BOSTON — Phare Bio and Basilea Pharmaceutica announced a strategic partnership to jointly develop a next-generation broad-spectrum antibiotic aimed at treating life-threatening infections caused by high-priority gram-negative pathogens. The companies said the collaboration represents a significant advance in antibiotic research by pairing an AI-driven discovery platform with an industrial partner committed to advancing a viable candidate through clinical development.
Phare Bio, a biotech social venture focused on accelerating antibiotic discovery through artificial intelligence, will apply its generative AI system to design compounds that meet a predefined target product profile. The platform is configured with drug-like parameters intended to produce molecules optimized for clinical relevance. Once molecules are identified that match this profile, Basilea will take responsibility for their development. Phare Bio will be eligible for success-based payments tied to future milestones.
The companies said the model is designed to unite technological innovation with commercial expertise and to create a more sustainable path for antibiotic development at a time when antimicrobial resistance continues to grow.
“This partnership is a watershed moment for the field of antimicrobial resistance,” said Dr. Akhila Kosaraju, president and CEO of Phare Bio. “For the first time, we are aligning our cutting-edge AI drug discovery platform with a partner committed to developing innovative drugs to address the need for novel antibiotics. It validates Phare Bio’s hybrid model of nonprofit innovation and private-sector partnership as a viable route to solving one of the greatest public health crises of our time.”
Basilea CEO David Veitch said the collaboration supports the company’s strategy to bring forward differentiated therapies for urgent infectious-disease needs. “Partnering with Phare Bio reflects our commitment to innovation in antibiotic discovery and development,” he said. “Their AI platform could unlock transformative solutions for the accelerated development of novel antibacterial treatments, so this partnership supports our strategy to deliver differentiated therapies that address urgent medical needs.”
