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Network-Based Approaches for Drug Target Identification
Thodoris Koutsandreas1,2, Kalliopi Tsafou3, Heiko Horn1,2
1European Bioinformatics Institute, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom;
Annual Review of Biomedical Data Science
|April 16, 2025
Summary
Identifying effective drug targets is crucial for drug development. Network-based approaches integrating diverse data show promise for improving target identification and repurposing, but require advanced methods like AI.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical research
- Pharmacology
- Computational biology
Background:
- Drug target identification is a critical bottleneck in drug development, with low success rates.
- Current methods often lack a comprehensive understanding of complex human diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evolution and potential of network-based approaches for drug target identification and repurposing.
- To identify limitations hindering clinical impact and propose solutions.
Main Methods:
- Review of network-based methodologies in drug discovery.
- Analysis of diverse data modalities for target identification.
- Discussion of emerging technologies like AI and knowledge graphs.
Main Results:
- Network-based approaches offer a promising avenue for enhancing drug target identification and repurposing.
- Limitations in current network-based methods impede clinical translation.
Conclusions:
- Integrating diverse data with network-based strategies can improve drug discovery.
- Leveraging AI and knowledge graphs is recommended to overcome existing limitations and advance clinical applications.
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