DeCure's autonomous Rare AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for Conjunctival Nevus — 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 moduleConjunctival Nevus 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 conjunctival nevus 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
NRAS proto-oncogene, GTPase (NRAS) — NRAS 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 gdpdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 6ZIO · 1.55 Å · ligand GUANOSINE-5'-DIPHOSPHATE (GDP). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
In a retrospective case series of 618 patients with conjunctival nevus treated between 1974 and 2012, 32 patients (5%) had a giant nevus (≥10 mm diameter). The mean diameter was 16 mm and mean thickness 2 mm. Management was excisional biopsy with cryotherapy in 23 cases (72%) and observation in 9 cases (28%). After excision, nevus recurrence occurred in 4 cases (17%). Malignant melanoma developed within the giant nevus in 1 case after 23 years of observation. The authors concluded that giant conjunctival nevus rarely transforms into melanoma.
A 2021 case series reported three patients with inflamed conjunctival nevus who were treated with topical antiallergic and immunosuppressive ophthalmic solutions. All three had an allergic predisposition and a slightly pigmented, edematous tumor at the corneal limbus. In one case, a topical antiallergic agent alone reduced tumor size. In the other two, a combination of topical antiallergic agent and topical immunosuppressant reduced both tumor size and degree of pigmentation. The series included no control group and no long-term follow-up data on recurrence or malignant transformation after medical treatment.
A separate observational study of 98 conjunctival masses excised because of clinical suspicion of malignancy found that 63 (64.3%) were benign on histopathology, with nevus being the most common benign lesion (21 cases, 21.4%). Premalignant lesions (conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasia) were found in 22 patients (22.4%), and malignant lesions in 13 (13.3%), most commonly squamous cell carcinoma (10 cases, 10.2%). The frequency of premalignant and malignant lesions increased with age. No statistical relationship between malignancy and gender was found.
What remains missing are prospective trials comparing medical treatment (antiallergic or immunosuppressive drops) against observation or excision for inflamed nevi, with adequate follow-up to assess both symptom control and risk of malignant transformation. No randomised data exist to guide whether medical reduction of nevus size alters the long-term prognosis. The rarity of giant nevi and the low rate of malignant change mean that any trial would need to be multicentre and long-term, and funding for such a study is not evident.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
JAMA Ophthalmology · 2013 · 30 citations
Giant Conjunctival Nevus
AbstractIMPORTANCE: Conjunctival nevus is the most common tumor of the ocular surface and we selected the largest nevi to evaluate for clinical features and outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical features and outcomes of giant (≥10 mm diameter) conjunctival nevus. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS: Retrospective case series of 618 patients with conjunctival nevus, 32 of which had giant conjunctival nevus, treated at an ocular oncology service between July 1, 1974, and June 30, 2012. EXPOSURES: Observation, excisional biopsy, and cryotherapy. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Management, nevus recurrence, and nevus transformation into melanoma. RESULTS: Of 618 patients with conjunctival nevus, 32 (5%) were classified as having giant conjunctival nevus. The mean patient age at diagnosis was 34 years. Of those with giant conjunctival nevus, a history of an increase in nevus base or thickness was noted in 15 cases (47%) and an increase in color intensity in 2 cases (6%). The giant nevus involved cornea in 11 cases (34%), limbus in 23 (72%), bulbar conjunctiva in 31 (97%), fornix in 9 (28%), tarsus in 3 (9%), semilunar fold in 10 (31%), and caruncle in 7 (22%). The nevi had mean diameter of 16 mm and mean thickness of 2 mm. On slitlamp examination, intrinsic cysts were identified in 25 cases (78%), intrinsic blood vessels in 26 (81%), and feeder vessels in 22 (69%). Management included excisional biopsy with cryotherapy in 23 cases (72%) and observation in 9 cases (28%). Amniotic membrane graft reconstruction was used following excision in 3 cases (13%). Malignant melanoma developed within the giant nevus in 1 case after 23 years of observation. Postexcisional biopsy, nevus recurrence was detected in 4 cases (17%), pseudopterygium in 1 (4%), dry eye in 1 (4%), and eyelid blepharoptosis in 1 (4%). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In an ocular oncology practice, giant conjunctival nevus represents 5% of conjunctival nevi. This benign tumor rarely transforms into conjunctival melanoma. Management alternatives include observation or wide excisional biopsy, cryotherapy, and reconstruction, possibly with amniotic membrane graft.
Clinical ophthalmology · 2021 · 4 citations · open access
Management of Inflamed Conjunctival Nevus with Topical Antiallergic Medications: Case Series
AbstractPURPOSE: To report our findings in three cases of an inflamed conjunctival nevus whose size and degree of pigmentation were reduced by topical antiallergic and immunosuppressive ophthalmic solutions. METHODS: Observational case series. Three patients with inflamed conjunctival nevus were examined by slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and the findings before and after the treatments were compared. RESULTS: All three patients had a slightly pigmented and edematous conjunctival tumor at the corneal limbal area. The tumors were hyperemic, and papillae and follicles were present on the superior conjunctiva in all patients. All of the patients had an allergic predisposition. The antiallergic treatment not only resolved the hyperemia and edema of the palpebral conjunctiva, but also reduced the tumor size. In one case, the topical antiallergic agent alone led to a reduction of the tumor size. A combination of topical antiallergic agent and topical immunosuppressant was effective in reducing the tumor size and degree of pigmentation in the other two patients. CONCLUSION: The hyperemia and pigmentation in eyes with inflamed conjunctival nevus can be resolved by topical antiallergic agent and topical immunosuppressant without resection of the tumor.
Journal of College of Physicians And Surgeons Pakistan · 2023 · 1 citations · open access
Histopathological Results of Conjunctival Masses with Suspected Malignancy Based on Slit-lamp Biomicroscopy
AbstractOBJECTIVE: To evaluate the histopathological results of conjunctival masses suspected to be malignant based on biomicroscopic examination. STUDY DESIGN: Observational study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Ophthalmology, Celal Bayar University, Hafsa Sultan Hospital, Manisa, Turkiye, from November 2013 to February 2021. METHODOLOGY: Patients who underwent excision for the diagnosis and treatment of conjunctival surface masses with clinical suspicion of malignancy were evaluated retrospectively. The masses were categorised as benign, premalignant, and malignant lesions according to the histopathological results. The distribution of conjunctival masses was analysed according to patients' gender and age groups. RESULTS: The study included 98 conjunctival masses in 98 patients (57.1% men, mean age 48.6±21.85 years). On pathological examination, 63 of the masses were found to be benign (64.3%), 22 were premalignant (22.4%), and 13 were malignant (13.3%). The most common benign lesion was nevus (n=21, 21.4%). All detected premalignant lesions were conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasms (CIN), detected in 22 patients (22.4%). Of these, 13 patients (13.3%) had carcinoma in situ (CIN III). Thirteen (13.3%) of the masses were malignant, the most common being squamous cell carcinoma (n=10, 10.2%). The frequency of premalignant and malignant lesions increased with age (p<0.001). There was no statistical relationship between malignancy and gender (p=0.619). CONCLUSION: Most conjunctival masses in this series were benign, with nevi being the most common. The most common premalignant and malignant lesions were intraepithelial neoplasia and squamous cell carcinoma, respectively. Malignant conjunctival lesions were more common in older patients. KEY WORDS: Conjunctival nevus, Conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasia, Squamous cell carcinoma.
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.
