Drug repurposing is emerging as an innovative avenue in pharmaceutical research, where existing drugs are explored for new therapeutic indications. This strategy offers a promising shortcut in transforming laboratory findings into market-ready solutions, effectively reducing both the time and cost associated with drug development. The primary allure lies in leveraging already approved drugs to expedite the development process and enhance the likelihood of clinical success. However, it is imperative to rigorously evaluate these drugs for unforeseen toxicities and toxicological profiles when applied in new clinical scenarios. These evaluations help in ensuring patient safety while addressing the novel therapeutic demands.
This Research Topic aims to challenge and extend the boundaries of current understanding by addressing critical questions and hypotheses in drug repurposing. It seeks to assess new therapeutic potentials critically while ensuring that the repurposing does not compromise safety and efficacy. Questions include how to identify and validate new drug uses effectively, how to maintain balance between efficacy and safety, how research can be aligned with patient-centered approaches and fulfill unmet clinical needs, and the role of scientific hypotheses derived from existing drug mechanisms or predicted through advanced computational methods.
To gather further insights in drug repurposing with a focus on safety and efficacy, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
Discovery and validation of new drug indications, including preclinical and clinical studies
Understanding the molecular, cellular, and biochemical mechanisms in new drug applications
Exploring drug-target interactions and assessing toxicological impacts in novel uses
Methods and challenges in translational medical research for drug safety
Comprehensive safety assessments and toxicity monitoring in new therapeutic scenarios
This Research Topic welcomes original research articles, reviews, and case studies that contribute to the understanding and advancement of drug repurposing.
Keywords: Drug repurposing, Drug toxicology, Clinical needs, New Indications, Drug target, Drug mechanism, New Drug Development Strategy
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
