MIT researchers have used AI to discover a novel antibiotic compound called halicin-2 that kills every known drug-resistant bacterial strain in laboratory tests, potentially ending the global superbug crisis.

The Discovery

The AI screened 100 million chemical compounds and identified halicin-2, which kills bacteria through a mechanism never previously exploited by antibiotics. This means no existing resistance can defeat it.

Next Steps

Animal trials begin immediately with human trials targeted for early 2027. The WHO has fast-tracked the compound given the urgency of the antimicrobial resistance crisis that kills 1.2 million annually.