DeCure's autonomous Rare AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for premature ejaculation — screening already-approved drugs against its 12-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease modulePremature ejaculation maps to a 12-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 premature ejaculation 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
sodium voltage-gated channel alpha subunit 9 (SCN9A) — SCN9A 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 rdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 7W9K · 2.2 Å · ligand O-[(R)-{[(2R)-2,3-bis(octadecanoyloxy)propyl]oxy}(hydroxy)phosphoryl]-L-serine (P5S). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
Premature ejaculation is recognised as the most common male sexual disorder, affecting approximately 23% of all men according to one estimate. There is no universally accepted definition and no medication approved by the FDA for this condition. Diagnosis relies on clinical history, which is usually sufficient to differentiate primary from acquired premature ejaculation. All definitions incorporate three qualifications: a short time between penetration and ejaculation, little or no control over ejaculation, and interpersonal distress.
Treatment is not curative but can increase intravaginal ejaculatory latency time and improve couple satisfaction. The main pharmacological interventions are antidepressants (particularly SSRIs and clomipramine) and topical anaesthetic creams. In controlled trials, all antidepressants appeared to delay ejaculation to some extent at all doses. Topical anaesthetics appeared as successful as antidepressants at slowing ejaculation without systemic side effects, though some patients experienced erectile problems or unpleasant local symptoms. Tramadol and phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors have a limited role. Adherence to pharmacotherapy is low. Behavioural therapy is anecdotally effective with apparently long-lasting efficacy, and combining behavioural techniques with pharmacotherapy is considered the best approach.
The literature is hampered by a lack of large, long-term studies of treatment efficacy. There is no quality comparative trial of behavioural therapy, topical anaesthetics, and antidepressants that includes measures of relapse, follow-up, and acceptability of long-term treatment. Psychotherapy outcome studies have limitations, and suggestions for improving long-term efficacy of psychotherapy remain at the level of proposals. Further research into neural, psychological, and molecular mechanisms is needed, but the specific funding, trial designs, and patient stratification strategies that would produce definitive evidence are still missing.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Asian Journal of Andrology · 2008 · 44 citations · open access
Premature ejaculation: current and future treatments
AbstractPremature ejaculation (PE) is recognized to be the most common male sexual disorder. PE provides difficulties for professionals who treat this condition because there is neither a universally accepted definition nor a medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Despite these shortcomings, physicians continue to diagnose their patients with PE according to major guidelines and treat them with either behavioral therapies or off-label medications. This review focuses on current and emerging treatment options and medications for PE. Advantages and limitations of each treatment option are discussed in the light of current published peer-reviewed literature.
The Journal of Men s Health and Gender · 2006 · 29 citations
Psychological approaches to the treatment of rapid ejaculation
AbstractAbstract This article reviews the psychological theories and treatment approaches to premature ejaculation. It also describes the potential negative psychological effect of this condition on the man and his partner. Recommendations and guidelines for providing individual and conjoint treatment with the partner are discussed as is the role of combined pharmacological and psychological intervention. The limitations of psychotherapy outcome studies are discussed and the success of psychological interventions for premature ejaculation is assessed from the studies’ data. Finally, suggestions for improving the long-term therapeutic efficacy of psychotherapy are offered. Psychological intervention remains a vital alternative in the treatment of premature ejaculation.
Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy · 2007 · 26 citations
Premature Ejaculation: The Scope of the Problem
AbstractPremature ejaculation (PE) is one of the most common male sexual dysfunctions. Successful treatment of PE has been hampered by the existence of a variety of definitions and diagnostic criteria and the lack of large, long-term studies of treatment efficacy. Numerous, diverse treatment approaches with varying degrees of efficacy have been used; these include behavioral, cognitive, and sex therapy techniques, and pharmacologic management with anti-depressants, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, and topical anesthetics. The approach most likely to provide success is a combination of cognitive and sex therapy with a pharmacologic agent of proven efficacy that has an easy-to-follow dosing regimen.
