DeCure's autonomous Cardio AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for ocular hypertension — screening already-approved drugs against its 25-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleOcular hypertension maps to a 25-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 ocular hypertension 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
carbonic anhydrase 2 (CA2) — CA2 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 hydroxymercurydrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 3K34 · 0.9 Å · ligand 4-(HYDROXYMERCURY)BENZOIC ACID (HGB). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
In a French observational study of 283 patients (549 treated eyes) with glaucoma or ocular hypertension, insufficient intraocular pressure control was the main reason for switching from first-line treatment, accounting for 62.8% of changes. Second-line therapy began on average 3.4 years after diagnosis. After one year, eyes switched to latanoprost monotherapy achieved a mean IOP reduction of 3.0 mmHg, compared with 2.1 mmHg for those switched to beta-blocker monotherapy. Eyes receiving the latanoprost plus timolol combination had a mean reduction of 5.4 mmHg, versus 4.1 mmHg for other combination therapies not containing latanoprost. The authors reported that latanoprost monotherapy had a similar daily cost to failed beta-blocker monotherapy, and that the latanoprost–timolol combination was less costly than other combinations.
A 2016 review summarised early results for sustained drug delivery systems in ocular hypertension and glaucoma, including a topical bimatoprost ocular insert, travoprost and latanoprost punctal plugs, latanoprost-eluting contact lenses, and bimatoprost and travoprost intraocular implants. The review stated that efficacy and safety outcomes with these devices were favourable so far, but it did not report specific numerical results, sample sizes, or comparative data against standard drops. The delivery strategies differed by implantation site, drug, and duration of effect.
A 2013 study in rhesus monkeys found that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and transmembrane protease serine type 2 were expressed widely in the eye. In eyes with experimentally induced ocular hypertension, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 expression was higher in retinal ganglion cells than in control eyes. The authors suggested that high intraocular pressure might affect ocular susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection, but no human data, clinical outcomes, or therapeutic implications were provided.
What remains missing are large, randomised controlled trials comparing sustained delivery devices head-to-head with standard topical therapy, long-term safety data for the newer platforms, and any clinical evidence linking the monkey ACE2 finding to human infection risk or treatment decisions. No drug is recommended here.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Archives of Ophthalmology · 2004 · 152 citations
The Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study
AbstractBACKGROUND: The prevalence of glaucoma is higher in African American individuals than in white individuals. OBJECTIVE: To report the safety and efficacy of topical ocular hypotensive medication in delaying or preventing the onset of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) among African American participants in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study. METHODS: Eligibility criteria included age between 40 and 80 years, intraocular pressure between 24 and 32 mm Hg in one eye and between 21 and 32 mm Hg in the other eye, and no evidence of glaucomatous structural or functional damage by standard clinical measures. Participants were randomized to either the observation group or medication group. Of the 1636 participants randomized, 408 were self-identified as African American. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The primary outcome was the development of reproducible visual field abnormality and/or reproducible optic disc deterioration attributed to POAG. RESULTS: Among African American participants, 17 (8.4%) of 203 in the medication group developed POAG during the study (median follow-up, 78 months) compared with 33 (16.1%) of 205 participants in the observation group (hazard ratio, 0.50; 95% confidence interval, 0.28-0.90; P =.02). CONCLUSION: Topical ocular hypotensive therapy is effective in delaying or preventing the onset of POAG in African American individuals who have ocular hypertension.
European Journal of Ophthalmology · 2003 · 39 citations
Naturalistic, Prospective Study of Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension Treatment in France: Strategies, Clinical Outcomes, and Costs at 1 Year
AbstractPURPOSE: To prospectively observe second-line treatment strategies, their clinical outcomes, and treatment costs in patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension (OH) in France. METHODS: Patients were recruited between 1998 and 2000 in 37 centers and were followed for up to 2 years. Outcomes were numbers of and reasons for treatment changes, changes in clinical parameters (intraocular pressure [IOP] levels, visual field defects, and optic nerve excavation), and direct medical costs associated with glaucoma management in patients receiving monotherapy or combination therapy. This article reports results of an interim analysis of 1-year follow-up data for patients having at least two contacts with a study ophthalmologist. RESULTS: Data were analyzed for 283 patients and 549 treated eyes. Ocular hypotensive monotherapy was used as first-line therapy in 92.0% of eyes. Second-line treatment was initiated an average of 3.4 +/- 0.5 years after diagnosis, primarily due to insufficient IOP control (62.8%). Mean IOP reductions after 1 year of second-line therapy were 3.0 mmHg in eyes treated with latanoprost monotherapy versus 2. 1 mmHg in those receiving beta-blocker monotherapy (p = 0.02) and 5.4 mmHg in eyes treated with the latanoprost + timolol combination versus 4.1 mmHg in those receiving combination therapies that did not include latanoprost (p = 0.01). Although second-line treatment with latanoprost was more costly than treatment with beta blockers, the average daily cost for latanoprost monotherapy was similar to that for patients who failed beta-blocker monotherapy, and latanoprost + timolol was less costly than therapeutic combinations without latanoprost. CONCLUSIONS: Insufficient IOP control is the main reason for changing first-line treatment in patients with glaucoma or OH. After 1 year, second-line treatment with latanoprost, as monotherapy or combined with timolol, provides superior IOP control at an acceptable cost.
