DeCure's autonomous Rare AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for scoliosis — screening already-approved drugs against its 43-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleScoliosis maps to a 43-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 scoliosis 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
protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type B (PTPRB) — PTPRB 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 tert-butoxycarbonyldrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 2I4G · 1.65 Å · ligand N-(TERT-BUTOXYCARBONYL)-L-TYROSYL-N-METHYL-4-(SULFOAMINO)-L-PHENYLALANINAMIDE (UA1). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
In a prospective study of 35 patients aged 40 years or older (average age 56.3 years) undergoing primary spinal surgery for scoliosis, the overall complication rate was 49%, with 26% of patients experiencing a major complication and 31% a minor one. No deaths occurred. Coronal curve correction averaged 30.8 degrees (61%). Statistically significant postoperative improvements were seen on the Oswestry Disability Index, Short Form 36, and Scoliosis Research Society 22 questionnaires. Patients whose fusions ended at L4 or L5 showed greater improvements in some SF-36 component scores than those whose fusions involved the sacrum. The presence of complications or the use of staged procedures did not significantly affect outcomes. The authors concluded that adults aged 40 and older with symptomatic scoliosis benefit from surgery despite the high complication rate.
A retrospective review of seven patients with Fontan circulation (mean age 14 years 9 months, mean Cobb angle 75 degrees) who underwent scoliosis correction with modern segmental instrumentation found no intraoperative complications but frequent and significant postoperative complications: one delayed paralysis, two superior mesenteric artery syndromes, one renal tubular necrosis, two pulmonary complications, one Horner syndrome, and one urinary tract infection. The authors stated that operative treatment may be successful in these patients, but complications are frequent and significant. An earlier commentary from 1988 noted that surgical treatment for adult idiopathic scoliosis is difficult, with a high complication rate, but may offer the best alternative when the specific problem is defined, the goal is realistic, and the benefits outweigh the risks.
A review of conservative treatment for scoliosis, covering 40 papers, found that most studies focused on different brace designs. Few studies examined other interventions such as wedges, functional electrical stimulation, or yoga. The review did not assess the quality of the included studies and suggested that the efficiency of various conservative methods should be evaluated based on available literature.
What remains missing are prospective, controlled trials that directly compare surgical and non-surgical approaches in defined patient subgroups, particularly for older adults and those with complex comorbidities. The evidence for conservative treatments is limited by a lack of rigorous comparative studies and standardised outcome measures. No drug therapy for scoliosis is mentioned in any of these abstracts.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research · 1988 · 64 citations
Adult Scoliosis
AbstractThe treatment of adult patients with idiopathic scoliosis is a challenge of the 1980s. Surgical treatment is difficult, and the complication rate is high. Nevertheless, surgical treatment may offer the best alternative when the specific problem has been defined, the goal is realistic, the technical solution is apparent, the alternatives have been considered, and the benefits outweigh the risks.
Functional Outcomes and Complications After Primary Spinal Surgery for Scoliosis in Adults Aged Forty Years or Older
AbstractSTUDY DESIGN: A prospective study. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to evaluate prospectively the complications, clinical outcomes, and self-reported quality of life in a relatively homogenous group of adults aged ≥ 40 years undergoing primary surgical treatment for scoliosis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Relatively few reports have examined surgical outcomes in adult patients with scoliosis, especially adults aged ≥ 40 years, whose outcomes may differ because of more rigid curves and more frequent and severe comorbidities. Although most studies have shown patient benefits despite high complication rates after such surgery, most were retrospective and conducted before the introduction of third-generation instrumentation techniques. METHODS: We prospectively studied a consecutive series of 35 patients of age ≥ 40 years (average age, 56.3 years) undergoing primary surgery for scoliosis by one surgeon. Most of our patients (86%) had at least one comorbidity. We collected complete radiographic measurements and Oswestry Disability Index, Short Form 36, and Scoliosis Research Society 22 questionnaires before surgery and at each follow-up, and recorded the number and type of complications. Outcomes were assessed in the context of complications, degree of correction, and procedure characteristics to detect significant (P < 0.05) correlations. RESULTS: The overall complications rate was 49%; 26% of the patients had a major complication and 31% had a minor one. There were no deaths. Coronal curve correction was 30.8° (61%) on average. There were statistically significant postoperative improvements in Oswestry Disability Index, Short Form 36, and Scoliosis Research Society 22 scores. Patients whose fusions ended at L4 or L5 showed greater improvements in some of the Short Form 36 component scores than patients whose fusions involved the sacrum (P = 0.041). There were no significant differences in outcomes related to presence of complications or operative staging. CONCLUSION: Adults ≥ 40 years with symptomatic scoliosis benefit from surgical treatment, despite the high complication rate.
