DeCure's autonomous Rare AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for Herpes Zoster — screening already-approved drugs against its 42-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleHerpes Zoster maps to a 42-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 herpes zoster 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
torsin family 1 member A (TOR1A) — TOR1A 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 atpdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 5J1S · 1.399 Å · ligand ADENOSINE-5'-TRIPHOSPHATE (ATP). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
A case-control study of 504 herpes zoster patients and 523 controls found that 39% of cases reported blood relatives with a history of zoster, compared to 11% of controls. The odds ratio for a single affected relative was 4.50, and for multiple blood relatives it rose to 13.77. The study excluded immunocompromised patients and was conducted at a single outpatient clinic in Texas.
In a cohort of 131,604 patients with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, the incidence rate of treated herpes zoster per 1000 patient-years was lowest among those using IL-inhibitors alone (6.7) and apremilast alone (7.0). The highest rates occurred with DMARDs plus corticosteroids (12.5), corticosteroids alone (12.5), and TNF-inhibitors combined with DMARDs and/or corticosteroids (11.9). DMARDs alone gave a rate of 9.9. Hepatitis C and tuberculosis rates were low across all treatments, with no significant between-treatment differences.
A study of 31 herpes zoster patients and 32 matched healthy controls measured T cell subsets and toll-like receptors in peripheral blood. Compared to controls, HZ patients had decreased CD4+ T cells, increased CD8+ T cells, decreased Th1 cells, and increased Treg cells. The Th1/Th2 ratio and Th17/Treg ratio were both significantly decreased. IL-6, IL-10, and IFN-γ levels were significantly increased, while IL-2, IL-4, and IL-17A showed no significant change. TLR2, TLR4, TLR7, and TLR9 mRNA were all increased in patients, but at the protein level TLR4 and TLR7 were increased while TLR2 and TLR9 were decreased.
What remains missing is prospective validation of the family history association in larger, multi-centre populations. The observational treatment data come from insurance claims, not randomised assignment, so confounding by disease severity cannot be ruled out. The immune profiling study is small and cross-sectional, offering no longitudinal data on whether the observed TLR and T cell changes predict clinical outcomes or respond to any specific intervention. No trial has tested a TLR-targeted therapy for herpes zoster in humans.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Archives of Dermatology · 1957 · 371 citations
The Outcome of Patients with Herpes Zoster
AbstractHerpes zoster is a self-limited disorder which in most cases resolves without complication. In some patients herpes zoster produces complications during the acute phase of the disease, or even sequelae that may incapacitate the patient later. The most important among these is postherpetic neuralgia. The severity of the latter has stimulated the interest of many investigators, searching for ways of avoiding such undesirable sequelae by treating the acute phase. As a result there is, in the medical literature, a continuous stream of publications, devoted to the study of the results obtained in the treatment of herpes zoster. The good results reported by one author are not confirmed subsequently by others, and no single method of treatment has produced more than temporary enthusiasm. Recently, with the greater number of drugs that have increased the armamentarium of the physician, a greater number of different ap
AbstractOBJECTIVE: To assess risk factors for herpes zoster beyond age and immunosuppression, especially the association with a family history of herpes zoster, since a preventative herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia vaccine is now available. DESIGN: We undertook a case-control study of herpes zoster, which represents reactivation of latent varicella zoster virus residing in dorsal root ganglia following primary infection, involving 504 patients and 523 controls. Interviews were conducted by trained medical investigators using a structured questionnaire. SETTING: The Center for Clinical Studies, an outpatient clinic and research center in Houston, Texas. PARTICIPANTS: Nonimmunocompromised patients with confirmed cases of herpes zoster were included in the study. Controls were nonimmunocompromised clinic patients with new diagnoses of skin diseases other than herpes zoster. RESULTS: Cases were more likely to report blood relatives with a history of zoster (39%) compared with controls (11%; P < .001). Risk was increased with multiple blood relatives (odds ratio, 13.77; 95% confidence interval, 5.85-32.39) compared with single blood relatives (odds ratio, 4.50; 95% confidence interval, 3.15-6.41). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest an association between herpes zoster and family history of zoster. Future studies will be needed to investigate this association.
Clinical Epidemiology · 2020 · 29 citations · open access
<p>Herpes Zoster, Hepatitis C, and Tuberculosis Risk with Apremilast Compared to Biologics, DMARDs and Corticosteroids to Treat Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis</p>
AbstractPURPOSE: Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are associated with an increased infection risk. In this cohort study of patients with treated psoriasis or PsA, we used MarketScan (2014-2018) to estimate rates of herpes zoster, hepatitis C (HepC) and tuberculosis (TB) with apremilast compared to other systemic treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were exposed from first apremilast [APR], DMARD, TNF-inhibitor [TNF], IL-inhibitor [IL], or corticosteroids [CS] prescription after March 21, 2014. Study exposures were APR, DMARDs only, TNF-only, IL-only, CS-only, DMARDs+CS, TNF+DMARDs and/or CS, IL+DMARDs and/or CS. Cases had treated herpes zoster, HepC, or TB event. We calculated incidence rates (IRs) [95% confidence intervals] per 1000 patient-years. RESULTS: The study population included 131,604 patients. For herpes zoster (N=2271), IRs were highest for users of DMARDs+CS (12.5 [9.8-15.7]), CS-only (12.5 [10.4-14.1]), and TNF+DMARDs and/or CS (11.9 [10.6-13.4]), compared with DMARDs only (9.9 [8.7-11.2]). IRs were lowest for users of IL-only (6.7 [5.8-7.8]) and APR (7.0 [5.8-8.4]). IRs of HepC (N=150) and TB (N=81) were low and between-treatment differences were not significant. CONCLUSION: Rates of herpes zoster varied by treatment: highest among those who received polytherapy, lowest in users of apremilast only. IRs for HepC and TB were low for all exposures.
