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Updated: Jul 11, 2025

Drug Repurposing Hypothesis Generation Using the "RE:fine Drugs" System
Published on: December 11, 2016
Drug repurposing a compelling cancer strategy with bottomless opportunities: Recent advancements in computational
Rasmita Dash1, Madhulika Yadav2, Jyotirmaya Biswal2
1Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (Deemed to be University); Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
Abstract:
Drug discovery has customarily focused on a de novo design approach, which is extremely expensive and takes several years to evolve before reaching the market. Discovering novel therapeutic benefits for the current drugs could contribute to new treatment alternatives for individuals with complex medical demands that are safe, inexpensive, and timely. In this consequence, when pharmaceutically yield and oncology drug efficacy appear to have hit a stalemate, drug repurposing is a fascinating method for improving cancer treatment. This review gathered about how in silico drug repurposing offers the opportunity to quickly increase the anticancer drug arsenal and, more importantly, overcome some of the limits of existing cancer therapies against both old and new therapeutic targets in oncology. The ancient nononcology compounds' innovative potential targets and important signaling pathways in cancer therapy are also discussed. This review also includes many plant-derived chemical compounds that have shown potential anticancer properties in recent years. Here, we have also tried to bring the spotlight on the new mechanisms to support clinical research, which may become increasingly essential in the future; at the same time, the unsolved or failed clinical trial study should be reinvestigated further based on the techniques and information provided. These encouraging findings, combined together, will through new insight on repurposing more non-oncology drugs for the treatment of cancer.
Insights
Drug repurposing offers a faster, cheaper way to find new cancer treatments. This approach explores existing non-oncology drugs and plant compounds for novel anticancer applications, overcoming limitations of current therapies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pharmacology
- Drug Discovery
Background:
- Traditional de novo drug design is costly and time-consuming.
- Current oncology drug efficacy faces challenges, necessitating alternative strategies.
- Drug repurposing provides a viable avenue for developing new cancer treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the potential of in silico drug repurposing for expanding the anticancer drug arsenal.
- To explore novel therapeutic targets and signaling pathways for existing non-oncology drugs in cancer treatment.
- To highlight plant-derived compounds with anticancer properties and their mechanisms.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on in silico drug repurposing strategies.
- Analysis of existing non-oncology drugs for potential anticancer applications.
- Compilation of data on plant-derived compounds with demonstrated anticancer activity.
Main Results:
- In silico drug repurposing can accelerate the identification of new anticancer agents.
- Repurposed drugs can overcome limitations of current cancer therapies against various targets.
- Plant-derived compounds show significant promise as novel anticancer agents.
Conclusions:
- Drug repurposing, particularly in silico methods, offers a promising strategy to enhance cancer treatment.
- Exploring non-oncology drugs and natural products can broaden therapeutic options and improve patient outcomes.
- Further investigation into repurposed drugs and failed clinical trials is crucial for advancing oncology.
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