Journal of Craniovertebral Junction and Spine · 2018 · 42 citations · open access
Scoliosis conservative treatment: A review of literature
AbstractBACKGROUND: Scoliosis is defined as lateral curvature of the spine which is also associated with a change in the curves in sagittal plane and vertebral rotation. Various types of conservative treatment approaches have been recommended for the patients with scoliosis. The aim of this review article was to introduce the various methods of conservative treatment which can be used for the patients with scoliosis. METHODS: A search was done in some databases including PubMed, ISI Web of knowledge, Google scholar, Ebsco, Embasco, and Scopus. Some keywords such as conservative treatment, orthosis, brace, exercise, and physical therapy were used in combination with scoliosis. As the aim of this paper was to introduce the conservative methods, no quality assessment was done in this review study. RESULTS: Forty papers were found on various conservative treatments approaches which have been used for the patients with scoliosis, in which most of the papers focused on different designs of braces. There were a few studies on other interventions such as wedge, functional electrical stimulation, and yoga. CONCLUSION: Various treatment approaches have been used to treat scoliosis based on conservative approach. It is suggested that the efficiency of various methods be evaluated based on available literature.
Operative Treatment of Scoliosis in Patients With a Fontan Circulation
AbstractIn Brief Study Design. A retrospective chart and radiographic review of patients with a Fontan physiology who underwent surgical correction of their scoliosis. Objective. To evaluate the operative and perioperative treatment of patients with a Fontan physiology and scoliosis. Summary of Background Data. The survival rates in patients with complex congenital heart disease are improving, thus creating a subset of patients with complex physiology who will require surgical treatment of their scoliosis. The Fontan physiology is created surgically in patients born with a single functioning ventricle. These patients represent a significant anesthetic risk during spinal surgery, given their physiologic need for a sustained systemic preload. Currently, to our knowledge, there are no published series in the literature regarding the operative treatment of scoliosis in these patients. Methods. We reviewed our experience with the operative treatment of scoliosis in 7 patients with a Fontan circulation. There were 7 patients identified who were treated with correction and arthrodesis using modern segmental instrumentation. A radiographic and chart review was performed to assess the operative and perioperative treatment. Results. Mean age at surgery was 14 years 9 months, and mean Cobb angle was 75°. There were no intraoperative complications; however, postoperative complications were frequent and significant: 1 delayed paralysis, 2 superior mesenteric artery syndromes, 1 renal tubular necrosis, 2 pulmonary complications, 1 Horner syndrome, and 1 urinary tract infection. Conclusions. Operative treatment of scoliosis in these patients may be successful; however, complications are frequent and significant. This article is a retrospective review of patients with a Fontan physiology who underwent surgical correction of their scoliosis. The patient's unique physiology creates a significant anesthetic risk, given the need for a sustained venous preload. Surgery was successful, however, perioperative complications were frequent and significant.
AbstractSpine and Scoliosis Surgery North Kansas City Hospital North Kansas City, Missouri The manuscript submitted does not contain information about medical device(s)/drug(s). No funds were received in support of this work. No benefits in any form have been or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.
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.
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