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Drug Repurposing

All articles tagged with #drug repurposing

Repurposed Medications Could Slow Aging, Guided by Gene-Network Maps
science1 hour ago

Repurposed Medications Could Slow Aging, Guided by Gene-Network Maps

Researchers from Northeastern University and Harvard Medical School developed a framework that links aging hallmarks to clusters in gene/protein networks to identify existing drugs that might slow aging. By mapping about 1,250 aging-related genes onto the human interactome, they pinpointed drugs—such as oxymetazoline and aspirin—that influence multiple aging pathways. While not a guaranteed cure, this approach provides a roadmap for testing candidates in cells, animals, and eventually humans to pursue healthier, longer lifespans.

via ScienceAlert|
#aging#drug-repurposing#genomics
From Angina to Erections: Surprising Second Lives of 3 Men's Health Drugs
science1 month ago

From Angina to Erections: Surprising Second Lives of 3 Men's Health Drugs

Medicines often find new uses after their initial purpose; sildenafil, finasteride, and minoxidil were repurposed from heart, prostate, and blood-pressure indications to treat erectile dysfunction and hair loss, illustrating how serendipity and careful observation drive medical progress and highlighting the benefits and caveats of drug repurposing in men's health.

via ScienceAlert|
#drug-repurposing#finasteride#mens-health
Cancer Drugs Reversing Alzheimer's Brain Changes in Mice Show Promise
science1 month ago

Cancer Drugs Reversing Alzheimer's Brain Changes in Mice Show Promise

US researchers used computational analysis to identify two FDA-approved cancer drugs, letrozole and irinotecan, that counteract Alzheimer’s-related gene-expression changes. In mouse models, when used together they reduced tau protein clumps and improved learning and memory, suggesting potential for repurposing and faster clinical testing, though safety in humans and side effects must be evaluated before any trials for Alzheimer's.

via ScienceAlert|
#alzheimers-disease#drug-repurposing#irinotecan
Old Drugs, New Hope: Combo Reverses Fatty Liver in Animal Models
health-and-medicine3 months ago

Old Drugs, New Hope: Combo Reverses Fatty Liver in Animal Models

University of Barcelona researchers found that pairing two approved drugs, pemafibrate and telmisartan, reversed liver fat in MASLD animal models and may reduce cardiovascular risk; the duo was effective at half-doses together, suggesting synergy and safer therapy. Telmisartan appears to upregulate PCK1, shifting metabolism away from lipid synthesis. Human trials are still needed.

via ScienceDaily|
#drug-repurposing#fatty-liver-disease#health-and-medicine
Zebrafish Drug Screen Targets Autism Genes, Spotlighting Levocarnitine
science3 months ago

Zebrafish Drug Screen Targets Autism Genes, Spotlighting Levocarnitine

Yale researchers used larval zebrafish to map how 774 FDA-approved drugs affect behaviors tied to autism-risk genes, building an open database of 520 compounds and identifying levocarnitine as a top rescuer for SCN2A and DYRK1A mutations; they validated the effect in human stem-cell–derived neurons, laying groundwork for precision, gene-targeted drug discovery in autism.

via Neuroscience News|
#autism#drug-repurposing#levocarnitine
AI-Driven Repurposing Stakes a New Path for Rare Diseases
health4 months ago

AI-Driven Repurposing Stakes a New Path for Rare Diseases

Every Cure, founded by Dr. David Fajgenbaum, uses AI to scan existing drugs for new uses across thousands of rare diseases, pursuing a disease-agnostic approach that links patients with potential treatments rather than funding specific conditions; after early fundraising hurdles, it gained major support from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Lydia Hill Foundation, Flagship Pioneering, Arnold Ventures, TED’s Audacious Project, and ARPA-H, enabling 10 active programs and a goal of 15–25 diseases treated by 2030. The AI process cuts screening time from 100 days to about 17 hours, evaluating roughly 4,000 drugs against 18,000 diseases (about 75 million matches) before a medical team selects candidates for lab work and trials costing roughly $3–7 million per drug. A recent success example is Bachmann-Bupp syndrome, where an old drug produced meaningful improvements in five of six treated patients. Fajgenbaum stresses repurposing complements novel drug development, though patent life, manufacturing, FDA/insurance hurdles, and off-label prescribing shape the path to patient access.

via CNBC|
#ai#biotech#drug-repurposing
AI accelerates the hunt for cures—from superbugs to Parkinson's.
technology4 months ago

AI accelerates the hunt for cures—from superbugs to Parkinson's.

AI is speeding up drug discovery by screening millions of compounds to find new antibiotics against drug-resistant bacteria such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae and MRSA, and by identifying potential Parkinson's therapies through machine learning. The technology is also repurposing existing drugs for rare diseases and creating virtual disease models to test treatments, potentially slashing development time and costs—though validation, data access, and the long path to clinical use remain significant hurdles.

via BBC|
#ai#antibiotics#drug-discovery
Brighton doctor launches AI-powered charity to repurpose drugs for ultra-rare brain disorder
health4 months ago

Brighton doctor launches AI-powered charity to repurpose drugs for ultra-rare brain disorder

A Brighton emergency physician, Prof Rob Galloway, launches Rare People - The Research Charity after his daughter Frankie is diagnosed with the ultra-rare DeSanto Shinawi syndrome. The charity will fund clinical trials of repurposed medicines identified by artificial intelligence to treat rare genetic brain disorders, inspired by Mayo Clinic cell studies suggesting possible benefit from an epilepsy drug. The aim is to include UK children in trials and, eventually, expand to adults, with support from Brighton & Hove Albion FC at the launch.

via BBC|
#ai-in-medicine#clinical-trials#drug-repurposing