Researchers at MIT, using artificial intelligence, have discovered two entirely new antibiotics that in lab tests successfully killed drug-resistant gonorrhea and MRSA bacteria. This could represent a key breakthrough in the fight against infections that claim millions of lives every year.
Scientists trained AI models on a massive dataset, which generated as many as 36 million potential compounds. Algorithms then scanned this library to identify molecules with strong antibacterial properties and a safe profile for humans. The result was two new candidates: NG1 and DN1.
What makes them revolutionary is the fact that they attack bacterial cells using mechanisms not found in existing antibiotics. In mouse trials, DN1 eliminated MRSA skin infections, while NG1 proved effective against drug-resistant gonorrhea.
The MIT team emphasizes that this approach could open the door to a “second golden age of antibiotics.” As bacteria grow increasingly resistant to known drugs, AI provides a way to explore chemical spaces that human researchers would likely never consider. This means the search for antibiotics could become proactive — instead of constantly chasing bacteria, we now have a chance to create therapies that outpace them from the very beginning.
In brief: Tech World Highlights
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