DeCure's autonomous Rare AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for orofacial cleft — screening already-approved drugs against its 39-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleOrofacial cleft maps to a 39-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 orofacial cleft 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
GDP-mannose 4,6-dehydratase (GMDS) — GMDS 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 napdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 6GPK · 1.47 Å · ligand NADP NICOTINAMIDE-ADENINE-DINUCLEOTIDE PHOSPHATE (NAP). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
A 2024 case-control study from a tertiary hospital in Jammu Province found a significant association between parental consanguinity, degree of consanguinity, and the occurrence of orofacial cleft. Other maternal risk factors significantly associated with orofacial cleft in that study were maternal age 30 years or older, birth order of three or higher, maternal smoking, alcohol consumption, and lack of folic acid consumption. The study did not report any numbers for the strength of these associations, nor did it provide sample sizes or response rates. The authors recommend awareness programmes and counselling to educate communities about these risk factors and the genetic consequences of consanguinity.
A 2016 review describes cleft lip with or without cleft palate as one of the most common structural birth defects, requiring multiple surgeries, speech therapy, and orthodontic treatment over the first 18 years of life. The review notes that specific genes involved in syndromic and non-syndromic orofacial clefting have been identified, showing an overlapping genetic basis between the two conditions. However, it states that this genetic knowledge has limited application in screening, association studies, and genome-wide scans for revealing the molecular basis of human clefting. The review emphasises that surgically repaired clefts leave residual deformity due to scarring and abnormal facial development, affecting social integration.
Two supplemental documents from a 2021 study on cleft care in a developing country assess knowledge and attitudes of patients or parents of children with an orofacial cleft toward orthodontic treatment. No results from that study are provided in the abstracts.
What is still missing is any trial of a drug or intervention intended to prevent or treat orofacial cleft. The 2024 study identifies risk factors but does not test a prevention strategy. No randomised controlled trial, no drug repurposing data, and no patient stratification by genetic subtype are reported. Funding for such trials, appropriate study designs, and identification of molecular targets remain absent.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
BMJ Case Reports · 2021 · 3 citations · open access
Long-term treatment outcomes from the perspective of a patient with unilateral cleft lip and palate
AbstractThe management of patients with orofacial cleft (OFC) often extends from diagnosis or birth well into adulthood and requires many different specialists within multidisciplinary teams (MDT). The aims of treatment are to restore form and function relating to hearing, speech, occlusion and facial aesthetics. People with OFCs that include the lip, alveolus and palate (cleft lip and palate (CLP)) require several different staged and coordinated surgical and non-surgical interventions, and the treatment pathway is associated with a heavy burden of care. Due to the extensive nature of the interaction with these patients, MDT members have opportunities to provide enhanced patient-centred care and support. This case report provides an overview of the current knowledge of the aetiology of OFC and the management of these patients. It provides a unique perspective from one of the coauthors who has a unilateral CLP (UCLP) and reports on his treatment experiences and long-term treatment outcomes. By having a better understanding of the impact of UCLP and treatment provided, MDT members can not only provide improved clinical treatment but also offer improved patient experiences for those with craniofacial anomalies, in particular, an increased awareness of the psychosocial challenges, they endure throughout their treatment pathway and beyond.
International Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry · 2024 · 1 citations · open access
Orofacial Cleft and Its Association with Consanguineous Marriage and Other Risk Factors: A Case-control Study from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Jammu Province
AbstractBackground: Orofacial cleft is among the most common craniofacial malformations. It presents a complex and multifactorial etiology that involves genetic and environmental factors. One of the etiological factors is consanguinity (marriage between blood relatives). Multiple environmental risk factors, such as advanced maternal age, parity, maternal smoking, radiation, alcohol consumption, diabetes mellitus, and maternal use of drugs (i.e., anticonvulsants), folic acid deficiency, etc., have also been linked to the development of cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P). There is a dearth of literature reporting the occurrence of cleft due to consanguinity and other risk factors. Aim: The aim of this study is to describe the orofacial cleft demographics and to determine the influence of parental consanguinity and other associated risk factors on the occurrence of orofacial clefts (OFC) at a tertiary healthcare hospital in Jammu Province. Materials and methods: This was a hospital-based case-control study. In the present study, data collection was specifically done regarding demographic features, history of consanguinity, degree of consanguinity, and other associated maternal risk factors in both the cleft and control groups. Result: This study elucidates a significant association between parental consanguinity, degree of consanguinity, and other associated risk factors (i.e., maternal age ≥30 years, birth order ≥3, maternal smoking, alcohol consumption, and lack of folic acid consumption) with the occurrence of OFC. Conclusion: Prevention is better than cure. Awareness programs and appropriate counseling should be conducted to educate the community about the risk factors and the anticipated genetic consequences of consanguinity to prevent the development of cleft anomalies in such populations. How to cite this article: Orofacial Cleft and Its Association with Consanguineous Marriage and Other Risk Factors: A Case-control Study from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Jammu Province. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2024;17(11):1258-1264.
Science Journal of Clinical Medicine · 2016 · 1 citations · open access
Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate: A Comprehensive Understanding of Etiology, Pathogenesis and an Oral Physician’s Role in Comprehensive Care
AbstractCleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/CP) is one of the most common structural birth defects, with treatment in multiple surgeries, speech therapy, and orthodontic treatments over first 18 years of life. Of special interest is etiology, incidence, risk factors and prevention. Better understanding of the embryology and genetics of orofacial clefting is crucial for development of a biologically relevant orofacial cleft classification system. The recent identification of specific genes involved in syndromic and non-syndromic orofacial clefting shows a correlation between both conditions with an overlapping genetic basis. However, it has limited application with screening of specific candidates, association studies and genome-wide scans in revealing the molecular basis of human clefting. With a heavy bearing of this condition on the patient and the family alike, providing care for these patients and families can be challenging. Surgically repaired clefts have residual deformity due to scarring and abnormal facial development affecting the social integration of the patient. It is of paramount importance, as the first contact professional, the oral physician must be patient, understanding and empathetic and must record a complete prenatal and natal history; urge the parents to seek immediate care and stress the importance of genetic counselling and prenatal diagnosis in the event of a future pregnancy.
Supplemental Material, sj-docx-1-cpc-10.1177_1055665621998179 - Cleft Care in a Developing Country: An Assessment of Knowledge and Attitudes of Patients/Parents of Children With an Orofacial Cleft to Orthodontic Treatment
AbstractSupplemental Material, sj-docx-1-cpc-10.1177_1055665621998179 for Cleft Care in a Developing Country: An Assessment of Knowledge and Attitudes of Patients/Parents of Children With an Orofacial Cleft to Orthodontic Treatment by Oluranti Olatokunbo daCosta, Ikenna Gerald Isiekwe and Chetachi Mariagoretti Ogbonna in The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal
Sage Journals Data · 2021 · 0 citations · open access
Supplemental Material, sj-pdf-1-cpc-10.1177_1055665621998179 - Cleft Care in a Developing Country: An Assessment of Knowledge and Attitudes of Patients/Parents of Children With an Orofacial Cleft to Orthodontic Treatment
AbstractSupplemental Material, sj-pdf-1-cpc-10.1177_1055665621998179 for Cleft Care in a Developing Country: An Assessment of Knowledge and Attitudes of Patients/Parents of Children With an Orofacial Cleft to Orthodontic Treatment by Oluranti Olatokunbo daCosta, Ikenna Gerald Isiekwe and Chetachi Mariagoretti Ogbonna in The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal
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.
