DeCure's autonomous Rare AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for pneumothorax — screening already-approved drugs against its 37-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease modulePneumothorax maps to a 37-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 pneumothorax 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
Cbl proto-oncogene B (CBLB) — CBLB 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-methyl-1,2,4-triazol-3-yldrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 8QTG · 1.419 Å · ligand 3-[3-[3-methyl-1-(4-methyl-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)cyclobutyl]phenyl]-5-(trifluoromethyl)-1~{H}-pyridin-2-one (WUQ). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
From 1968 to 2016 in England, 170,929 hospital admissions for spontaneous pneumothorax were recorded. The admission rate in 2016 was 14.1 per 100,000 population aged 15 and older, up from 9.1 in 1968. Males accounted for 73% of admissions, with a rate of 20.8 per 100,000 versus 7.6 for females. 60.8% of patients had chronic lung disease. The probability of recurrence within five years was similar by sex: 25.5% for males and 26.0% for females. Among males aged 15 to 34 with chronic lung disease, the five-year readmission probability was 39.2%, compared with 19.6% in men 65 and older without chronic lung disease. The overall increase in admissions over time appeared partly due to more repeat admissions, but first-known admissions also rose in some subgroups, such as women 65 and older.
A 2003 review stated that the optimal management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax remains controversial, with new data on pathogenesis and treatment techniques having been published but no settled consensus.
In a 1994 study of 21 patients with post-biopsy pneumothorax treated with a self-contained device combining a catheter and one-way valve, treatment was successful in 16 patients (76%). Failure occurred in five patients: three due to device dislodgment, one due to device malfunction, and one due to a persistent air leak causing recurrence after removal. Eight patients (38%) had problems after insertion: seven dislodgments and one malfunction. In four of those eight, no further treatment was needed despite the problem.
What is still missing is a settled management protocol for primary spontaneous pneumothorax, as the 2003 review noted controversy persists. The epidemiological data do not address treatment outcomes beyond recurrence rates, and the 1994 device study is small and dated, with a high complication rate. No randomised trial comparing modern treatment approaches with long-term follow-up was provided. Patient stratification by cause of pneumothorax and by comorbidity, as well as funding for such trials, remains 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.
JAMA · 2018 · 177 citations · open access
Trends in the Incidence and Recurrence of Inpatient-Treated Spontaneous Pneumothorax, 1968-2016
AbstractImportance: Spontaneous pneumothorax is a common disease known to have an unusual epidemiological profile, but there are limited contemporary population-based data. Objective: To estimate the incidence of hospital admissions for spontaneous pneumothorax, its recurrence and trends over time using large, longstanding hospitalization data sets in England. Design, Setting, and Participants: A population-based epidemiological study was conducted using an English national data set and an English regional data set, each spanning 1968 to 2016, and including 170 929 hospital admission records of patients 15 years and older. Final date of the study period was December 31, 2016. Exposures: Calendar year (for incidence) and readmission to hospital for spontaneous pneumothorax (for recurrence). Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes were rates of hospital admissions for spontaneous pneumothorax and recurrence, defined as a subsequent hospital readmission with spontaneous pneumothorax. Record-linkage was used to identify multiple admissions per person and comorbidity. Risk factors for recurrence over 5 years of follow-up were assessed using cumulative time-to-failure analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: From 1968 to 2016, there were 170 929 hospital admissions for spontaneous pneumothorax (median age, 44 years [IQR, 26-88]; 73.0% male). In 2016, there were 14.1 spontaneous pneumothorax admissions per 100 000 population 15 years and older (95% CI, 13.7-14.4), a significant increase compared with earlier years, up from 9.1 (95% CI, 8.1-10.1) in 1968. The population-based rate per 100 000 population 15 years and older was higher for males (20.8 [95% CI, 20.2-21.4]) than for females (7.6 [95% CI, 7.2-7.9]). Of patients with spontaneous pneumothorax, 60.8% (95% CI, 59.5%-62.0%) had chronic lung disease. Record-linkage analysis demonstrated that the overall increase in admissions over time could be due in part to an increase in repeat admissions, but there were also significant increases in the annual rate of first-known spontaneous pneumothorax admissions in some population subgroups, for example in women 65 years and older (annual percentage change from 1968 to 2016, 4.08 [95% CI, 3.33-4.82], P < .001). The probability of recurrence within 5 years was similar by sex (25.5% [95% CI, 25.1%-25.9%] for males vs 26.0% [95% CI, 25.3%-26.7%] for females), but there was variation by age group and presence of chronic lung disease. For example, the probability of readmission within 5 years among males aged 15 to 34 years with chronic lung disease was 39.2% (95% CI, 37.7%-40.7%) compared with 19.6% (95% CI, 18.2%-21.1%) in men 65 years and older without chronic lung disease. Conclusions and Relevance: This study provides contemporary information regarding the trends in incidence and recurrence of inpatient-treated spontaneous pneumothorax.
Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine · 2003 · 28 citations
Management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax
AbstractThe optimal management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax remains the subject of considerable controversy. During the last few years, however, interesting new data on pathogenesis and various treatment techniques have been published, which have led to the publication of some interesting and thought-provoking opinion articles. The author reviews the latest developments in pneumothorax pathophysiology and management.
Treatment of postbiopsy pneumothorax with a self-contained pneumothorax treatment device.
AbstractPURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of a self-contained pneumothorax treatment device, in which a catheter and a one-way valve compose a single unit, in cases of postbiopsy pneumothorax. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one patients underwent placement of the device to drain a postbiopsy pneumothorax. Treatment was considered successful when no therapy other than the device was needed. RESULTS: Treatment was successful in 16 (76%) of the 21 patients. Causes of treatment failure were dislodgment of the device (n = 3), malfunction of the device (n = 1), and a persistent air leak that led to pneumothorax recurrence after removal of the device (n = 1). Eight patients (38%) experienced problems after insertion of the device: The device dislodged in seven patients and malfunctioned in one patient. These problems led to treatment failure in four patients (see above). In the remaining four, further treatment after device dislodgment was not required. CONCLUSION: Treatment with the self-contained pneumothorax treatment device shows promise. Modifications to the device may alleviate technical problems and insertion difficulties.
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.
