Biotech social venture honored for its groundbreaking AI platform transforming antibiotic discovery
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Phare Bio, a biotech social venture harnessing generative AI to develop novel antibiotics, has been named the winner of the “Best Of – Most Innovative Technology or Service” category in Newsweek’s 2025 AI Impact Awards. The honor recognizes Phare Bio’s pioneering work using AI to combat the urgent global health crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Through its innovative generative AI platform, Phare Bio is revolutionizing the traditional drug discovery model by designing entirely new classes of antibiotics. In partnership with the Collins Lab at MIT, the team has discovered three novel antibiotic classes – including the first antibiotic ever identified using AI – and is now advancing candidates toward preclinical development to treat some of the world’s most drug-resistant bacterial infections.
“This award from Newsweek is an incredible honor and a testament to what’s possible when we combine cutting-edge AI with a commitment to bring urgently needed antibiotics to patients,” said Dr. Akhila Kosaraju, President and CEO of Phare Bio. “Antimicrobial resistance is a significant public health threat. Our goal is to rebuild the global antibiotic pipeline – and do it in a way that prioritizes innovation and urgency.”
Unlike many biotech companies, Phare Bio operates as a nonprofit and is open-sourcing its AI models to democratize antibiotic discovery. This unique approach has garnered significant support, including funding from Google.org, The Audacious Project, a $27 million award from ARPA-H, and recognition on Fast Company’s 2025 World Changing Ideas list.
As antibiotic resistance accelerates and conventional R&D struggles to keep pace, Phare Bio is proving that open, AI-driven science can unlock the breakthroughs the world needs – delivering new hope in the fight against superbugs.
About Phare Bio
Phare Bio is a social venture using artificial intelligence (AI) to develop novel classes of antibiotics in partnership with Jim Collins' lab at MIT. Founded in 2020 to address the growing crisis of antibiotic resistance, Phare Bio is a recipient of the Audacious Project, a collaborative funding initiative between TED and leading nonprofits to support bold solutions to global challenges. The company combines cutting-edge machine learning with world-class science to accelerate the discovery of urgently needed antibiotics. To learn more, visit www.pharebio.org or email info@pharebio.org.
Contacts
Media
Alden Iaconis
alden@pharebio.org
