FROM FORGOTTEN MOLECULES TO FRONTLINE MEDICINE: THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF DRUG REPURPOSING

Drug repurposing, also known as drug repositioning, involves identifying new therapeutic uses for existing drugs, reducing time and costs compared to traditional drug discovery. This approach has gained importance, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, as pharmaceutical companies seek faster alternatives to meet growing healthcare demands. Repurposed drugs bypass several early-stage trials, reducing risks and accelerating approval. Drug repurposing utilizes computational and experimental approaches. Computational methods include signature matching, molecular docking, genetic association studies, and pathway mapping, leveraging bioinformatics and AI to identify potential drug-disease relationships. Experimental validation involves binding assays and phenotypic screening to test drug efficacy in new disease models. Retrospective clinical analysis, using electronic health records and real-world evidence, further aids in identifying promising candidates. Several drugs have been successfully repurposed, leading to new treatments for various conditions. Thalidomide, initially a sedative, was repurposed for multiple myeloma. Sildenafil, developed for hypertension, became a successful treatment for erectile dysfunction and later for pulmonary arterial hypertension. Advances in genomics, AI and big data analysis have further accelerated drug repurposing efforts. Drug repurposing offers a promising strategy to address unmet medical needs efficiently. Despite regulatory and patent challenges, it has led to groundbreaking therapies in oncology, neurology, and infectious diseases. The future of drug repurposing seems promising due to breakthroughs in AI genomics, and personalized medicine. While genomics could provide for specialized therapies for particular patient populations, AI will speed up the discovery of novel drug-disease combinations by examining enormous databases.

Keywords: Drug repurposing, Computational, Experimental, IPR, Off label, Sildenafil.