DeCure's autonomous Rare AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for Raynaud disease — screening already-approved drugs against its 23-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleRaynaud disease maps to a 23-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 raynaud disease 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
phosphodiesterase 5A (PDE5A) — PDE5A 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 1-methyl-7-oxo-3-propyl-6,7-dihydro-1h-pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidin-5-yldrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 3BJC · 2.0 Å · ligand 5-ethoxy-4-(1-methyl-7-oxo-3-propyl-6,7-dihydro-1H-pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidin-5-yl)thiophene-2-sulfonamide (WAN). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
The available literature on Raynaud’s phenomenon is dominated by expert consensus and narrative review rather than large randomised controlled trials. The 2017 ESVM guidelines explicitly state that no international consensus on medical management exists, and that most knowledge derives from epidemiological surveys and observational studies, with few randomised studies available, almost all relating to drug treatment. A 2012 review aimed at specialist nurses describes the condition as treatable in the majority of cases, emphasising self-management alongside pharmacological and non-pharmacological options. A 2025 review reiterates that clinical treatment mainly alleviates symptoms and prevents tissue damage, without specifying curative or disease-modifying outcomes.
Specific drug evidence is fragmentary and largely from pilot work. A 2005 review reports that therapies used for pulmonary hypertension, including the anti-endothelin-1 agent bosentan, phosphodiesterase inhibitors such as sildenafil, and prostanoids given for critical digital ischaemia, all determined improvement of symptoms and/or digital ischaemic lesions in Raynaud’s phenomenon. The same review notes that pilot trials of rho-kinase inhibitors and alpha2c-adrenergic receptor antagonists in vasospastic conditions produced encouraging results, based on experimental observations of increased protein tyrosine kinase activity and up-regulation of alpha2c-adrenergic receptors in vascular smooth muscle cells on cooling. No quantitative response rates, sample sizes, or survival data are provided in any of these abstracts. A 1984 update on pharmacologic management reviews drug effectiveness and side effects without presenting trial data.
The clinical picture is heterogeneous. Primary Raynaud’s phenomenon, as described in a 2021 review, involves acute attacks of white fingers with pain, commonly sparing the thumb, triggered by cold or psychological stress, and occurring primarily in females. Secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon affects different patient populations and is characterised by painful trophic lesions, ulcerations, or point-like tissue lesions of the fingertips, often with signs of inflammation, in the context of scleroderma, thromboangiitis obliterans, hypothenar hammer syndrome, haematological diseases, or vasculitis. A 2024 paper from Santo Domingo links Raynaud’s syndrome to emotional stress and type B personality in psychotherapy patients, but provides no treatment data. A 2011 review notes that in severe cases, particularly with scleroderma, blood supply can be so poor that skin breakdown or gangrene occurs, and states that various medications and lifestyle changes can improve the condition.
What is still missing is decisive. No randomised controlled trial data with reported sample sizes, response rates, or long-term outcomes are presented in these abstracts. The evidence base for bosentan, sildenafil, prostanoids, rho-kinase inhibitors, and alpha2c-antagonists rests on pilot trials and observational improvement, not on confirmatory studies. There is no validated method for predicting which patients with secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon will progress to digital ulcers or gangrene, and no stratification by underlying connective tissue disease in the drug studies cited. Funding for adequately powered trials, standardised outcome measures, and prospective cohorts that separate primary from secondary disease are all absent from this literature.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
VASA · 2017 · 124 citations · open access
ESVM guidelines – the diagnosis and management of Raynaud’s phenomenon
AbstractRegarding the clinical diagnosis of Raynaud's phenomenon and its associated conditions, investigations and treatment are substantial, and yet no international consensus has been published regarding the medical management of patients presenting with this condition. Most knowledge on this topic derives from epidemiological surveys and observational studies; few randomized studies are available, almost all relating to drug treatment, and thus these guidelines were developed as an expert consensus document to aid in the diagnosis and management of Raynaud's phenomenon. This consensus document starts with a clarification about the definition and terminology of Raynaud's phenomenon and covers the differential and aetiological diagnoses as well as the symptomatic treatment.