Journal of Family & Reproductive Health · 2019 · 14 citations · open access
Premature Ejaculation – From Physiology to Treatment
AbstractObjective: To review in literature about the concept of premature ejaculation from physiology to treatment. Materials and methods: A literature search conducted with Pubmed and Cochrane. Results: An accurate clinical history is the best diagnostic method, and in the majority of the cases it is enough to differentiate between primary and acquired premature ejaculation. Nowadays the treatment is not curative but is effective in increasing the Intravaginal Ejaculatory Latency Time, improving the couple’s sexual satisfaction. Conclusion: Although PE is the most frequent sexual dysfunction, it is still sub-diagnosed. Combining behavioural techniques with pharmacotherapy is the best way of treatment.
F1000Prime Reports · 2014 · 11 citations · open access
Advances in treating premature ejaculation
AbstractIn spite of its high prevalence and long history, the ambiguity regarding the definition, epidemiology and management of premature ejaculation continues. Topical anesthetic creams and daily or on-demand selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) treatment forms the basis of pharmacotherapy for premature ejaculation today, in spite of low adherence by patients. Psychotherapy may improve the outcomes when combined with these treatment modalities. Tramadol and phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors have a limited role in the management of premature ejaculation. Further research is required to develop better options for the treatment of this common sexual disorder.
International Journal of STD & AIDS · 2005 · 9 citations
A review of controlled trials in the pharmacological treatment of premature ejaculation
AbstractPremature ejaculation is a common sexual problem which presents to genitourinary (GU) medicine services. Five main treatment approaches have been used in clinical trials: behavioural therapy, antidepressants, phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors, topical anaesthetic agents and alpha-blockers. We have carried out a systematic review of published pharmacological trials. All antidepressants appeared to delay ejaculation to some extent at all doses. Anaesthetic creams appeared to be as successful in slowing ejaculation as antidepressants without systemic side-effects, although some patients did experience erectile problems or unpleasant local symptoms. Anecdotally, behavioural therapy is effective and appears to have long-lasting efficacy. There is a need for quality comparative trial of behavioural therapy, topical anaesthetic agents and antidepressants, including appropriate measures of relapse, follow-up and acceptability of continuing long-term treatment.
Pharmacological management of premature ejaculation
AbstractPremature ejaculation is the most common male sexual complaint, affecting approximately 23% of all men. All definitions of premature ejaculation incorporate three main qualifications: a short time interval between penetration and ejaculation, little or no control over ejaculation, and interpersonal or relationship distress. There are two primary pharmacological interventions for premature ejaculation: antidepressants and local anaesthetics, although phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, intracavernosal injections, and opiates have also been used. The selection of treatment is dependent on accurate assessment (to exclude prostate infection), the context of the patient's sexual relationship, and the patient's choice. For many, a combination approach of pharmacology and behavioural intervention will be needed. In this article, treatment choices are considered and recommendations made for the clinical management of premature ejaculation.
AbstractAim. To provide an overview of current knowledge on pharmacotherapy of premature ejaculation (PE). Materials and Methods. A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted using MEDLINE and analysis of crossreferences. The key points of methodology and pharmacology of various articles have been analysed and critically reviewed. Results. PE may have significant negative impact on quality of life. Various recommendations for drug treatment of PE have been found in the available literature, varying from anesthetic ointments to various antidepressants and phosphodiesterase inhibitors. Due to disturbing side effects, various drugs are not suitable for general use. On the other hand, topical anesthetics, clomipramine and some SSRIs have repeatedly been found safe and effective to delay ejaculation. Conclusions. Remarkable progress has been made in the treatment of PE. Further research into the neural, psychological and molecular mechanisms involved in PE will lead to the development of even safer, more effective and more convenient therapies for men with PE. Keywords: Premature ejaculation, treatment, diagnosis
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.
