DeCure's autonomous AMR AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for candidiasis — screening already-approved drugs against its 3-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleCandidiasis maps to a 3-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 candidiasis 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
casein kinase 1 epsilon (CSNK1E) — CSNK1E 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 3-chlorophenoxydrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 4HNI · 2.74 Å · ligand 3-[(3-chlorophenoxy)methyl]-1-(tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-yl)-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-amine (16W). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
Oral candidiasis arises when the balance between host, Candida, and microbiota is disturbed, for instance by broad-spectrum antibiotics or immunosuppression. A 2016 in-vitro study found that Candida albicans grown in biofilms with Lactobacillus rhamnosus showed significantly lower proteinase and haemolysin activity, reduced germ tube formation, and decreased biofilm formation compared to Candida grown alone. The same study reported that the interaction altered the Candida susceptibility profile to amphotericin B, fluconazole, and ketoconazole. The authors suggested this might reduce Candida pathogenicity, but the work was limited to a single laboratory strain pair and did not test any clinical outcome.
Despite the development of new antifungal drug classes, mortality in patients with systemic candidiasis remains high, according to a 2012 review. That review noted that host genetic studies have identified potential targets for adjunctive therapy but did not report any repurposed drug that had been tested in patients. A 2025 genomics review confirmed that drug resistance in Candida is an increasing problem and that genomic variations underlie resistance mechanisms, but it offered no specific repurposed compound.
A 2024 review of drug repurposing against Candida isolates compiled literature on existing drugs tested against clinical isolates. It stated that more than 1.6 million people die from fungal infections each year and that the extensive use of antifungals has driven resistance. The review described drug repurposing as a potential solution for alternative therapeutics that could be established in a shorter time and at lower cost, but it did not name any single repurposed drug that had shown efficacy in a controlled human trial. What is still missing are randomised clinical trials of any repurposed drug against candidiasis, adequate funding for such trials, and patient stratification by Candida species, resistance profile, and immune status.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy · 2014 · 90 citations
Pathogenicity mechanisms and host response during oral <i>Candida albicans</i> infections
AbstractOral candidiasis remains one of the most common forms of Candida infections and occurs if the balance between host, Candida and microbiota is disturbed, e.g., by broad spectrum antibiotics or immunosuppression. In recent years, identification of fungal factors contributing to host cell damage and new insights into host defense mechanisms have significantly extended our understanding of the pathogenesis of oral candidiasis. In this review, we will provide an overview of the pathogenicity mechanisms during oral Candida infections and discuss some approaches by which this knowledge could be transferred into therapeutic approaches.
Journal of Applied Microbiology · 2016 · 30 citations
<i>Lactobacillus</i> is able to alter the virulence and the sensitivity profile of <i>Candida albicans</i>
AbstractAIMS: The study investigated whether the interaction with Lactobacillus rhamnosus (ATCC7469) interfere with the expression of virulence factors by Candida albicans (ATCC18804). METHODS AND RESULTS: These micro-organisms were grown in biofilms for 24, 48 and 72 h, Candida was isolated and the expression of the major virulence factors were investigated. The production of phospholipase, protease and haemolysin were observed in appropriate media; observation of germ tubes formation in serum; biofilm formation, after growth in microtitre plates and reading in spectrophotometer. Candida was also tested for antifungal sensitivity to amphotericin B, fluconazole and ketoconazole. The results were compared with the cells of Candida grown in the absence of lactobacilli (control group). Candida cells, which interacted with Lact. rhamnosus (test group), showed significantly lower proteinase and haemolysin activity, when compared with control group. The germ tube formation and biofilm formation capacity also decreased in tested groups, which demonstrated alterations in susceptibility to antifungal drugs. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that Lact. rhamnosus is able to influence the expression of virulence factors by C. albicans and can alter its antifungal sensitivity profile. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: These results suggest reduction in the pathogenicity of Candida and improvement in candidiasis therapy and control.
Journal of Oral Science · 2009 · 14 citations · open access
Chronic hyperplastic candidosis: a pilot study of the efficacy of 0.18% isotretinoin
AbstractManagement of oral candidiasis depends on an accurate diagnosis, identification and elimination of predisposing factors, and, often, use of antifungal agents. Chronic hyperplastic candidosis (CHC) is considered a premalignant lesion of the oral mucosa, occurring as speckled or homogeneous white lesions. If the lesions are untreated, a minor proportion may become dysplastic and progress to carcinoma. The traditional treatment of this lesion is based on the use of antifungal agents. The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of 0.18% isotretinoin for treatment of nystatin-resistant candidiasis. Isotretinoin was administered topically twice a day for one month to six patients affected by nystatin-resistant CHC. In all six patients, daily antimycotic topical therapy with nystatin for 30 days had failed to resolve the candidal stomatitis. After one month of isotretinoin treatment, five of the six patients were negative for Candida, whereas in untreated control patients the situation was unchanged. Only one patient with suspected sicca syndrome was found to have oral Candida 15 days after the last administration of isotretinoin. None of the patients had any complaints about the medication. These findings suggest that 0.18% isotretinoin applied twice a day for one month is able to suppress nystatin-resistant candidiasis.
Frontiers in Microbiology · 2025 · 13 citations · open access
Genomics insights of candidiasis: mechanisms of pathogenicity and drug resistance
AbstractCandidiasis, a prevalent class of human infections caused by fungi belonging to the Candida genus, is garnering increasing attention due to its pathogenicity and the emergence of drug resistance. The advancement of genomics technologies has offered powerful tools for investigating the pathogenic mechanisms and drug resistance characteristics of Candida . This comprehensive review provides an overview of the applications of genomics in candidiasis research, encompassing genome sequencing, comparative genomics, and functional genomics, along with the pathogenic features and core virulence factors of Candida . Moreover, this review highlights the role of genomic variations in the emergence of drug resistance, further elucidating the evolutionary and adaptive mechanisms of Candida . In conclusion, the review underscores the current state of research and prospective avenues for exploration of candidiasis, providing a theoretical basis for clinical treatments and public health strategies.
Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy · 2012 · 10 citations
Treatment of candidiasis: insights from host genetics
AbstractCandida species are major causes of mucosal and invasive infections, leading to substantial morbidity and mortality. Despite the development of new classes of antifungal drugs, mortality in patients with systemic candidiasis remains high. Host-Candida interaction plays an important role in effective elimination of the pathogen. Genetic studies have rendered important insights into antifungal host defense and have identified potential targets for adjunctive therapy. In this article, the authors review the genetic variations in the host defense to Candida and their implications for the treatment of mucosal and systemic candidiasis.
Effectiveness of drug repurposing approach against Candida isolates
AbstractOver the past three decades, there has been an increase in the severity of fungal infections, affecting several individuals and claiming the lives of more than 1.6 million people every year. Species of Candida are one of the causatives of invasive fungal infections, and the extensive use of antifungals for their treatment has led to the emergence of drug resistance in these species, highlighting the need for the exploration of effective and cost-effective therapeutics. Drug repurposing is an important solution for alternative therapeutics. There are many studies where antifungal indications of any existing drug have been analyzed with an aim to establish new antimycotic therapeutics in a short time and with a lower budget. In this review, efforts are made to compile the literature on repurposed drugs against clinical isolates of Candida and fungal pathogens to better illustrate drug repurposing's role in the treatment of candidiasis.
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.
