Honam National Institute of Biological Resources under the Ministry of Environment announced on Tuesday that it has developed a new antibiotic peptide effective for wound healing and lung disease treatment. This breakthrough was achieved using artificial intelligence (AI) and natural compounds extracted from Halcurias carlgreni, a sea anemone native to Jeju Island.
A joint research team from the College of Pharmacy Chonnam National University, the Korea Food Research Institute, and Insilicogen utilized AI technology to analyze approximately 28,000 protein sequences. Through this analysis, they identified 11 potential antimicrobial candidates. Subsequent laboratory testing led to the successful development of a novel antibiotic peptide, for which a patent application was filed in January.
The newly developed antibiotic peptide is derived from Halcurias carlgreni. It demonstrated vigorous antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a pathogen responsible for skin infections, pneumonia, and sepsis.
Experimental results showed an 82% reduction in the area of an infected wound, along with significant collagen and blood vessel regeneration. In lung disease treatment tests, the peptide inhibited Pseudomonas aeruginosa by 81%, mitigating tissue damage and exhibiting effects comparable to conventional antibiotics.
This antibiotic peptide consists of 23 amino acids, making it structurally simple and easy to synthesize. This enables cost-effective production. It has lower toxicity and fewer side effects than traditional antibiotics, making it a promising alternative treatment against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.