From Siloed Methods to Integrated Pipelines: Coupled Approaches Driving Next-Generation Antibiotic Discovery
5 affiliations
- 1Advanced Diagnostic and Therapeutic Institute, Health Sector, King Abdulaziz for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 12354, Saudi Arabia
- 2Wellness and Preventive Medicine Institute, Health Sector, King Abdulaziz for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 12354, Saudi Arabia
- 3Bioengineering Institute, Health Sector, King Abdulaziz for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 12354, Saudi Arabia
- 4Research and Innovation, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSHRC), Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
- 5College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance poses a growing threat to public health, yet limited innovation and development of new antibacterial agents continue to hinder antibiotic discovery. Although only a few novel antibiotic candidates have passed clinical trials and reached the market, resistance continues to grow faster than antibiotic development. Despite numerous advances in drug development, using these technologies in isolation has constrained antibiotic discovery. This review examines how advanced technologies integrate into antibiotic drug discovery. It highlights a coupled approach (co-applied technologies) as an innovative strategy to mitigate the limitations of single approaches and accelerate lead discovery. By highlighting each technology and reviewing its potential applications, this strategy opens new routes and methods that can yield novel chemical scaffolds and new mechanisms of action (i.e., weakening microbial resistance), addressing the challenges posed by increasing global resistance and shortcomings in current antibiotic development. The review also addresses the challenges and barriers to discovering next-generation antibiotics. It also encourages researchers to implement platforms that combine coupled approaches and technologies, such as computational, genomic, biochemical, and structural tools, to replenish the next-generation antibiotic discovery pipeline and address the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis. To strengthen global efforts and lessen the AMR crisis, an innovative antibiotic discovery strategy is necessary.
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BibTeX
@article{alajmi2026from,
title = {{From Siloed Methods to Integrated Pipelines: Coupled Approaches Driving Next-Generation Antibiotic Discovery}},
author = {Areej M. Alajmi and Abdullah A. Alshehri and Nojoud Al Fayez and Fahad A. Almughem and Haila M. Alnassar and Hamzah A. Alghamdi and Manal A. Alshabibi and Abdulkareem A. Alshehri and Shouq F. Alghannam and Esraa A. Aldkheil and Hissah A. Alhuwaimel and Zeyad AlRaddadi and Nada K. Alhumaid and Munirah S. Aleyiydi and Somaya J. Jarallah and Mohannad M. Fallatah and Essam A. Tawfik},
journal = {Biomolecules},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/biom16111573},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/16/11/1573},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - From Siloed Methods to Integrated Pipelines: Coupled Approaches Driving Next-Generation Antibiotic Discovery
AU - Areej M. Alajmi
AU - Abdullah A. Alshehri
AU - Nojoud Al Fayez
AU - Fahad A. Almughem
AU - Haila M. Alnassar
AU - Hamzah A. Alghamdi
AU - Manal A. Alshabibi
AU - Abdulkareem A. Alshehri
AU - Shouq F. Alghannam
AU - Esraa A. Aldkheil
AU - Hissah A. Alhuwaimel
AU - Zeyad AlRaddadi
AU - Nada K. Alhumaid
AU - Munirah S. Aleyiydi
AU - Somaya J. Jarallah
AU - Mohannad M. Fallatah
AU - Essam A. Tawfik
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/28
JO - Biomolecules
DO - 10.3390/biom16111573
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/16/11/1573
AB - Antibiotic resistance poses a growing threat to public health, yet limited innovation and development of new antibacterial agents continue to hinder antibiotic discovery. Although only a few novel antibiotic candidates have passed clinical trials and reached the market, resistance continues to grow faster than antibiotic development. Despite numerous advances in drug development, using these technologies in isolation has constrained antibiotic discovery. This review examines how advanced technologies integrate into antibiotic drug discovery. It highlights a coupled approach (co-applied technologies) as an innovative strategy to mitigate the limitations of single approaches and accelerate lead discovery. By highlighting each technology and reviewing its potential applications, this strategy opens new routes and methods that can yield novel chemical scaffolds and new mechanisms of action (i.e., weakening microbial resistance), addressing the challenges posed by increasing global resistance and shortcomings in current antibiotic development. The review also addresses the challenges and barriers to discovering next-generation antibiotics. It also encourages researchers to implement platforms that combine coupled approaches and technologies, such as computational, genomic, biochemical, and structural tools, to replenish the next-generation antibiotic discovery pipeline and address the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis. To strengthen global efforts and lessen the AMR crisis, an innovative antibiotic discovery strategy is necessary.
SN - 2218-273X
ER -