Category: Drug repurposing

Leishmaniasis is classified as a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organization and is the second-leading parasitic killer globally, after malaria. The strategy of drug repurposing—the process of finding new uses for existing drugs—is providing a critical, cost-effective pathway to identify novel treatments for this parasitic infection.

First approved by the FDA in 1982 for treating tapeworm infections, niclosamide is an anthelmintic drug with an unexpectedly diverse range of potential therapeutic applications. Unlike many systemic drugs, its traditional use relies on its low absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, confining its action to the site of parasitic infection. However, recent research has revealed a host of other pharmacological activities, making it a prime candidate for drug repurposing.