DeCure's autonomous AMR AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for bacterial vaginosis — screening already-approved drugs against its 1-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleBacterial vaginosis maps to a 1-gene Open Targets module — the target space DeCure's AI scientist screens approved drugs against.
DeCure.ai methodSignature reversal (LINCS) plus network proximity (STRING) rank already-approved drugs likely to perturb this module — the same engine that produces DeCure.ai's repurposing hypotheses.
Repurposing thesisScreening approved medicines against this disease module, then publishing the evidence for the strongest candidate. Known pharmacology and human exposure data make the first question sharper — they do not establish safety or efficacy in a new indication.
Research record
01
ResearchComing soon
Candidate research + dossier — target rationale, drug-repurposing thesis and evidence pack.proof: Published dossier + on-chain hash
02
ValidationComing soon
In-vitro biological validation at a contract research org (CRO).proof: CRO contract + in-vitro report
03
Peer review & paperComing soon
Peer-reviewed paper published open-access (preprint + journal).proof: DOI + open-access link + on-chain hash
Current lead
No approved-drug candidate for bacterial vaginosis is corroborated in the literature DeepSearch retrieved. Some conditions are managed with non-pharmacological care — a device, surgery or physical therapy — rather than a medicine; that may be the case here, or the literature we found may simply be too sparse yet to support a drug-repurposing angle.
Molecular view
nuclear receptor subfamily 3 group C member 1 (NR3C1) — NR3C1 is one of the genes genetically linked to this disease in Open Targets — shown as context, not as a drug target we're pursuing: no approved-drug candidate for this disease is yet corroborated in the literature we found.
Loading structure…
helix sheet adpdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 7KW7 · 3.57 Å · ligand ADENOSINE-5'-DIPHOSPHATE (ADP). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) affects more than half of patients who receive guideline-recommended antibiotic treatments, with recurrence rates exceeding 50%. A 2020 narrative review attributes this to persistence of the BV biofilm after treatment stops, failure to restore a healthy vaginal microbiome, possible reinfection from an untreated partner, or a combination of these factors. Non-adherence to multidose antibiotic regimens may contribute, but no published data directly assess the role of non-adherence in poor outcomes or recurrence. The review calls for real-world adherence studies and for research linking adherence to recurrence rates.
A 2018 cross-sectional study in Nigeria found a BV prevalence of 40.1% among 212 non-pregnant women aged 19–45 attending a gynaecological clinic. Among those with BV, 58.8% were aged 25–34, 90.6% were married, and 45.9% had tertiary education. Statistically significant risk factors were intrauterine device use (odds ratio 1.61, 95% CI 0.543–4.759, p=0.020) and previous voluntary termination of pregnancy (odds ratio 1.04, 95% CI 0.600–1.808, p=0.047). The authors suggest universal screening and treatment might reduce associated morbidity.
A 2025 in silico study focused on Gardnerella vaginalis, identified in approximately 95% of BV cases and often resistant to multiple antibiotics. Using subtractive and comparative genomics, the researchers analysed the pathogen’s proteome and identified the phospho-2-dehydro-3-deoxyheptonate aldolase enzyme as a promising drug target. Virtual screening of roughly 9,000 FDA-approved compounds from DrugBank yielded five agents—DB03332, DB07452, DB01262, DB02076, and DB00727—as potential repurposed candidates. The study claims these compounds are cost-effective, but it provides no clinical data, no response rates, and no survival or cure figures. The authors state that experimental validation is essential.
What is still missing is any clinical trial testing these five compounds in humans with BV, any data on whether they actually clear the biofilm or prevent recurrence, and any real-world adherence studies that could explain why current antibiotics fail so often. The 2016 expert consultation noted that rigorous hypothesis-driven studies are needed to determine the cause of BV, and that fundamental gap remains unaddressed. Without patient stratification (e.g., by biofilm status or sexual partner treatment) and without funding for clinical validation of the in silico hits, the management of recurrent BV will continue to rely on antibiotics that fail in the majority of cases.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
The Journal of Infectious Diseases · 2016 · 138 citations · open access
Pathogenesis of Bacterial Vaginosis: Discussion of Current Hypotheses
AbstractIn April 2015, the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases hosted an experts technical consultation on bacterial vaginosis (BV), where data regarding controversies over the pathogenesis of BV were discussed. The discussion on the epidemiology and pathogenesis of BV is presented here, and several hypotheses on its pathogenesis are critiqued. Rigorous hypothesis-driven studies are needed to ultimately determine the cause of BV. This information is vital for the prevention and control of this important infection and its adverse public health consequences.
