Cambridge, Mass– Cambridge based biotech company Phare Bio has been selected for the Google.org Accelerator: Generative AI program, a move expected to significantly boost efforts to tackle the global antibiotic resistance crisis. Phare Bio, a social venture spun out of MIT’s Collins Lab, will receive a share of $30 million in funding and six months of pro bono technical support from Google.org to further develop its open-access, AI-powered drug discovery platform.
The company’s platform leverages generative AI and advanced machine learning to design entirely new classes of antibiotics, integrating these digital models with biological screening to quickly identify and optimize drug candidates. The initiative comes at a critical time, as experts warn that antibiotic resistance could cause up to 40 million deaths worldwide by 2050 if left unaddressed.
Phare Bio’s CEO and President, Dr. Akhila Kosaraju, said the support from Google.org ensures their tools will reach researchers and communities globally, accelerating antibiotic discovery beyond the lab. “This investment in open-access infrastructure reflects a shared commitment to science as a global public good,” Kosaraju said.
The company’s selection builds on momentum from previous backing by ARPA-H and the Audacious Project, with new resources enabling further expansion of its AI platform. The goal is to let researchers virtually design customized antibiotics tailored to real-world clinical needs, marking a significant shift in drug development.
Karla Palmer, Manager of AI & Scientific Progress at Google.org, said Phare Bio’s vision stood out for its focus on both technological innovation and scientific accessibility. “Their platform has the potential to catalyze a new era of global collaboration and accelerate progress against one of the world’s most urgent health threats,” Palmer said.
Phare Bio aims to develop 15 preclinical antibiotics by 2030, setting ambitious targets as it seeks to drive collaboration and innovation in the fight against antibiotic resistance.