Journal of Pain Research · 2023 · 16 citations · open access
T Lymphocyte Subsets Profile and Toll-Like Receptors Responses in Patients with Herpes Zoster
AbstractPurpose: Herpes zoster (HZ) is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), and 20% of healthy humans and 50% of people with immune dysfunction have a high probability of suffering from HZ. This study aimed to screen dynamic immune signatures and explore the potential mechanism during HZ progression. Patients and Methods: Peripheral blood samples from 31 HZ patients and 32 age-sex-matched healthy controls were collected and analyzed. The protein levels and gene levels of toll-like receptors (TLRs) were detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by flow cytometry and quantitative real-time PCR. Further, the characteristics of T cell subsets and cytokines were detected via a cytometric bead array. Results: Compared to healthy controls, the mRNA levels of TLR2, TLR4, TLR7, and TLR9 mRNA in PBMCs were significantly increased in HZ patients. The protein level of TLR4 and TLR7 was significantly increased in HZ patients, but the levels of TLR2 and TLR9 were dramatically decreased. The CD3+ T cells were constant in HZ and healthy controls. CD4+ T cells were decreased in HZ patients, while CD8+ T cells were increased, resulting in an improved CD4+/CD8+ T cells ratio. Further, it was found that Th2 and Th17 were not changed, but the decreased Th1 and upregulated Treg cells were found in HZ. The Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg ratios were significantly decreased. Last, the levels of IL-6, IL-10, and IFN-γ were significantly increased, but IL-2, IL-4, and IL-17A had no significant changes. Conclusion: The dysfunction of host's lymphocytes and activation of TLRs in PBMCs were the important mechanism in varicella-zoster virus induced herpes zoster. TLRs might be the core targets for the therapy drug development in treating HZ.
AbstractOne hundred twenty-four patients presented with herpes zoster in a small-town, solo practice between 1983 and 1992. This article reviews the clinical features and natural history of herpes zoster, followed by a description of the cases seen in the study practice. This common disease, easily diagnosed and treated by the family physician, usually responds well to treatment with acyclovir.
The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology · 2016 · 1 citations
A Review on the Pharmacopuncture Used in Herpes Zoster Related Articles Published in the Journal of Korean Medicine
AbstractObjective : This study was carried out to analyze the trends of pharmacopuncture used to treat Herpes Zoster related articles that have been published in the Korean medicine journal.Method : We studied 14 research papers treated with pharmacopuncture for Herpes Zoster in Korean medicine journal. We analyzed for type of pharmacopuncture used, treatment point and clinical type.Results : 1. The number of searched journal is 14 papers. 2. The most common clinical type is herpes zoster generalisatus. Others types are postherpetic neuralgia, ramsay hunt syndrome, herpes zoster ophthalmicus, postherpetic paralysis 3. Pharmacopunctures used to treat herpes zoster are BV, Hwangreonhaedok-tang pharmacopuncture, Ginseng Pharmacopuncture, CF, JsD, Immuno-yakchim, etc. The most frequently used type of harmacopuncture is BV. 4. The most used part as a treatment point is a-shi point.Conclusions : It is needed to improve the cure rate through a comprehensive analysis of the Herpes zoster treatments. It is necessary to comprehensively analyze the treatments to increase the cure rate of about Herpes zoster.
Revista Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile · 2020 · 0 citations · open access
Herpes zóster diseminado: caso clínico y revisión bibliográfica
AbstractHerpes zoster classical clinical presentation is the acute onset of multiple vesicles over an erythematous base, disposed over one or two dermatomes with up to 20 vesicles located outside the main dermatome. Disseminated herpes zoster is an atypical and rare form of presentation of herpes zoster, which manifests with lesions beyond the described territory. It occurs mainly in patients with some type of cellular immunosuppression. The diagnosis is made with the medical history and physical examination, however, it should be confirmed with laboratory tests. Treatment must be initiated early to avoid serious complications, such as bacterial infection of the lesions, post-herpetic neuralgia, or even central nervous system involvement. The drug of choice is intravenous acyclovir that must be maintained until the cessation of the appearance of new lesions, and then switch to its oral presentation for another 5-7 days. Disseminated herpes zoster mortality rounds 5-15%. There are varicella-zoster virus vaccines, that have been shown to reduce the incidence of herpes zoster relapses, however its utility to disseminated herpes zoster is uncertain and further studies are required. We present the case of a male patient with a history of rheumatoid arthritis who consults with multiple vesicles distributed throughout his body.
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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