Current Opinion in Ophthalmology · 2016 · 31 citations
Sustained drug delivery for glaucoma
AbstractPURPOSE OF REVIEW: Sustained drug delivery has been recognized as a need for patients with ocular hypertension or glaucomatous optic neuropathy. Several sustained drug delivery systems and devices are currently on the horizon. This review aims to summarize initial results with these platforms, as reported in the literature, and also provide insight into their possible role in the glaucoma treatment paradigm. RECENT FINDINGS: Sustained drug delivery systems currently on the horizon include the topical bimatoprost ocular insert, travoprost and latanoprost punctal plugs, latanoprost-eluting contact lenses, bimatoprost and travoprost intraocular implants, as well as several other therapies in earlier stages of development. Delivery strategies differ with respect to ocular site of implantation, ocular hypotensive agent, and duration of efficacy. Efficacy and safety outcomes with these devices are favorable thus far. SUMMARY: The glaucoma treatment paradigm is currently in a state of flux as sustained drug delivery systems bring promise to individuals suffering from ocular hypertension or glaucoma. Several options will likely become available in the near future to ease the burden of daily administration of chronic therapy with intraocular pressure-lowering agents.
Interaction of Pilocarpine with Latanoprest in Patients with Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension
AbstractPurpose To study any interaction between pilocarpine and latanoprost when administered together, and to determine the optimal timing of dosage to maximize reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP). Methods Nineteen adult patients with either primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension participated in a single-center, prospective case study with masked observer. After a baseline measurement of IOP during treatment with latanoprost was obtained, initial treatment with pilocarpine three times daily was added without bedtime administration. This was followed by three different dose regimens in which pilocarpine was administered four times daily, altering the bedtime pilocarpine dose to precede the latanoprost dose by 1 hour, or to follow it by 10 minutes or 1 hour. Intraocular pressure was measured at 8:00 AM and 75 minutes after administration of the morning dose of pilocarpine. Results Comparison of IOP at 8:00 AM with baseline showed no significant change when pilocarpine was taken three times daily, or when pilocarpine was taken four times daily when the bedtime dose preceded administration of latanoprost by 1 hour. There were significant decreases in IOP versus baseline when the bedtime dose of pilocarpine was taken simultaneously with or 1 hour after administration of latanoprost. Application of pilocarpine immediately after the 8:00 AM IOP measurement revealed a significant additional decrease in pressure. There were no significant differences between dosage schedules in the magnitude of the additional reduction in IOP. Conclusion The order and timing of administration of pilocarpine and latanoprost can significantly alter their ocular hypotensive activity. Pilocarpine is most effective when administered four times daily, and when the bedtime dose is administered 1 hour after administration of latanoprost.
AbstractOur study confirmed that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and transmembrane protease serine type 2 were expressed widely in rhesus monkey eyes. When compared with controls eyes, the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 was higher in the retinal ganglion cells in ocular hypertension eyes, suggesting that high ocular pressure may affect the patients' ocular susceptibility to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection.
Expert Review of Ophthalmology · 2007 · 0 citations
Topical fixed combination brimonidine–timolol therapy for glaucoma and ocular hypertension
AbstractGlaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness. Although there is no cure, treatment can prevent vision loss via lowering intraocular pressure (IOP). Many patients require more than one medication leading to complex administration regimens and difficulties with adherence. Brimonidine and timolol ophthalmic solutions have been used for IOP reduction in patients with ocular hypertension or glaucoma. Both have been shown effective as monotherapy and in combination. Since the mechanism of action of brimonidine is primarily aqueous suppression via stimulation of the α-2 adrenergic receptor and timolol reduces aqueous production via antagonism of the β-adrenergic receptor the effects are additive. A novel brimonidine–timolol fixed combination has been introduced, providing a new option for the treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension uncontrolled with monotherapy.
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.
