DeCure's autonomous Rare AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for spondylolisthesis — screening already-approved drugs against its 34-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleSpondylolisthesis maps to a 34-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 spondylolisthesis 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
N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) — NAT2 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 coadrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 2PFR · 1.92 Å · ligand COENZYME A (COA). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
A 2019 retrospective study of 40 patients with low-grade lytic spondylolisthesis compared posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) with platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) added to the bone graft against PLIF alone. The PRF group showed Oswestry Disability Index improvement of 60% at 6 months and 79% at 12 months, versus 55% and 70% in the control group. Radiological fusion at 6 months occurred in 15 of 20 PRF patients (75%) and 12 of 20 controls (60%); at 1 year, 19 of 20 PRF patients (95%) versus 13 of 20 controls (65%); at 2 years, 100% versus 90%. The authors concluded PRF accelerated short-term fusion rate.
A 2024 review states that spondylolisthesis prevalence depends on age, gender, and race, with symptoms including lower back pain, radiating pain, and neurological deficits. It advocates surgical treatment after 3–6 months of inadequate conservative treatment, and notes that surgery improves quality of life. Diagnosis is by X-ray or CT, and suspected cases should be referred to a spine surgeon because progression may worsen symptoms.
A 2026 retrospective study of 208 patients with Meyerding grade I degenerative spondylolisthesis compared bilateral approach decompression (BAD, n=106) to unilateral approach decompression (UAD, n=102) in single-level transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion. BAD had longer operative time (114 vs 75 minutes). Very-early recovery was better with BAD: visual analogue scale at postoperative day 7 was 4.2 versus 5.0. Early neural events were lower with BAD: early postoperative radicular pain 1.9% versus 9.8%, and contralateral aggravation 0% versus 4.9%. Two-year Japanese Orthopaedic Association recovery was identical at 73% in both groups.
What remains missing are prospective randomised trials comparing surgical techniques and PRF use, longer follow-up beyond two years for fusion and clinical outcomes, and studies that stratify patients by spondylolisthesis grade, instability, or symptom duration. No drug treatment for spondylolisthesis itself is tested in 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 · 1976 · 44 citations
Technique of Anatomical Reduction of Lumbar Spondylolisthesis and its Surgical Stabilization
AbstractThis is a report of a method for treatment of spondylolisthesis based upon: (1) preoperative reduction of the olisthesis by plaster casts; (2) fixation of the reduction by posterior arthrodesis, accompanied by a system of instrumentation which has been developed by the authors. The treatment of severe spondyloptosis in six children and of spondylolisthesis in 14 adults is considered separately, because of the somewhat different problems in the two different age groups.
Journal of Craniovertebral Junction and Spine · 2019 · 2 citations · open access
The use of platelet-rich fibrin in lumbar interbody fusion in lytic spondylolisthesis
AbstractStudy Design: This was a retrospective observational study.Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of applying the platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) with bone graft in accelerating the rate of lumbar interbody fusion.Settings and Design: This was a retrospective study measuring the outcome of posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) combined with PRF versus PLIF alone in the management of lytic spondylolisthesis.Subjects and Methods: Forty patients were treated with instrumented PLIF for low-grade lytic spondylolisthesis and divided into two equal groups: one with addition of PRF to the bone graft and the other without. The minimum follow-up was 2 years. Clinical outcome was measured by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Visual Analogue Pain Scale (VAS) at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Radiological outcome was measured by standing X-ray at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months and computed tomography at 6 and 12 months postoperatively.Results: ODI for the PRF group improved by 60% and 79% at 6 and 12 months, respectively, whereas for the non-PRF group, it improved by 55% and 70%. Radiological outcome showed fusion in 15 of 20 cases in the PRF group (75%) by the 6th month and in 19 of 20 cases (95%) by 1 year and 100% at 2 years. In the control group, fusion was present in 12 of 20 cases (60%) by the 6th month and in 13 of 20 cases in the PRF group (65%) by 1 year and 90% at 2 years (P < 0.05).Conclusions: These preliminary results show that PRF accelerates the rate of fusion in low-grade lytic spondylolisthesis in short-term follow-up.
Ugeskrift for Læger · 2024 · 0 citations · open access
Spondylolisthesis is a frequent back disorder in which surgery increases the quality of life of symptomatic patients
AbstractThis review presents the current updated knowledge of the treatment of spondylolisthesis (SL). The prevalence of SL is dependent on age, gender, and race. Symptoms include lower back pain, radiating pain and neurological deficits. Treatment can be conservative or surgical. Most recent literature advocates surgical treatment after 3-6 months with the inadequate effect of conservative treatment. Diagnosis is obtained with an X-ray or CT. Suspected SL should be admitted to specialised examination by a spine surgeon since progression may lead to worsening in symptoms, and surgery improves life quaility.
World Neurosurgery · 2026 · 0 citations · open access
Bilateral versus Unilateral Decompression in Single-Level Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion for Degenerative Spondylolisthesis: A Retrospective Comparative Study
AbstractOBJECTIVE: To assess if pre-emptive bilateral approach decompression (BAD) lowers early neural events and enhances very-early recovery versus unilateral approach decompression (UAD) in single-level transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion for Meyerding grade I degenerative spondylolisthesis. METHODS: Single-center retrospective study (2015-2022) with ≥24-month follow-up. Allocation by practice evolution: UAD (2015-2018) and BAD (2019-2022), limited to uniform mild-to-moderate contralateral risks. PRIMARY ENDPOINTS: very-early recovery (visual analog scale/Oswestry Disability Index/Japanese Orthopaedic Association at postoperative day [POD] 1/POD7) and neural complications. RESULTS: Analyzed 208 patients (UAD n = 102; BAD n = 106). BAD had longer operative time (114 ± 10 vs. 75 ± 9 minutes; P < 0.001). BAD improved very-early recovery: visual analog scale POD7 4.2 ± 0.6 versus 5.0 ± 0.7 (P < 0.001). Neural events were lower in BAD: early postoperative radicular pain 1.9% versus 9.8% (P = 0.017) and contralateral aggravation 0% versus 4.9% (P = 0.027). Two-year Japanese Orthopaedic Association recovery was similar (73% vs. 73%). CONCLUSIONS: In grade I spondylolisthesis transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion, BAD reduces early neural events and boosts very-early recovery without added blood loss or fusion compromise.
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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