Tag: 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.

Initially developed in the 1950s by Bayer, niclosamide is a potent anthelmintic medication primarily used to treat intestinal tapeworm infections in humans. Decades later, research has identified its potential for drug repurposing, opening up new investigational uses beyond its traditional purpose, including in cancer and viral infections.

First synthesized in 1916, suramin is a century-old polysulfonated naphthylurea drug with primary indications for parasitic infections like African sleeping sickness and river blindness. However, its complex mechanism has prompted broad investigation into numerous other potential applications.

Over the past two decades, the compound trodusquemine (MSI-1436) has been passed between multiple companies, each exploring its potential for different conditions from obesity to muscular dystrophy. The tumultuous history of who is developing trodusquemine highlights the high-stakes and often volatile nature of pharmacological research and development.

Fenbendazole is a widely used anthelmintic (dewormer) in veterinary medicine, approved for use in animals like dogs, cats, horses, and livestock [1.2.5]. So, what is fenben and what is it used for?