Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 17, 2026
05:10
Drug Repurposing Hypothesis Generation Using the "RE:fine Drugs" System
Published on: December 11, 2016
Drug repositioning for Alzheimer's disease
Anne Corbett1, James Pickett, Alistair Burns
1Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK.
Nature Reviews. Drug Discovery
|November 6, 2012
Summary
Repurposing existing drugs offers a promising strategy for Alzheimer's disease (AD) treatment, as current therapies only manage symptoms. This review evaluates drugs approved for other conditions that show potential for modifying AD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Drug Discovery
Background:
- Current Alzheimer's disease (AD) treatments offer only symptomatic relief for a limited duration.
- No approved therapies effectively modify the underlying disease progression of AD.
- Recent clinical trial failures highlight the need for alternative therapeutic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the potential of repositioning approved drugs for Alzheimer's disease modification.
- To identify drug candidates with promising preclinical and clinical evidence for AD.
- To guide future research and clinical trials for novel AD therapies.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of preclinical and clinical data.
- Formal consensus evaluation of drug repositioning opportunities for AD.
- Analysis of evidence supporting beneficial effects on AD-like brain pathology.
Main Results:
- Several drug classes show potential benefits for Alzheimer's-like pathology.
- Evidence includes preclinical studies, epidemiological data, and preliminary clinical trials.
- Specific compounds identified warrant further investigation.
Conclusions:
- Drug repositioning is an attractive strategy for developing disease-modifying Alzheimer's therapies.
- Further research is needed to optimize dosage and confirm efficacy in clinical trials.
- This approach could accelerate the development of effective treatments for Alzheimer's disease.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Alzheimer's Disease: Treatment
Alzheimer's Disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder, is pathologically identified by amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles composed of tau protein. AD pharmacotherapy aims to manage cognitive symptoms, delay disease progression, and treat behavioral symptoms. The treatment is primarily symptomatic and palliative, with no definitive disease-modifying therapy available. Cholinesterase inhibitors, including donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), and galantamine (Razadyne), are...
01:26Alzheimer's Disease: Overview
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a continually advancing neurodegenerative disorder, distinguished by escalating memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, and dementia. The disease unfolds in three stages: preclinical, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia. Its onset is insidious, and the progression gradual, with the cause not well explained by other disorders.
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ and tau...
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ and tau...
01:29Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction
Alzheimer disease is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia in older adults. It leads to gradual neuronal loss, causing cognitive decline, behavioral changes, and loss of functional independence.Risk Factors and EtiologyThe disease is multifactorial. Age is the strongest risk factor, with prevalence doubling every 5 years after age 65. Genetic factors include mutations in genes such as APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2, which are associated...
01:30Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists
Cognitive enhancers, also known as "smart drugs," are substances used to enhance memory, mental alertness, and concentration. These can be natural or synthetic and improve cognition in conditions like Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. Some common examples include caffeine, amphetamines, methylphenidate, modafinil, arecoline, donepezil, vortioxetine, and piracetam. These enhancers work on the principle of synaptic plasticity and altered circuit function. They...
01:23Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Alzheimer disease involves structural changes in the brain that begin long before symptoms appear. The most distinctive features are extracellular neuritic plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles.Neuritic plaques form in the cerebral cortex and around blood vessels. These plaques contain a dense core of beta-amyloid (Aβ)—a toxic protein fragment that clumps outside neurons. The core is surrounded by damaged neuronal extensions, as well as reactive astrocytes and microglia. Abnormal...
01:15Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients
Elderly individuals encompass a diverse population with varying degrees of age-related physiological changes. Defining the elderly presents challenges, as the geriatric population is often arbitrarily categorized as individuals older than 65. However, many individuals in this group lead active and healthy lives, with an increasing number surpassing 85 years and falling into the older elderly category. Physiological changes associated with aging impact performance capacity and homeostatic...