DeCure's autonomous Respiratory AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for lung disease — screening already-approved drugs against its 41-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleLung disease maps to a 41-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 lung disease 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
cathepsin C (CTSC) — CTSC 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 3r,5sdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 3PDF · 1.85 Å · ligand 2,5-dibromo-N-{(3R,5S)-1-[(Z)-iminomethyl]-5-methylpyrrolidin-3-yl}benzenesulfonamide (LXV). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
Of 103 patients referred for lung transplant at an Indian tertiary centre, the most common diagnosis was interstitial lung disease (57.2%), followed by bronchiectasis (17.5%) and COPD (13.6%). Ninety percent met listing criteria, but 52.4% had an absolute or relative contraindication, most of which were modifiable. Lower socio-economic status was associated with lower willingness for transplant. Median transplant-free survival was 757 days. A six-minute walk distance below 250 metres was an independent predictor of mortality.
A 2024 review of COPD treatment notes that the disease caused 3.23 million deaths globally in 2019. Pharmacological options include long-acting and short-acting beta-agonists, long-acting and short-acting muscarinic antagonists, inhaled corticosteroids, and bronchodilators. The review discusses nanoscale drug delivery systems as a potential way to improve biodistribution and reduce toxicity, but it does not present clinical trial data showing that such systems have improved outcomes in patients.
A 2009 review describes how mutations in genes controlling surfactant production or catabolism are linked to human lung disease and are associated with abnormal macrophage function. Mouse models have been used to study the molecular pathogenesis of familial interstitial lung disease and pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. No therapeutic interventions are tested in that review.
What is still missing is a randomised trial testing any specific drug repurposed for these lung diseases, funding for such a trial, and a strategy to stratify patients by the specific genetic or surfactant abnormalities that might predict response.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Lung India · 2024 · 4 citations · open access
Profile of patients referred for lung transplant and their transplant-free survival
AbstractINTRODUCTION: Lung transplant (LTx) is a potential treatment option for all patients with chronic, end-stage respiratory disease, who are refractory to optimal medical therapy or where no medical therapy exists. In India, LTx is still in its evolving stages and published literature is sparse. The current study was carried out to study the selection criteria for lung transplant and to evaluate the clinical and socio-economic profile of patients referred for the same at a tertiary health care facility. METHODS: The study was a descriptive, prospective, observational study. All adults referred for lung transplant were evaluated for clinical and laboratory profiles. All enrolled patients were assessed for presence of referral criteria, listing criteria, contraindications, and willingness for lung transplant. These patients were followed up for 2 years for transplant-free survival, and the Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine independent predictors of all-cause mortality. RESULTS: A total of 103 were included in study. The most common diagnosis was interstitial lung disease (57.2%), followed by bronchiectasis (17.5%) and COPD (13.6%). Most patients were referred for LTx at an advanced stage as 90% met listing criteria. Fifty-four (52.4%) patients had an absolute or relative contraindication to transplant; however, the majority of those contraindications were modifiable. Patients with a lower socio-economic status were less likely to be willing for LTx. The median survival was 757 days. A 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) lesser than 250 m was found to be an independent predictor of mortality. CONCLUSION: Making patients aware about lung transplant early in their treatment may give them sufficient time to come to terms with their disease and understand the risk and benefits associated. Efforts should be focused on screening and early treatment of reversible contraindications for the eligible patients. Patients with 6MWD < 250 m are at increased risk of mortality.
International Journal of Applied Pharmaceutics · 2025 · 2 citations · open access
AN OVERVIEW OF COPD: ITS ADVANCED THERAPEUTIC MANAGEMENT AND CHALLENGES FOR DRUG RELEASE AT THE TARGETED SITE
AbstractChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) is a diverse lung ailment characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms such as coughing, dyspnea, sputum formation, and worsening that causes increased airflow limitation. Globally, COPD ranks third in 2019 and is responsible for 3.23 million deaths. It is a health problem that is brought on by inflammation in the lungs. The respiratory system comprises the trachea, bronchi, larynx, paranasal sinuses, and two lungs. COPD and other Respiratory Disorders (RDs) have dominated research. This review emphasizes the potential of novel treatment strategies for COPD, highlighting advanced therapeutic approaches. It addresses the ongoing challenges associated with the effective delivery of pharmaceuticals to targeted sites while aiming to achieve optimal therapeutic outcomes with reduced dosages. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) Report 2024 categorizes COPD treatments into pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. Pharmacological therapies aim to alleviate symptoms, enhance exercise tolerance, reduce exacerbations, and improve health outcomes. These include antibiotics, Long-Acting Beta-Agonist (LABA), Short-Acting Beta-Agonist (SABA), Long-Acting Muscarinic-Antagonists (LAMA), Short-Acting Muscarinic-Antagonists (SAMA), Inhaled Corticosteroids (ICS), and bronchodilators in various formulations. The report also reviews inhaler types and highlights the role of nanoscale drug delivery systems in detecting drug particle deposition in the respiratory tract, along with the characterization and classification of Nanoparticles (NPs) in nanomedicine. In conclusion, contemporary nanoparticles enhance biodistribution, optimize pharmacokinetics, and promote physiological stimulation. They also reduce toxicity and increase the therapeutic index, thereby facilitating the transformation of medication administration for chronic respiratory disorders.
Pulmonary Surfactant Homeostasis and Altered Macrophage Function
AbstractEffective pulmonary host defense is orchestrated by complex interactions between pulmonary surfactant and alveolar macrophages. Pulmonary macrophages fulfill diverse roles in surveillance and inactivation of inhaled pathogens and in regulating surfactant homeostasis. Pulmonary surfactant proteins have innate protective activity and influence macrophage function. Mutations in genes that alter surfactant proteins, surfactant production or catabolism in the lung have been linked to human disease and are associated with abnormal macrophage function or alternative activation of pulmonary macrophages. Manipulation of the analogous genes in transgenic and gene targeted mice replicate aspects of macrophage related pulmonary disease. The genetic mouse models have been used to investigate the molecular pathogenesis and progression of acute and chronic lung disease of infancy, familial interstitial lung disease and pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.
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.
