DeCure's autonomous Respiratory AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for interstitial lung disease — screening already-approved drugs against its 40-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleInterstitial lung disease maps to a 40-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
approvedSunitinibApproved drugapprovedSorafenibApproved drug
Structures already discussed alongside interstitial lung disease in the retrieved literature, rendered from public PubChem SMILES. Which drugs appear here reflects the evidence found, not a ranked prediction.
Molecular view
KIT kinase domain — Sunitinib has a real, experimentally solved structure in complex with this target (PDB 3G0E, 1.6 Å). This is the drug's own deposited structure, not a prediction, and confirms it is a structurally characterised molecule rather than an untested guess.
Loading structure…
helix sheet b49drag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 3G0E · 1.6 Å · ligand Sunitinib (B49). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
Interstitial lung diseases remain a diagnostic challenge requiring a multidisciplinary approach, and their treatment has seen recent advances including newer FDA-approved drugs with documented adverse effects, dosages, and contraindications. The 2023 review states that CT scan is the investigation of choice, and discusses both non-pharmacological and pharmacological management, but provides no specific efficacy data, survival figures, or response rates for any drug. The 2009 and 2019 books highlight that understanding of genetic basis and pathogenesis has expanded, and that future treatment depends on knowledge of molecular changes in lung cells, but neither reports any clinical trial outcomes.
For connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD), a 2021 review notes that ILD is seen in 2%–50% of patients with CTDs and leads to significant morbidity and mortality. The same review states bluntly that the ubiquitous involvement across CTDs, along with the possible benefit of treating this manifestation, has not translated into a good understanding of its pathogenesis or treatment. It calls for better identification of genetic determinants and pathogenic pathways to find therapeutic targets, but no concrete results from any intervention are given.
No abstract reports a completed trial showing improved survival or response rates for any drug in any form of interstitial lung disease. The 2023 article lists newer FDA-approved drugs but provides no numbers on how many patients benefited or for how long. What is still missing are large, randomised controlled trials with clearly defined patient stratification by ILD subtype and genetic markers, and the funding required to conduct them.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Oncology Letters · 2015 · 13 citations · open access
Interstitial pneumonia induced by sorafenib in a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma: An autopsy case report
AbstractSorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor currently approved in Japan for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Interstitial pneumonia induced by sorafenib may have a fatal outcome, and therefore, has recently been the focus of many studies. The current report presents an autopsy case of diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) that occurred in a 59-year-old male, who had been treated with sorafenib. The patient had been given sorafenib for six months and had exhibited no respiratory symptoms during this time. However, 19 days after sorafenib treatment was resumed, acute interstitial pneumonia developed. In previously reported cases, the first symptoms of pulmonary toxicity appeared following a limited treatment duration with sorafenib; this was in contrast to the patient in the current study, who developed the first symptoms after eight months. We therefore conclude that physicians must be aware of interstitial pneumonia as a potential pulmonary toxicity associated with sorafenib treatment when treatment with sorafenib is resumed, even after prolonged use. In addition, to best of our knowledge, this is the first case of a postmortem examination reported in patient with interstitial pneumonia induced by sorafenib treatment.
European Respiratory Society eBooks · 2009 · 12 citations
Interstitial Lung Diseases
AbstractInterstitial lung diseases represent an expanding field of respiratory medicine and pose important daily challenges for lung physicians. There have been tremendous advances in recent years in the understanding of the genetic basis and pathogenesis of a wide range of interstitial lung diseases. This book aims to highlight current challenges, open questions and international concerns, and to discuss a wide range of interstitial lung diseases in innovative contributions from experts from around the world.
Recent Advances in the Treatment of Interstitial Lung Diseases
AbstractInterstitial lung diseases (ILDs) are a group of disorders affecting the parenchymal tissue of the lungs. This disease leads to complications like pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, etc. that can affect patients. The etiological factors, clinical features, investigation methods, and diseases are conditions associated with ILD. The history of these conditions is of great value; any history of environmental and occupational exposure, medications, dust, or any toxic inhalation can be a predisposing factor. The CT scan is the investigation of choice in the case of ILD. This article states the recent advances made in treating interstitial lung diseases. The non-pharmacological and pharmacological management of ILD is discussed in the article. The discussion below concerns newer drugs approved by the FDA and their adverse effects, dosages, and contraindications. Below is a detailed conversation about ILD and the recent advances in treating this disease.
International Journal of Urology · 2013 · 3 citations
Sunitinib‐related interstitial pneumonia after treatment with temsirolimus: A case of possible recall phenomenon
AbstractA 55-year-old Japanese man was admitted to Oita University Hospital (Oita, Japan) for pyrexia, malaise and dyspnea, and abnormal shadows on chest radiographs. He had started receiving sunitinib (37.5 mg a day for 3 weeks, followed by a 3-week break before beginning the next dosing cycle) for metastatic renal cell carcinoma after the improvement of temsirolimus-induced interstitial pneumonia. Sunitinib is a multiple tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitor approved for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma, and the most common clinical adverse effects of sunitinib are diarrhea, mucositis, stomatitis, hypertension, rashes and altered taste. We herein report a rare case of sunitinib-related interstitial pneumonia after treatment with temsirolimus for metastatic renal cell carcinoma. This case suggests the possibility of recall phenomenon of drug-induced pneumonia during the administration of additional chemotherapy.
Indian Journal of Rheumatology · 2021 · 1 citations · open access
Genetics and Pathogenesis of Connective Tissue Disease-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease
AbstractConnective tissue diseases (CTD) are a broad category of diseases with autoimmune etiology and multi-system involvement. The lung seems to be involved in some form in most CTDs. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the prototypic lung manifestation and is seen in 2%–50% of patients with CTDs.[1] It leads to significant morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, the ubiquitous involvement across CTDs, along with the possible benefit of treating this manifestation, has not translated into a good understanding of its pathogenesis or treatment. We must aim for a better understanding of the genetic determinants of this manifestation (to help identify those who are at risk) as well as its pathogenesis (to help identify therapeutic targets). This review aims to provide a summary of the key genetic determinants of CTD-ILD as well as the key players of the pathogenic pathway of this manifestation.
AbstractInterstitial lung diseases are rare and diffuse, and their diagnosis is a challenge because it requires a multidisciplinary approach. Future trends in the treatment of these diseases requires knowledge of the molecular changes in various types of lung cells involved in disease occurence and development. This book presents readers with a better understanding of the etiology, development, and treatment of interstitial lung diseases.
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.
