Fast Company has named Phare Bio, a biotech social venture, and MIT’s Collins Lab, to its 2025 World Changing Ideas list for their breakthrough use of generative AI to design entirely novel antibiotics – a paradigm-shifting approach in the global fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Phare Bio and the Collins Lab’s generative AI platform marks a significant leap forward in drug discovery, enabling researchers to design antibiotics in silico with unprecedented precision and speed. By layering multiple drug parameters into the design process – such as reducing toxicity or improving oral bioavailability – the platform can produce tailored antibiotic candidates with real-world clinical relevance.

This year’s recognition follows a major milestone in September 2024, when Phare Bio and the Collins Lab received an up to $27 million grant from ARPA-H to enhance this generative AI design capability and build a pipeline of 15 novel antibiotics tailored to meet global public health needs.

“We believe generative AI is not just accelerating drug discovery – it’s redefining what’s possible,” said Dr. Akhila Kosaraju, CEO and President of Phare Bio. “To be named to Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas list is an incredible honor, and a reflection of what happens when breakthrough science, technology and a commitment to real-world impact converge.” Building off of the Collins Lab’s first-ever discovery of a novel antibiotic using AI, Phare Bio’s goal is simple and urgent: to design smarter antibiotics for the patients who need them most.

“This recognition is deeply meaningful for Phare Bio and our lab at MIT,” said Dr. Jim Collins, Co-founder of Phare Bio, Termeer Professor of Medical Engineering & Science and Professor of Biological Engineering at MIT. “Over the past decade, our team has worked at the forefront of artificial intelligence and synthetic biology to chart a new era in antibiotic discovery. We’re excited to see this work scale into a global movement to reinvigorate antibiotic innovation.”

“The World Changing Ideas Awards have always been about showcasing the art of the possible,” says Brendan Vaughan, editor-in-chief at Fast Company. “We’re proud to recognize the organizations and leaders that are making meaningful progress on the biggest issues of our time.”

By combining deep learning, data-driven design, and open-access collaboration, Phare Bio and the Collins Lab are creating a new gold standard for how antibiotics are discovered and developed.

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.

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