DeCure's autonomous AMR AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for HIV wasting syndrome — screening already-approved drugs against its 1-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleHIV wasting syndrome maps to a 1-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 hiv wasting syndrome 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
growth hormone receptor (GHR) — GHR 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 apo structuredrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 1A22 · 2.6 Å · ligand none (apo structure). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
HIV wasting syndrome involves the preferential loss of lean body mass with a paradoxical preservation of body fat, and its causes may include decreased caloric intake, malabsorption, altered energy expenditure and metabolism, cytokine effects, and endocrine dysfunction. A 1998 review of English-language literature from January 1987 to September 1997 listed pharmacologic options as appetite stimulants (dronabinol, megestrol acetate), cytokine inhibitors (thalidomide, cyproheptadine, ketotifen, pentoxifylline, fish oil, N-acetylcysteine), and anabolic agents (testosterone, nandrolone, oxandrolone, recombinant human growth hormone). The review stated that wasting carries high morbidity and mortality if not managed, and that selection of an agent depends on the underlying cause of weight loss, adverse effects, and cost.
A 2000 overview noted that HIV wasting syndrome had become far less common since the introduction of highly active therapies, but that much had been learned about potential interventions. It suggested that evaluation of some of these treatments might be appropriate for managing body habitus alterations associated with antiretroviral therapies. Another 2000 review defined HIV-associated wasting as involuntary loss of more than 10% of baseline body weight in the presence of chronic diarrhea, weakness, or fever lasting longer than 30 days, and stated that it affects survival, physical appearance, and social interactions.
Oxandrolone, approved for wasting in 1964, was discussed as an anabolic agent that reverses many metabolic abnormalities characteristic of HIV-associated wasting, leading to dose-dependent increases in nitrogen retention. That review acknowledged that gaps exist in knowledge of oxandrolone’s role in HIV-associated wasting, and that these gaps would be filled only by years of field exposure and further clinical research. No trial data with concrete numbers for survival or response rates were provided in any of these reviews. What is still missing is controlled clinical trial evidence with measured outcomes, patient stratification by cause of wasting, and funding for studies that compare these agents head-to-head or in combination.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Annals of Pharmacotherapy · 1998 · 36 citations
HIV Wasting Syndrome: Treatment Update
AbstractOBJECTIVE: To review the pathophysiology and treatment of HIV wasting syndrome. DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SELECTION: MEDLINE searches (January 1987–September 1997) of the English-language medical literature were conducted. Bibliographies were also selected during a manual review. DATA SYNTHESIS: HIV-related weight loss, often referred to as HIV wasting syndrome, is a common manifestation of advanced HIV infection. Wasting in HIV involves the preferential loss of lean body mass with a paradoxical preservation of body fat. The etiology of wasting appears to be the result of many factors, which may include decreased caloric intake, malabsorption, alterations in energy expenditure and metabolism, cytokine effects, and endocrine dysfunction. Pharmacologic treatment options include appetite stimulants (e.g., dronabinol, megestrol acetate), cytokine inhibitors (e.g., thalidomide, cyproheptadine, ketotifen, pentoxifylline, fish oil, N-acetylcysteine), and anabolic agents (e.g., testosterone, nandrolone, oxandrolone, recombinant human growth hormone). CONCLUSIONS: Wasting associated with HIV has a high morbidity and mortality rate if not adequately managed. Therapeutic strategies include appetite stimulants, cytokine inhibitors, and growth-promoting agents. Selection of the appropriate agent(s) depends on the underlying cause for weight loss, adverse effects, and cost of therapy. OBJETIVO: Revisar la patofisiología y tratamiento del síndrome de desgaste causado por el VIH. FUENTES DE DATOS: Se llevó a cabo una búsqueda de la literatura médica en el idioma inglés utilizando la base de datos del MEDLINE. SÍNTESIS: La pérdida de peso asociado al VIH, también conocido como el síndrome de desgaste, es una manifestación común de la infección avanzada causada por el virus. El