DeCure's autonomous Rare AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for Iron deficiency anemia — screening already-approved drugs against its 32-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleIron deficiency anemia maps to a 32-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 iron deficiency anemia 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
vitamin D receptor (VDR) — VDR 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 1~{s},3~{z}drag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 8IQN · 1.639 Å · ligand (1~{S},3~{Z})-3-[(2~{E})-2-[(1~{R},3~{a}~{S},7~{a}~{R})-1-[(2~{R})-5,5-bis(fluoranyl)-6-methyl-6-oxidanyl-heptan-2-yl]-7~{a}-methyl-2,3,3~{a},5,6,7-hexahydro-1~{H}-inden-4-ylidene]ethylidene]-4-methylidene-cyclohexan-1-ol (SRF). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
In a 2020 observational study of 100 patients with baseline haemoglobin between 5 and 10 g/dL, intravenous iron sucrose raised haemoglobin from 6.34 g/dL to 10.52 g/dL by day 14 and to 11.66 g/dL by day 28. Oral iron raised haemoglobin from 6.45 g/dL to 8.84 g/dL by day 14 and to 9.69 g/dL by day 28. Serum ferritin in the IV group rose from 8.23 ng/mL to 148.23 ng/mL by day 14 then fell to 115.76 ng/mL by day 28; in the oral group it rose from 8.3 ng/mL to 33.8 ng/mL by day 14 and to 43.61 ng/mL by day 28. The authors reported that the differences for IV therapy were statistically significant at both time points. Adverse effects occurred in 18 of 100 patients: 12 in the oral group (metallic taste, constipation, heart burn, nausea) and 6 in the IV group (arthralgia in 4, hypotension in 1). No anaphylaxis was observed. The authors concluded IV iron therapy is effective and safe for iron deficiency anaemia.
A 2017 paper on ferrous sulfate discusses comparative efficacy of different iron sulfate drugs, bioavailability, effects on peroxidation, and side effects. It considers the clinical significance of sustained-release iron formulations and ways to reduce the frequency and magnitude of side effects when ferrous sulfate is used. No patient-level data or numerical outcomes are provided in the abstract.
A 2021 case report describes a 59-year-old man with chronic myelogenous leukaemia who developed iron deficiency anaemia after seven years on dasatinib 100 mg daily. Haemoglobin fell from a baseline of 13.8 g/dL to 12.3 g/dL, with iron saturation of 11%. Upper endoscopy was normal; colonoscopy showed patchy erosions and inflammation throughout the colon with rectosigmoid sparing. Biopsies showed mild to moderate active and chronic colitis. Five months after dasatinib withdrawal, repeat colonoscopy showed no colitis, haemoglobin improved to 13.4 g/dL, iron saturation rose to 31%, and ferritin was 42 ng/mL. The authors note that dasatinib-induced colitis and iron deficiency anaemia are rare, that the pathogenesis is unclear, and that the diagnosis requires distinguishing from inflammatory bowel disease or infection.
What remains missing is prospective trial data comparing oral and IV iron in larger, more diverse populations, with longer follow-up and standardised adverse event definitions. The ferrous sulfate review offers no new trial evidence. The dasatinib case is a single report and cannot be generalised. No study addresses patient stratification by baseline ferritin, inflammation status, or cause of iron deficiency. Funding for adequately powered head-to-head trials with patient-centred outcomes is lacking.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care · 2020 · 43 citations · open access
Oral versus intravenous iron therapy in iron deficiency anemia: An observational study
AbstractBACKGROUND: Intravenous (IV) iron sucrose is claimed to have better safety profile and efficacy in treatment of iron deficiency anemia than conventional oral iron supplements. AIM: The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy and safety of IV iron therapy with oral iron supplements in iron deficiency anemia. METHODS: An observational study was carried out by allocating 100 patients with baseline hemoglobin between 5 and 10 g/dL into two groups of oral iron and IV iron group. Hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels were measured at admission, on day 14 and on day 28. Adverse effect profile for each group was tabulated. Mean and standard deviation were calculated for each group and compared. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients participated consisting of 37 males and 63 females. Baseline hemoglobin and serum ferritin for both groups were comparable. After initiation of therapy, hemoglobin in oral iron group raised from 6.45 (0.72) to 8.84 (0.47) on day 14 and to 9.69 (0.47) on day 28. Hemoglobin in IV iron group increased from 6.34 (0.86) to 10.52 (0.61) on day 14 and to 11.66 (0.84) on day 28. Serum ferritin in oral iron group increased from 8.3 (1.9) to 33.8 (1.29) on day 14 and to 43.61 (8.8) on day 28. Serum ferritin in IV iron group raised from 8.23 (4.64) to 148.23 (11.86) on day 14 but decreased to 115.76 (15.3) on day 28. The data were statistically significant for IV iron therapy on day 14 and day 28. Of 100 patients, 18 patients (12 in oral and 6 in IV iron groups) had adverse effects. Among the oral iron group, metallic taste and constipation were major side effects followed by heart burn and nausea. In the IV iron group, arthralgia (4 patients of 6) was the major side effect observed. One patient (of 6) in IV group had hypotension. Anaphylaxis was not observed in any patient in either group. CONCLUSION: IV iron therapy is effective and safe for management of iron deficiency anemia.
