DeCure's autonomous Metabolic AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for Hashimoto's thyroiditis — screening already-approved drugs against its 61-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleHashimoto's thyroiditis maps to a 61-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 hashimoto's thyroiditis 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
carbonic anhydrase 12 (CA12) — CA12 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 azmdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 1JD0 · 1.5 Å · ligand 5-ACETAMIDO-1,3,4-THIADIAZOLE-2-SULFONAMIDE (AZM). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
A 2010 review finds that components of hepatitis C virus, human parvovirus B19, coxsackie virus and herpes virus have been detected in the thyroid of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis patients, and that bystander activation of autoreactive T cells may trigger intrathyroidal inflammation. However, the same review states that studies have provided insufficient direct evidence for the viral hypothesis, and that whether viral infection is responsible for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis remains unclear. A 2022 mini-review describes the pathogenesis as a complex process involving environmental factors, hereditary inclination, trace elements, immune factors, cytokines, DNA and miRNA, but offers no interventional data.
A 2020 report notes that conversion of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis to Graves’ disease is unusual but has been occasionally reported, and that close investigation of symptoms and biochemical status is crucial for appropriate treatment. A 2018 case report describes managing one patient with Ayurvedic principles — snehapana followed by vamana and virechana, then shamana with varunadi kwatha bhavita shilajatu for three months with two months follow-up — and claims the protocol was effective in symptomatic and biochemical profiles. The authors acknowledge that this is a single case and that adequate evaluation of individual therapies and replication in a much larger group is needed.
No controlled trial, no randomised comparison, and no replication of the Ayurvedic protocol in more than one patient has been published. What is missing is funding for a properly powered trial, a design that accounts for the natural history of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and patient stratification by antibody titre, thyroid function, and duration of disease.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Current Opinion in Endocrinology Diabetes and Obesity · 2010 · 48 citations
Viral infection in induction of Hashimotoʼs thyroiditis: a key player or just a bystander?
AbstractPURPOSE OF REVIEW: Viral infection activates both the innate and adaptive immunity and is implicated as a trigger of autoimmune diseases including Hashimoto's thyroiditis. This review summarizes our knowledge respecting the role of viral infection in the cause of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. RECENT FINDINGS: Components of several viruses such as hepatitis C virus, human parvovirus B19, coxsackie virus and herpes virus are detected in the thyroid of Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients. Bystander activation of autoreactive T cells may be involved in triggering intrathyroidal inflammation. Signaling molecules associated with antiviral responses including Toll-like receptors may participate in Hashimoto's thyroiditis induction. However, studies have provided insufficient direct evidence for the viral hypothesis in Hashimoto's thyroiditis. SUMMARY: Despite interesting circumstantial evidence, whether viral infection is responsible for Hashimoto's thyroiditis remains unclear. Studies addressing this issue are required to substantiate a contribution from viral infection to Hashimoto's thyroiditis and, consequently, the prospect for developing preventive modalities for Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark · 2022 · 29 citations · open access
Pathogenesis Markers of Hashimoto's Disease—A Mini Review
AbstractHashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is the most common autoimmune disease involving the thyroid gland. HT often clinically manifest as hypothyroidism due to the destruction of thyroid cells mediated by humoral and cellular immunity. The pathogenesis of HT is a complex process in which environmental factors, hereditary inclination, trace elements immune factors, cytokines, and DNA and miRNA all play an important role. Herein, we summarize the precision factors involved in the pathogenesis of HT and offer an update over the past 5 years to provide a theoretical basis for further investigation of the relevant targets for HT treatment.
World Journal of Nuclear Medicine · 2020 · 1 citations · open access
Graves' disease: A rare fate of Hashimoto's thyroiditis
AbstractHashimoto's thyroiditis is a known autoimmune disorder that leads to chronic inflammation of the thyroid gland, with a gradual decline in function and eventual hypothyroidism. Conversion of Hashimoto's thyroiditis to Graves' disease is unusual clinically and has been occasionally reported in the literature. Awareness of such a rare phenomenon is important for the physicians evaluating patients with autoimmune thyroid disorders. Close investigation of the patient's symptoms and biochemical status is crucial in the implementation of appropriate treatment.
Journal of Ayurveda Case Reports · 2018 · 0 citations · open access
Management of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis through Ayurveda
AbstractHashimoto’s Thyroiditis (HT) is the most common auto-immune thyroid disease and the commonest cause of hypothyroidism. In conventional medicine, treatment of choice for HT is replacement of thyroid hormone. A case of HT was managed at the OPD level by following Ayurveda principles and found to be effective. A treatment protocol was designed based on the signs and symptoms and assigned in this patient. Snehapana followed by Vamana and Virechana and at the end Shamana was done with Varunadi kwatha bhavita shilajatu for a period of three months with two months follow up. The treatment protocol was found to be effective in symptomatic and biochemical profiles of the patient. Patients of HT should be able to have a choice against the lifelong hormone therapy. This can be achieved by adequate evaluation of the individual action of the therapies adapted here and replicating the same in a much larger group.
AbstractHashimoto thyroiditis (AIT) is a common cause of hypothyroidism that can occur in childhood and adolescence (ages six to sixteen years) and often occurs in women. AIT can be determined by increases in TSH with normal thyroid hormone serum levels. The diagnosis of AIT based on clinical symptoms of hypothyroid, biochemical results, and ultrasound images. Treatment is carried out by administering levothyroxine at an initial dose of 1 – 2 g/weight/day. This case report aims to show that AIT can show a wide range of symptoms and effects from the treatment that given to patient.
Journal of Widya Medika Junior · 2024 · 0 citations · open access
HASHIMOTO THYROIDITIS IN 7-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN: A CASE REPORT
AbstractHashimoto thyroiditis (AIT) is a common cause of hypothyroidism that can occur in childhood and adolescence (ages six to sixteen years) and often occurs in women. AIT can be determined by increases in TSH with normal thyroid hormone serum levels. The diagnosis of AIT based on clinical symptoms of hypothyroid, biochemical results, and ultrasound images. Treatment is carried out by administering levothyroxine at an initial dose of 1 – 2 g/weight/day. This case report aims to show that AIT can show a wide range of symptoms and effects from the treatment that given to patient.
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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