DeCure's autonomous Rare AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for placenta praevia — screening already-approved drugs against its 36-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease modulePlacenta praevia maps to a 36-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 placenta praevia 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
lipoprotein(a) (LPA) — LPA 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 2sdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 8TCE · 1.07 Å · ligand (2S)-3-phenyl-2-[(3R)-pyrrolidin-3-yl]propanoic acid (HWF). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
In a Nigerian teaching hospital over five years, 59 cases of placenta praevia occurred among 3565 deliveries, an incidence of 1.65%. Among 44 analysed records, 77.3% of patients were aged 35 or younger. The most common types were type III (27.3%) and type IV (22.7%). Previous uterine scar was associated with half of all cases. The commonest gestational age range at presentation and delivery was 37–40 weeks. Antepartum haemorrhage was the presenting feature in 77.3% of women. The average admission-to-delivery interval was one week in 75% of cases, and only 4.5% received blood transfusion. Caesarean delivery was performed in 90.9% of women. There were 2 fetal deaths (4.5%) and one caesarean hysterectomy (2.3%). The authors concluded that previous uterine scar was the commonest predisposing factor and recommended screening ultrasonography at 34–36 weeks, especially in women with a scarred uterus.
A 1949 series of 275 cases supervised over 13 years reported 56 stillborn or dead babies. In the first four years, while the writer was trying to change the traditional approach of immediate intervention upon haemorrhage, 30 of those losses occurred. The earlier conventional management had been associated with a maternal mortality of 5.7% and a foetal mortality of 50–60%. A 2015 review states that placenta praevia affects approximately 1 in 200 women and is often first diagnosed at the 20-week anomaly scan. It describes the condition as associated with high maternal morbidity and requiring multidisciplinary antenatal diagnosis, monitoring, birth planning, and postnatal care.
No drug treatment is mentioned in any of these abstracts. The evidence consists entirely of observational data and clinical reviews. What is missing are prospective trials comparing management strategies, standardised protocols for timing and mode of delivery, and studies that stratify patients by type of praevia, degree of haemorrhage, or presence of a scarred uterus. Funding for multicentre trials and for systematic collection of maternal and neonatal outcomes beyond single-hospital retrospective series would be needed to move beyond descriptive reports.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Nigerian Journal of Medicine · 2007 · 26 citations · open access
Placenta praevia: Review of clinical presentation and management in a Nigerian Teaching Hospital
AbstractBACKGROUND: The study aims at reviewing the clinical presentation and management of placenta praevia in a tertiary health facility. METHOD: This is a retrospective study of 59 cases of placenta praevia managed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi from January 1997 to December 2001. The case records of 44 of the patients were obtained from the hospital medical records department and analysed. RESULTS: During the five year period, there were 3565 deliveries and 59 cases of placenta praevia giving an incidence of 1.65%. Thirty four (77.3%) occurred in women aged 35 years and below. The commonest was type 111 (12 cases; 27.3%) followed by type IV (10 cases; 22.7%). Previous uterine scar was associated with 22 (50.0%) cases. Age had no statistically significant effect on the prevalence. The commonest GA range at presentation (13; 29.6%) and at delivery (18; 40.9%) was 37-40 weeks. The commonest mode of presentation was antepartum haemorrhage (34; 77.3%) followed by abnormal lie and malpresentation (4 each; 9.1%). The average admission delivery interval was one week in 33 (75.0%) cases and only two (4.5%) received blood transfusion. Forty (90.9%) women had caesarean delivery while 12 (27.3%) babies were of low birth weight. There were only 2 (4.5%) fetal deaths and one (2.3%) caesarean hysterectomy. CONCLUSION: The commonest predisposing factor to placenta praevia in this study is previous uterine scar. Judicious use of caesarean section especially in the primigravida will help reduce the incidence of placenta praevia. Also a screening ultrasonography at 34-36 weeks gestation (especially in women with previously scarred uterus) is recommended.
Postgraduate Medical Journal · 1949 · 12 citations · open access
Modern Views on the Management of Placenta Praevia
AbstractThe treatment of placenta praevia up to recent years has been seriously influenced by the belief that once the complication manifests itself by haemorrhage immediate treatment should be undertaken. This approach to the subject has resulted in a maternal mortality of 5.7 per cent. and a foetal mortality of 50-60 per cent. (Browne and Comyns Berkeley). In a personal series of 275 cases supervised over a period of I3 years 56 babies were stillborn or died. Of these, 30 babies were lost in the first four years while the writer was endeavouring to alter the traditional line of treatment.
AbstractPlacenta praevia occurs when the placenta implants in the lower uterine segment. It is often first diagnosed at the 20-week routine anomaly scan and affects approximately 1:200 women. Placenta praevia is associated with high levels of maternal morbidity and therefore presents a significant challenge for women and care providers. The management of this obstetric complication requires a multidisciplinary approach to antenatal diagnosis and monitoring, birth planning and postnatal care to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes.
MODERN VIEWS ON THE MANAGEMENT OF PLACENTA PRAEVIA
AbstractThe treatment of placenta praevia up to recent years has been seriously influenced by the belief that once the complication manifests itself by haemorrhage immediate treatment should be undertaken. This approach to the subject has resulted in a maternal mortality of 5.7 per cent. and a foetal mortality of 50-60 per cent. (Browne and Comyns Berkeley). In a personal series of 275 cases supervised over a period of I3 years 56 babies were stillborn or died. Of these, 30 babies were lost in the first four years while the writer was endeavouring to alter the traditional line of treatment.
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.
