Phare Bio and Basilea Announce Landmark Partnership to Develop Next-Generation Broad-Spectrum Antibiotic Using AI

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Phare Bio, a biotech social venture harnessing artificial intelligence to accelerate antibiotic discovery and development, and Basilea Pharmaceutica, a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to meeting the needs of patients with severe bacterial and fungal infections, announced today a strategic partnership to jointly develop a novel broad-spectrum antibiotic to address critical unmet needs for patients battling life-threatening infections caused by high-priority gram-negative pathogens.

This collaboration marks a historic first in antibiotic research and development: bringing the patient and target product profile (TPP) to the forefront of AI-driven discovery while ensuring an industrial partner is committed to advancing a viable candidate through clinical development.

Under the partnership, Phare Bio will deploy its generative AI platform – uniquely parameterized with drug-like properties – to design molecules that meet a pre-defined TPP. Following identification of molecules matching this profile, Basilea will assume responsibility for subsequent development and Phare Bio will be eligible to receive pre-defined success-based payments. The partnership represents a new model for antibiotic innovation, bridging technological advances in drug discovery with industrial expertise and economic sustainability.

“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, added: “Partnering with Phare Bio reflects our commitment to innovation in antibiotic discovery and development. 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.”

About Phare Bio
Phare Bio is a biotech social venture harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) to develop novel classes of antibiotics. Founded in 2020 to confront the global crisis of antibiotic resistance, Phare Bio combines cutting-edge machine learning with world-class science to accelerate the discovery of urgently needed antibiotics. Backed by The Audacious Project, Google.org, ARPA-H, and others, Phare Bio is redefining what collaborative, AI-driven drug discovery can achieve. To learn more, visit www.pharebio.org or email [e-mail].

About Basilea
Basilea is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2000 and headquartered in Switzerland. We are committed to discovering, developing and commercializing innovative drugs to meet the needs of patients with severe bacterial and fungal infections. We have successfully launched two hospital brands, Cresemba for the treatment of invasive fungal infections and Zevtera for the treatment of bacterial infections. In addition, we have preclinical and clinical anti-infective assets in our portfolio. Basilea is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: BSLN). Please visit basilea.com.