DeCure's autonomous Rare AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for benign prostatic hyperplasia — screening already-approved drugs against its 41-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleBenign prostatic hyperplasia maps to a 41-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 benign prostatic hyperplasia 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
MLLT10 histone lysine methyltransferase DOT1L cofactor (MLLT10) — MLLT10 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.
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RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 6CKO · 2.0 Å · ligand UNKNOWN ATOM OR ION (UNX). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
The MPSA Consortium, using specimens from the MTOPS clinical trial, identified several promising biomarkers and molecular changes linked to benign prostatic hyperplasia, but the 2008 report does not name specific markers or give any quantitative results for their performance. The same review notes that pharmacological management of lower urinary tract symptoms has become an effective initial treatment based on large trials, yet diagnostic strategies for predicting disease progression or response to drugs remain lacking, and the molecular differences between symptomatic and asymptomatic disease are still unclear.
A 1994 review states that surgery remains the standard treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia, but drug therapies available at that time appeared useful for short-term symptomatic relief, particularly in patients unfit or unwilling to undergo surgery. The review calls for further evaluation of long-term effects and the role of drugs in early disease, indicating that even then the evidence for pharmacological treatment was limited to short-term symptom control.
Intraprostatic injection therapy, the oldest minimally invasive surgical therapy, has been investigated for over 100 years. A 2008 review reports that anhydrous ethanol remains the most extensively studied injectable, and botulinum toxin type A has received recent attention for mechanism and efficacy. The review notes that transperineal and transurethral injection routes have received the most systematic evaluation, but concludes that further systematic laboratory and clinical trials are necessary before widespread clinical adoption.
A retrospective chart review of 136 male veterans aged over 65 with benign prostatic hyperplasia and post-void residual urine volume greater than 100 cc found that 43.4% received indwelling urinary catheters. Among catheterised patients, 51% reported haematuria, 36% reported pain, and only one had documented urosepsis. Hydronephrosis occurred in four cases, all with post-void residual volumes of 301 to 400 cc, and three of those had a catheter placed. Emergency room visits and hospitalisations were more frequent in patients who received a catheter. The authors state that larger studies are needed to develop clinical guidelines for managing urinary retention in this population. What is still missing are adequately powered trials that stratify patients by symptom severity, residual urine volume, and molecular markers, as well as long-term outcome data for both drug and injection therapies.
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 Urology · 2008 · 19 citations · open access
A Comprehensive Approach Toward Novel Serum Biomarkers for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: The MPSA Consortium
AbstractPURPOSE: Clinical benign prostatic hyperplasia is primarily diagnosed based on a diverse array of progressive lower urinary tract symptoms and is likely distinct from histological benign prostatic hyperplasia, which is detected by the presence of nonmalignant proliferation of prostate cells but may or may not be associated with symptoms. Pharmacological management of lower urinary tract symptoms has emerged as an effective initial treatment for clinical benign prostatic hyperplasia due to the introduction of new drug therapies shown to be effective in recent large clinical trials. Despite advances in symptom management and research into disease pathology, diagnostic strategies for the prediction of benign prostatic hyperplasia progression and response to drug modalities are lacking, and questions remain as to the molecular differences underlying clinical (symptomatic) vs histological (nonsymptomatic) benign prostatic hyperplasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: As part of the Medical Therapy of Prostatic Symptoms (MTOPS) clinical trial, which demonstrated the effectiveness of combination drug therapy in slowing benign prostatic hyperplasia progression, an archive of biological specimens linked to clinical data was collected for future profiling of disease pathology and changes associated with response to drug therapy. The MTOPS Prostatic Samples Analysis (MPSA) Consortium was established to identify and validate molecular markers that may better define benign prostatic hyperplasia related pathologies, identify risk of progression of lower urinary tract symptoms, and predict response to drug therapy using the MTOPS archive. The cooperating MPSA Biomarker Discovery Sites and Pathology Coordinating Center use diverse methodologies and scientific approaches as well as unique expertise to address the goals of the Consortium. RESULTS: To date the MPSA has identified a number of promising biomarkers as well as other molecular and cellular changes associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia. CONCLUSIONS: These findings and ongoing Consortium discovery efforts have the potential to provide a greater understanding of the defects underlying disease pathology, and may lead to the development of early and more effective pharmacological treatment strategies for benign prostatic hyperplasia.
