A groundbreaking study may have discovered a new, potentially life-saving use for a discontinued drug, thanks to artificial intelligence
Researchers have used artificial intelligence in a new study to find a potential solution to the problem of superbugs. The multidrug-resistant bacteria are often found in hospitals – posing a massive risk to patients.
The World Health Organisation said their drug-resistance is a ‘great threat’, according to News Medical. Now research published in the journal of Antibiotics shows scientists in Morocco have used AI that could lead to a breakthrough.
They used AI to screen compounds and identify a potential solution to combat a group of 18 potentially lethal bacteria that have become resistant to other treatments. The work said researchers are looking at Halicin as a possible solution.
It is an experimental drug initially developed and researched as a treatment for diabetes. But its development was halted due to disappointing results during the testing phase.
However, in 2020, an MIT learning algorithm revealed the drug possessed unusual antibacterial properties, suggesting it could be used against multidrug-resistant bacteria. That finding has now been supported by the new study.
The Moroccan research looked at 18 specific multidrug-resistant bacteria that had overcome 22 common antibiotics. Among these diseases were E.Coli and the superbugs collectively known as ESKAPE:
- Enterococcus faecium
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Klebsiella pneumoniae
- Acinetobacter baumannii
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- Enterobacter
ESKAPE includes illnesses such as MRSA, pneumonia and infections in the bloodstream, skin, soft tissue, lungs or urinary tract. These pathogens are particularly problematic in hospital settings and can be fatal.
Halicin was identified as a “novel antimicrobial agent for the treatment”, effective against all but one of the tested bacteria. The bacterium P. aeruginosa was found to be entirely resistant to the medication.
The study’s authors pointed out that this particular bacterium possesses an outer membrane that halicin cannot effectively penetrate. This is likely to render the drug ineffective against it.
Despite this, achieving a 94% success rate in combating multidrug-resistant bacteria marks a significant breakthrough for both the medical community and the repurposed drug. However, the researchers emphasised the need for additional research into the safety and optimal dosing of halicin before it can be considered for use in clinical environments.
They also cautioned about possible long-term consequences. They also called for more studies to investigate whether bacteria might eventually develop resistance to Halicin, as they have with other treatments – although this has not yet been observed.