Drug Repurposing: Uncovering New Uses for Existing Medications

Short Communication

Abstract

Drug repurposing, also known as drug repositioning or reprofiling, refers to the process of identifying new therapeutic applications for existing drugs that were originally intended for different medical indications. This approach has gained prominence as an attractive alternative to traditional new drug development due its significant advantages of lower costs, reduced risks, and quicker delivery of treatment options to patients. By leveraging extensive safety and pharmacokinetic data already established for approved or investigational drugs, drug repurposing can expedite various stages of the drug development pipeline. Notable strategies employed in repurposing existing drugs include serendipitous discoveries, data mining large datasets to reveal potential drug-disease connections, high-throughput screening of compound libraries, and observations from clinical practice. Some successful examples that demonstrate the promise of this approach are aspirin now being used to prevent cardiovascular diseases, thalidomide addressing multiple myeloma and leprosy, and metformin investigated for cancer treatment beyond managing diabetes. While intellectual property protection, clinical trials, and funding pose challenges, ongoing advances in technology and disease insights are likely to further the prospects of drug repurposing improving healthcare worldwide.