Russia Develops AI Pharmacist to Design Next-Generation Antibiotics
Researchers at ITMO University say the algorithm has already generated dozens of promising compounds aimed at bacteria that have grown resistant to existing drugs.
Russia has unveiled an AI-powered “virtual pharmacist” designed to accelerate the hunt for new antibiotics.
The project addresses one of global health’s most urgent threats: antimicrobial resistance. By rapidly identifying molecular candidates, the algorithm gives scientists a tool to outpace the evolution of “superbugs.” According to ITMO’s press service, the AI looks for molecules capable of targeting multiple bacterial proteins at once. That redundancy means that even if a bacterium mutates to defend one pathway, the drug can still disable it through another—making resistance far harder to develop.
In early tests, the system produced 56 novel compounds against dangerous strains of E. coli. Computer modeling suggests that two of them could be even more effective than a newly released commercial antibiotic. The next step is laboratory testing to confirm the findings.
Scientists emphasize that the method could be adapted to fight other pathogens, from salmonella and meningococcus to viruses and fungi. If successful, Russia’s “AI pharmacist” could become a global asset in the fight against infectious disease.