Terapevticheskii arkhiv · 2017 · 3 citations · open access
Ferrous sulfate in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia: The positions continue
AbstractThe paper discusses treatment strategy and tactics for iron deficiency anemia. It gives data on the comparative efficacy of different iron sulfate drugs, their bioavailability, effects on peroxidation processes, and side effects. The paper also considers the clinical significance of a dosage form of iron-containing drugs with a sustained iron release, as well as ways to reduce the frequency and magnitude of side effects when ferrous sulfate is used.
The American Journal of Gastroenterology · 2021 · 1 citations
S1703 Dasatinib-Induced Colitis Presenting as Iron Deficiency Anemia in a Patient With CML
AbstractIntroduction: Dasatinib, a BCR-ABL Tyrosine Kinase inhibitor (TKI), is a commonly utilized agent in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Dasatinib can result in gastrointestinal (GI) adverse effects although uncommon, including diarrhea, abdominal pain, GI bleeding, and colitis. We present a rare case of colitis secondary to Dasatinib therapy investigated during workup of iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Case Description/Methods: A 59 year old male with CML treated with Dasatinib 100 mg daily, was referred for evaluation of IDA. He had been prescribed Dasatinib seven years prior, with no significant adverse effects. On presentation patient had a hemoglobin of 12.3 g/dL (normal 13-17 g/dL), with baseline hemoglobin of 13.8 g/dL and an iron saturation of 11% (normal 16-55%). He denied any GI symptoms. Had no family history of inflammatory bowel disease or colorectal cancer. Upper endoscopy was normal. Colonoscopy showed patchy areas of erosions and inflammation throughout the colon with rectosigmoid sparing and normal terminal ileum. Biopsies showed mild to moderate active and chronic colitis. Given the possibility of GI injury from Dasatinib use, the medication was withdrawn after informed discussion with patient and oncologist. Repeat colonoscopy, five months off Dasatinib, showed no evidence of colitis and random biopsies were negative for inflammation. Repeat hemoglobin improved to 13.4g/dl, iron was 111 ug/dL, ferriten was 42 ng/ml, and iron saturation was 31%. Patient was started on alternative therapy, in setting of Dasatinib induced IDA and colitis. Discussion: Patients with CML can present with anemia, but iron deficiency in setting of Dasatanib therapy in absence of overt GI symptoms warrants endoscopic workup. Dasatinib is a highly potent TKI and mediates its effects by affecting various kinase pathways and other receptors including SRC and PDGFR. IDA and colitis as presenting side effects of Dasatinib therapy are very rare. The exact pathogenesis of Dasatinib induced colitis is unclear, however it is hypothesized that it may induce an immune reaction by T cell infiltration of the colonic mucosa. Establishing diagnosis can be challenging, as it may need to be distinguished from other conditions that may have a similar presentation such as inflammatory bowel disease or infection. This case shows the resolution colitis and IDA upon cessation of Dasatinib.Figure 1.: Figure 1A: shows patchy areas of erosions and inflammation that were seen throughout the colon, with rectosigmoid sparing, consistent with colitis. Endoscopic appearance not consistent with any infectious etiology, such as CMV, with negative H&E stain findings. Figure 1B: shows resolution of erosions and inflammation. Five months after withdrawal of Dasatinib therapy.
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.