A Narrative Review of Current Challenges in the Diagnosis and Management of Bacterial Vaginosis
AbstractDespite the availability of a number of oral and intravaginal antibiotic medications for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis (BV), management of this condition remains challenging. Recurrent BV occurs in >50% of patients receiving guideline-recommended treatments. This may be due to persistence or resurgence of the BV biofilm after treatment cessation, failure to reestablish an optimal vaginal microbiome after treatment, reinfection from an untreated sexual partner, or a combination of these factors. Nonadherence to multidose BV therapies may potentially contribute to recurrent BV, although there are no published data that directly assess the role of nonadherence to poor treatment outcomes and recurrent BV. There is a need for studies of BV treatment adherence in real-world settings as well as studies to explore the relationship between treatment adherence and recurrence. This review explores challenges associated with diagnosing and treating BV, current multidose antibiotic treatment options, newer single-dose treatment options, and ways to potentially maximize treatment success for this common vaginal infection.
Malawi Medical Journal · 2018 · 22 citations · open access
Bacterial vaginosis: Prevalence and associated risk factors among non-pregnant women of reproductive age attending a Nigerian tertiary hospital
AbstractAim: To determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with bacterial vaginosis (BV) among non-pregnant women of reproductive age group. Methods: A cross-sectional study among non-pregnant asymptomatic women aged 19 to 45 years, attending the gynaecological clinic at University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria. Participants were counselled and an informed consent was obtained. This was followed by vaginal swabs for microscopy, culture and sensitivity. Diagnosis of BV was by Nugent's criteria. Data analysis was by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Chi-square and Yates corrected chi-square were calculated, and p value <0.05 was significant. Results: Among the 212 participants, prevalence of BV was 40.1%; it was common among women aged 25-34 years (50; 58.8%), the married (77; 90.6%) and those with tertiary education (39; 45.9%). The risk factors for BV were common among women with laboratory evidence of the infection, however statistically significant risk factors were the use of intrauterine device (OR 1.61, 95%CI 0.543-4.759; p0.020) and previous voluntary termination of pregnancy (OR 1.04, 95%CI 0.600-1.808; p0.047). Conclusion: There was high prevalence of bacterial vaginosis in the study population. Universal screening and treatment of cases may assist in lowering the associated morbidity.
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · 2014 · 2 citations · open access
Bacterial vaginosis. New concepts of microbial biological environment and treatment options
AbstractBacterial vaginosis is an infectious non-inflammatory syndrome characterized by replacement of normal microflora with polymicrobial associations of anaerobes and Gardnerella vaginalis. These microorganisms have the ability to grow on the mucosa, the so-called biofilm. Metrogyl vaginal gel is proposed as a potential remedy for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis.
Abstract<div> <i>Gardnerella vaginalis</i> is the most frequently identified bacterium in approximately 95% of bacterial vaginosis (BV) cases. This species often exhibits resistance to multiple antibiotics, posing challenges for treatment. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop and explore alternative therapeutic strategies for managing bacterial vaginosis. The objective of this study was to identify virulence factors and potential drug targets against <i>Gardnerella vaginalis</i> by utilizing <i>in silico</i> methods, including subtractive and comparative genomics. These methods enabled the systematic comparison of genetic sequences to pinpoint specific features unique to <i>G. vaginalis</i> and crucial for its pathogenicity, which could then inform the development of targeted therapeutic strategies. The analysis of the pathogen's proteomic data aimed to identify proteins that fulfilled specific criteria. These included being non-homologous to human proteins, essential for bacterial survival, amenable to drug targeting, involved in virulence, and contributing to antibiotic resistance. Following these analyses and an extensive literature review, the phospho-2-dehydro-3-deoxyheptonate aldolase enzyme emerged as a promising drug target. To deepen our understanding of the biological function of the identified protein, comprehensive protein structural modeling, validation studies, and network topology analyses were conducted. The subsequent structural analysis, encompassing modeling, validation, and network topology assessment, is aimed at further characterizing the protein. Using a library of around 9,000 FDA-approved compounds from the DrugBank database, a virtual screening was conducted to identify potential compounds that could effectively target the proposed drug target. This approach facilitated the evaluation of existing drugs for their ability to inhibit the target, potentially offering an efficient pathway for developing new treatments against the pathogen. Leveraging the established efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of these compounds, the study suggests repurposing them for <i>Gardnerella vaginalis</i> infections. Among the screened compounds, five specific agents—DB03332, DB07452, DB01262, DB02076, and DB00727—were identified as cost-effective therapeutic options for treating infections related to <i>Gardnerella vaginalis</i>. These compounds were selected based on their efficacy in targeting the pathogen while maintaining economic feasibility. While the results indicate potential efficacy in treating infections caused by the pathogen, further experimental studies are essential to validate these findings. </div>
Disease module: DeepOracle (Open Targets). Structures: RDKit from PubChem SMILES. Literature: retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works (targeted per-candidate search), resolved on OpenAlex.
DeCure is a research and publication project, not medical advice and not a treatment. "DeCure for X" describes a research goal, not a claim that a cure exists. Backing a cure is a contribution to fund the research — it is not an investment, and confers no yield, royalty, equity or IP ownership. Papers are published open-access by the DeCure.ai DAO.
