A team of chemists at the University of York in the UK has developed an intelligent, unmanned system capable of synthesizing hundreds of different metal ion-based antibiotic formulations and testing their effectiveness in record time. This system has led to the discovery of a new molecule that can stop the growth of antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria in just one week.
Researcher Angelo Fries explained that this achievement is not limited to the creation of a single drug, but represents a qualitative leap in the method of searching for new antibiotics, as it allows rapid access to rare compounds, similar to "finding a needle in a haystack," which may contribute to addressing the risk of infections that no longer respond to traditional treatments.
Scientists have pointed out that the overuse of antibiotics in medicine and animal husbandry has led to the emergence of highly resistant bacterial strains, necessitating the search for innovative solutions. Among these solutions is a technique known as "tap chemistry," which allows different molecular components to link together to form new compounds that surround metal ions and prevent bacteria from recognizing them.
Using a sophisticated robotic system, researchers were able to produce nearly 700 new compounds in just one week, a process that previously required months of manual work. Tests showed that one of these compounds, containing iridium ions, has a high capacity to inhibit resistant bacteria, paving the way for the development of a new generation of effective antibiotics.
