to a severe shortage of new antibiotics that can effectively combat these superbugs.

Traditionally, researchers would sift through known compounds in search of potential antibiotic candidates.

AI has previously been employed to scan millions of existing chemicals for such properties.

This latest research, however, took the approach further by utilizing generative AI to design antibiotics from scratch.

The study, published in Cell, involved training an AI system with chemical structures and efficacy data against various bacterial species.

By learning how different molecular structures interact with bacteria, the AI was able to generate new compound designs.

Two methods were explored: one began with promising fragments from a library of millions of atomic-scale compounds, while the other allowed the AI full creative freedom.

The generated molecules were then synthesized and tested against gonorrhea and MRSA in laboratory settings and animal models, leading to the identification of two promising candidates for further development.

This approach not only accelerated the discovery process but also ensured the new drugs did not closely resemble existing antibiotics and appeared less likely to be toxic to humans.

While these potential antibiotics show great promise, they are still years away from being ready for human clinical trials.

Prof. James Collins of MIT emphasizes the significance of AI in antibiotic development as it has the potential to rapidly expand the arsenal against superbugs.

However, Dr. Andrew Edwards of the Fleming Initiative at Imperial College London points out that while AI significantly enhances drug discovery, the rigorous testing for safety and efficacy remains a critical challenge.

The study is considered 'very significant' by experts due to its novel approach to identifying antibiotics, yet it also highlights the economic challenges in bringing these life-saving drugs to market.

The manufacturing complexities and the lack of commercial incentives make it difficult for new antibiotics to be profitably developed and distributed.

Despite these hurdles, researchers remain optimistic that AI could revolutionize antibiotic discovery and help mitigate the growing threat of drug-resistant infections.