Current Opinion in Internal Medicine · 2005 · 72 citations
Understanding, assessing and treating Raynaudʼs phenomenon
AbstractPURPOSE OF REVIEW: New insights in the pathophysiology and molecular mechanisms implicated in cutaneous vasomotor response to cooling are emerging from recent literature. These advances are introducing significant changes in the management of Raynaud's phenomenon. In this review, we outline how these new findings are leading to novel methods of assessment and new opportunities for specific targeted therapy. RECENT FINDINGS: New potential targets for treatment of Raynaud's phenomenon derive from experimental observations. Increased protein tyrosine kinase activity and tyrosine phosphorylation have been described in vascular smooth muscle cells in response to cooling and are linked to excessive alpha2-adrenergic response. Activation of Rho/Rho kinase pathway is triggered by increase of reactive oxygen species and up-regulates alpha2c-adrenergic receptors on the surface of vascular smooth muscle cells, thus determining an excessive vasoconstrictive response to cooling. This observation generated pilot trials testing rho-kinase inhibitors and alpha2c-adrenergic receptors antagonists in vasospastic conditions with encouraging results. Therapies already in use for pulmonary hypertension are also showing an effect in Raynaud's phenomenon. Studies evaluating anti-endothelin-1 (bosentan), phosphodiesterases inhibitors (sildenafil), and prostanoids (given for critical digital ischemia) in the treatment of Raynaud's phenomenon all determined improvement of symptoms and/or digital ischemic lesions. Novel techniques for better visualization and quantification of cutaneous microvascular defects are under development. The hope is that these new tools will allow earlier discrimination between primary and secondary Raynaud's phenomenon as well as a better way to predict outcome and response to therapy. SUMMARY: Remarkable progress towards a rational approach to the management and treatment of Raynaud's phenomenon is emerging.
Diagnosis and management of patients with Raynaud’s phenomenon
AbstractThis article describes the characteristics of Raynaud's phenomenon, focusing on the role of the specialist nurse in diagnosis and management of the condition. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options are discussed, along with the importance of self-management. Advice is provided to help nurses enable patients to minimise episodes and improve symptoms. In the majority of cases, Raynaud's phenomenon is a treatable condition, and patients can learn to self-manage the disease.
AbstractRaynaud's phenomenon (RP) represents a wide spectrum of disease activity. Specific pharmacologic therapy, when indicated, should be based upon the clinician's understanding of drug effectiveness and side effects. We present an update of currently available pharmacologic agents being used for RP and review the effectiveness and side effects of these drugs.
British Journal of Healthcare Assistants · 2011 · 1 citations
Raynaud’s phenomenon: what can be done for patients?
AbstractRaynaud’s phenomenon is a very common medical condition that describes an increased sensitivity of the blood vessels to cold or stress. It results in episodes of poor blood supply to the hands, feet and other extremities that can occur many times a day and cause significant pain and problems with hand function. In some cases it is very severe, especially if associated with another medical condition, such as a rheumatic disease like scleroderma. In these cases, blood supply can be so poor that skin breakdown (ulcers) or even gangrene of fingers can occur. Various medications and lifestyle changes can improve Raynaud’s.
Health Leadership and Quality of Life · 2024 · 0 citations · open access
Link between raynaud's disease, emotional stress and type b personality in psychotherapy patients in santo domingo de los tsáchilas
AbstractRaynaud's syndrome, or Raynaud's phenomenon, is a vasospasm that reduces blood flow in response to cold or emotional stress, primarily affecting the hands. This causes discomfort such as cold, burning pain, paresthesias and reversible changes in the color of the fingers (pallor, cyanosis or erythema). Occasionally, it may involve feet, nose or tongue. Described by Maurice Raynaud in 1862, the episodes are triggered by cold, stress or vibrations, remitting when the cause is eliminated. It may be primary, more common and unrelated to other diseases, or secondary, associated with connective tissue diseases such as lupus or scleroderma
Oxford University Press eBooks · 2021 · 0 citations
Raynaud’s Phenomenon
AbstractRaynaud’s phenomenon is defined as an intermittent ischaemia of the fingers, either primarily functional in nature due to vasospasms or secondary in the context of any underlying vascular disease, most commonly scleroderma among others. The primary Raynaud’s phenomenon is characterized by acute attacks of white fingers with pain, commonly with exemption of the thumb and rarely involving toes. The attacks are usually triggered by cold temperature or psychological stress and occur primarily in females. In contrast, secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon affects different patient populations that are characterized by painful tropic lesions due to tissue ischaemia with ulcerations or point-like tissue lesions of the fingertips, ischaemic symptoms of hands, arms, feet, or lower legs, commonly with signs of inflammation. The underlying systemic diseases are typically collagenases, such as scleroderma, thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger’s disease), hypothenar hammer syndrome, haematological diseases, and different forms of vasculitis.
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · 2025 · 0 citations · open access
The research progress of the diagnosis and treatment of Raynaud phenomenon
AbstractRaynaud phenomenon (RP) is a disease of intermittent vascular hypercontraction of fingers and toes caused by cold or pressure. Its etiology is closely related to genetic and hormonal factors, though the precise mechanisms remain unclear. The clinical treatment of RP is mainly to alleviate symptoms and prevent tissue damage. This article reviews the current research status of the RP, with a focus on its clinical diagnosis and treatment, aiming to provide scientific basis and guidance for clinical practice.
Disease module: DeepOracle (Open Targets). Structures: RDKit from PubChem SMILES. Literature: retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works using Disease Ontology synonyms, 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.
