The discovery of semapimod's antibiotic properties was accelerated by AI's ability to perform high-throughput screening. This drug, typically used for Crohn's disease, was found to sensitize gram-negative bacteria to drugs usually only active against gram-positive bacteria. This breakthrough is significant as it addresses the challenge of finding new antibiotics for gram-negative bacteria, such as E. coli and Salmonella, which are notoriously difficult to treat due to their thicker, less penetrable outer membrane.
Key takeaways:
- Scientists are using AI to identify compounds that can kill dormant bacteria, which often escape traditional antibiotics and cause recurring infections.
- Researchers at the Collins Lab were able to identify an anti-inflammatory drug, semapimod, which is effective against stationary-phase Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumannii, over a weekend using AI.
- Semapimod has the ability to disrupt the membranes of 'gram-negative' bacteria, which are known for their high resistance to antibiotics due to their thicker, less-penetrable outer membrane.
- The use of AI in antibiotic discovery is part of a larger mission to expand the existing antibiotics available, in response to the antimicrobial resistance crisis declared by the World Health Organization.