desgaste envuelve principalmente la pérdida de masa magra, y paradójicamente la preservación de grasa corporal. La etiología del síndrome de desgaste aparenta ser el resultado de varios factores que pueden incluir la disminución de ingesta calórica, malabsorción, alteración en la utilización de energía, alteración del metabolismo, efectos de las citoquinas, y disfunción endocrina. Las opciones para el tratamiento farmacológico incluyen estimuladores del apetito (dronabinol y acetato de megestrol), inhibidores de citoquinas (talidomida, ciproheptadina, ketotifen, pentoxyfilina, accite de pescado, y N-acetil cisteína), y agentes anabólicos (testosterona, nandrolona, oxandrolona, y la hormona de crecimiento). CONCLUSIONES: La etiología del desgaste asociado a la infección con el VIH es multifactorial. La condición conlieva una alta morbilidad y mortalidad si no es manejada adecuadamente. Las estrategías terapéuticas incluyen la estimulación de apetito, inhibidores de citoquinas y agentes que promueven el crecimiento. La selección de los agentes apropiados dependerá de la causa de la pérdida de peso, los efectos adversos, y el costo de la terapia. Aunque se necesita estudiar la condición más a fondo, la terapia combinada puede ser que resulte ser la modalidad de mayor beneficio para el paciente con el síndrome de desgaste por el VIH. OBJECTIF: Réviser la pathophysiologie et le traitement du syndrome d'émaciation associé au VIH. REVUE DE LITTÉRATURE ET SÉLECTION DES ÉTUDES: Une recherche de la documentation médicale de langue anglaise a été effectuée à l'aide de MEDLINE. Des bibliographies ont aussi été choisies grâce à une révision manuelle. RÉSUMÉ: La perte de poids associée au VIH, souvent appelée le syndrome d'émaciation, est une manifestation fréquente d'une infection avancée au VIH. l'émaciation chez les patients infectés par le VIH entraîne une perte préférentielle du tissu maigre et une conservation du tissu adipeux. l'étiologie du syndrome semble être le résultat de plusieurs facteurs dont l'ingestion calorique, la malabsorption, les modifications au niveau de la dépense énergétique et du métabolisme, les effets des cytokines, et les anormalités endocriniennes. Les options du traitement pharmacologique incluent les stimulants de l'appétit (le dronabinol et l'acétate de mégestrol), les inhibiteurs des cytokines (le thalidomide, la cyproheptadine, le kétotifène, la pentoxifylline, l'huile de poisson, et le N-acétylcystéine), et des agents anabolisants (la testostérone, le nandrolone, l'oxandrolone, et l'hormone de croissance humaine recombinée). CONCLUSIONS: Le syndrome d'émaciation associé au VIH a un taux de morbidité et de mortalité élevé s'il n'est pas adéquatement traité. Les stratégies thérapeutiques incluent les stimulants de l'appétit, les inhibiteurs des cytokines, et les agents stimulant la croissance. La sélection du ou des agents appropriés dépendra de la cause sous-jacente de la perte de poids, des effets indésirables, et du coût de la thérapie.
Potential Interventions for HIV/AIDS Wasting: An Overview
AbstractAlthough the HIV wasting syndrome has become a far less common manifestation of advanced disease since the introduction of highly active therapies, much has been learned about a number of potential therapeutic interventions. HIV wasting therapies are reviewed. The evaluation of some of these treatments for management of body habitus alterations associated with antiretroviral therapies may be appropriate.
HIV-Associated Wasting: Brief Review and Discussion of the Impact of Oxandrolone
AbstractThis is a brief review of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated wasting with expanded discussion of one treatment agent, oxandrolone. HIV-associated wasting is the involuntary loss of more than 10% of baseline body weight in the presence of chronic diarrhea, weakness, or fever lasting longer than 30 days. For patients, this clinical syndrome has special importance because it affects not only their survival but also their physical appearance and social interactions. Pharmacologic treatment is only one of the many approaches that need to be explored in every patient who presents with this condition. In 1964, oxandrolone became the first drug approved for the treatment of wasting. Since then its role has expanded to HIV-associated wasting. As an anabolic agent oxandrolone reverses many of the metabolic abnormalities characteristic of HIV-associated wasting leading to dose dependent increase in nitrogen retention. Similar to many other HIV treatments, gaps exist in our knowledge of the role of oxandrolone in HIV-associated wasting. These gaps will be filled only by years of field exposure and further clinical research.
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.