AbstractPURPOSE OF REVIEW: Benign prostatic hyperplasia with associated symptoms and morbidity is increasingly common among aging men. Medical treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms is the mainstay of therapy with progressive disease requiring more invasive intervention. Transurethral resection of the prostate remains a widely applied gold standard therapy. Numerous minimally invasive surgical therapy options have arisen and subsequently faded over recent years. Those remaining in use are largely positioned between pharmacological treatment and transurethral resection of the prostate. Intraprostatic injection therapy, the oldest minimally invasive surgical therapy, has been investigated for over 100 years with renewed interest recently. This review will provide some history of intraprostatic injection for benign prostatic hyperplasia including the most recent reports using transperineal, transrectal and transurethral routes with different injectables. RECENT FINDINGS: For benign prostatic hyperplasia, transperineal and transurethral injection routes have received the most systematic evaluation. Intraprostatic injection of botulinum toxin type A has received much recent attention with regards to mechanism of action and efficacy. Anhydrous ethanol remains the most extensively studied injectable to date. SUMMARY: Injection therapy remains a very promising minimally invasive surgical therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia with increased attention from the urologic community in recent years. Further experience both with systematic laboratory and clinical trials investigation will be necessary before widespread clinical adoption.
Potentially inappropriate prescriptions of anticholinergic drugs in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia
AbstractBackground Prostatic hyperplasia is frequent in the elderly, and it can be associated with urinary retention in patients who use cholinergic antagonists. The objective was to estimate the anticholinergic burden of drugs prescribed to patients diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia.Methods A cross-sectional study using a population database to identify prescriptions of cholinergic antagonists drugs used in the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia. The anticholinergic burden was evaluated using the Anticholinergic Drug Scale.Results Three thousand seven hundred and sixty patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia were identified, with a mean age of 68.26 ± 10.46 years. Of these patients, 2961 (78.8%) received pharmacological treatment mainly with tamsulosin monotherapy (34.7%, n = 1026). Overall, 34.7% (n = 1303) of all patients were taking cholinergic antagonists. Patients aged 75–84 years (OR: 1.985, 95%CI: 1.063–3.709) and those 85 or older (OR: 2.52, 95%CI: 1.287–4.948) had a greater probability of having an anticholinergic burden score ≥3 points. Of the patients not receiving pharmacological treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia, 35% (n = 280) were taking medications with anticholinergic properties.Conclusions A high proportion of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia were receiving medical management for the relief of symptoms, mostly via monotherapy. However, one-third of patients received some type of medication with anticholinergic properties, being much more frequent after 75 years.
Patterns of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Associated Urinary Retention: Indwelling Urinary Catheter Use and Clinical Sequelae
AbstractINTRODUCTION: Current clinical practice guidelines aim to decrease the use of unnecessary indwelling urinary catheters to prevent catheter associated urinary tract infections. Patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia often experience increased post-void residual urine volume and subsequent bladder catheterization to prevent complications such as urinary tract infections or hydronephrosis. However, the management of urinary retention in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia varies and clinical guidelines are lacking. In this study we gather information on post-void residual urine volume, the use of catheters and associated complications in a sample of older veterans with benign prostatic hyperplasia. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed using 660 patients screened for documented post-void residual urine volume greater than 100 cc, age greater than 65 years and the absence of cancer. A final chart review of 136 male veterans was performed for this analysis. RESULTS: A total of 59 (43.4%) indwelling urinary catheters were placed. Catheters were placed in subjects with modest post-void residual urine volumes in the 100 to 150 cc range and in those with a post-void residual urine volume greater than 500 cc. Overall complication rates were low. Among those patients who had a catheter placed 51% reported hematuria, 36% reported pain and only 1 had documented urosepsis. Hydronephrosis occurred in 4 cases, each with a post-void residual urine volume of 301 to 400 cc, and 3 of these individuals had an indwelling urinary catheter placed. In those patients emergency room visits and hospitalizations were more frequently associated with placement of an indwelling urinary catheter. CONCLUSIONS: Larger studies are needed for the development of clinical guidelines on the treatment of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and urinary retention.
International Journal of Clinical Practice · 1994 · 3 citations
PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA
AbstractAlthough surgery remains the standard treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia there has been a rise in the number of available drugs for this condition. The current drug therapies appear to be useful for symptomatic short-term treatment, particularly for those patients unfit or unwilling to undergo surgical intervention. Further evaluation of the long-term effects of these treatments and their role in early disease is required, but drug therapy is likely to play a more important part in the management of this condition in the future.
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.
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