DeCure's autonomous Dermatology AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for lichen planus — screening already-approved drugs against its 24-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleLichen planus maps to a 24-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 lichen planus 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
FKBP prolyl isomerase 1A (FKBP1A) — FKBP1A 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 4~{s},5~{r},6~{z},9~{s},10~{s},12~{e}drag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 6I1S · 1.52 Å · ligand (4~{S},5~{R},6~{Z},9~{S},10~{S},12~{E})-16-(ethylamino)-4,5-dimethyl-9,10,18-tris(oxidanyl)-3-oxabicyclo[12.4.0]octadeca-1(14),6,12,15,17-pentaene-2,8-dione (E26). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
Lichen planus affects about 1% of the population, presenting as an inflammatory mucocutaneous disease with shiny, flat-topped papules and plaques. The cause remains unknown. A 1972 paper on pathogenesis states the disease is still not fully understood; current theories propose an autoimmune mechanism in which the immune system attacks skin and mucous membrane cells, possibly through T-lymphocyte activation. Genetic factors, viral infections and neurological disorders are also discussed as contributors, underscoring the multifactorial nature of the condition. Vulval lichen planus can occur in isolation or as part of widespread disease, may become chronic, and carries a potential for malignant change.
Treatment options are numerous but evidence is weak. A 2018 review found that large-scale, evidence-based trials are few, making standardisation of treatment difficult. The disease is usually self-limiting and benign, but some varieties cause considerable discomfort and are recalcitrant. Topical and systemic corticosteroids are typical first-line therapies. For refractory cases, biologics such as dupilumab are emerging. A 2024 case report describes a 55-year-old African American man with refractory lichen planus who had failed multiple treatments and experienced improvement with dupilumab. The literature suggests dupilumab can improve symptoms, but reports of its efficacy remain limited. Oral lichen planus is characterised by periods of remission and exacerbation; regular follow-up is needed for severe forms.
Multiple treatments have been used with variable success, and management remains a difficult problem. What is still missing are large-scale, randomised controlled trials that could standardise treatment, clarify which patients are most likely to respond to biologics like dupilumab, and establish long-term safety data. No trial has yet stratified patients by subtype, severity, or biomarker profile.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
British Journal of Dermatology · 1998 · 126 citations
Vulval lichen planus
AbstractLichen planus of the vulva can occur as part of more widespread disease or in isolation. Its cause is unknown, but it can become chronic and has a potential for malignant change. It may present a difficult management problem and several treatments have been used with variable success. This review focuses on the problem of vulval lichen planus, and highlights some of the treatments and management strategies that have been used to date.
British Journal of Dermatology · 1972 · 60 citations
THE PATHOGENESIS OF LICHEN PLANUS
AbstractJournal Article THE PATHOGENESIS OF LICHEN PLANUS Get access Martin M. Black Martin M. Black Department of Histopathology, Institute of Dermatology, London, W.C.2 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar British Journal of Dermatology, Volume 86, Issue 3, 1 March 1972, Pages 302–305, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2133.1972.tb02233.x Published: 01 March 1972
AbstractAmong all the clinical varieties of lichen planus that have been reported in literature, a unique and clinically distinct type is seen in the Middle East countries. The lesions are annular, usually develop on the exposed parts of the body, and worsen by exposure to the sun. I describe this condition based on observation of 20 cases and review the literature.
Clinical and Experimental Dermatology · 2024 · 5 citations · open access
Refractory lichen planus: success with dupilumab
AbstractLichen planus (LP) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease typically treated with topical and systemic corticosteroids, but biologics such as dupilumab are emerging as a novel therapeutic treatment. The literature suggests that dupilumab can improve LP symptoms, but there are limited reports of its efficacy. This case presents a 55-year-old African American man with refractory LP who failed multiple treatments but experienced improvement with dupilumab.
International Journal of Clinical & Experimental Dermatology · 2018 · 0 citations · open access
Lichen Planus and Its Management: An Update and Observation
AbstractLichen planus (LP) is an inflammatory muco-cutaneous disease characterised by shiny, flat-topped papules and plaques. It affects around 1% of the population. The disease is usually self-limiting and benign in nature. However, some varieties of LP may cause considerable discomfort and recalcitrant in nature. So, treatment depends on appreciating the type, severity and nature of the disease. There are a good numbers of options for treating different types of LP. Few types of LP are difficult to treat and needs aggressive treatment to prevent complications like hair or nail loss. Author examined and summarized the published literature involving the treatment or management of LP. It is found that the large scale, evidence based trials are only few in number. At present, it is quite difficult to standardisation of treatment. This review outlines the ongoing trial and current treatment options. It is needed to assimilation and summarization of the recent findings to treat the critical cases in a more effective way
International Journal of Contemporary Dental Research · 2023 · 0 citations · open access
Management of Oral Lichen Planus: Recent updates
AbstractOral lichen planus is one of the most common dermatological disease affecting the oral mucosa. It is characterized by periods of remission and exacerbation. Regular follow up is needed for some severe forms of oral lichen planus. Various treatment modalities are reported in the literature and this article discusses about some of the recent medications used in patients with oral lichen planus.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2024 · 0 citations · open access
IMMUNOPATHOGENESIS OF LICHEN PLANUS
AbstractThe pathogenesis of lichen planus is still not fully understood, but there are several theories that explain its development. One of the main theories suggests the autoimmune nature of the disease, in which the body's immune system attacks its own skin cells and mucous membranes. A possible role in this process belongs to the activation of T-lymphocytes, which provoke inflammatory reactions. The contribution of genetic factors, viral infections and neurological disorders is also discussed. All these theories emphasize the complexity and multifactorial mechanisms of development of lichen planus.
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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