Drug Repurposing Patent Applications January-March 2025

From the steady stream of drug repurposing patent applications published under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), we have selected fifteen documents that first became available during the first quarter of 2025. As in each installment, some of these claims are truly surprising. Few researchers would have expected that SSRI antidepressants such as sertraline and indatraline could exhibit pronounced anticancer effects. Equally unexpected is the disclosure that sitagliptin, the first antidiabetic agent from the DPP-4 inhibitor class, may be used for the treatment of glioblastoma. Another striking example is the report that artemisinin derivatives, well known for their use against malaria, may induce differentiation in undifferentiated erythroid and myeloid cells in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome. In addition, the compound bucillamine-relatively obscure in Western medicine but long used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in East Asia-has been proposed for potential benefit in organophosphate poisoning. These highlights exemplify the breadth of innovation currently shaping the drug repurposing landscape. The reviewed patent applications originate from a diverse range of jurisdictions, including France, Spain, Greece, Slovenia, South Korea, China, Japan, Canada, and the United States, illustrating the global nature of ongoing research efforts in this field.