DeCure's autonomous Rare AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for syndactyly type 4 — screening already-approved drugs against its 3-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleSyndactyly type 4 maps to a 3-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 syndactyly type 4 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
sonic hedgehog signaling molecule (SHH) — SHH 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 y01drag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 7E2I · 4.07 Å · ligand CHOLESTEROL HEMISUCCINATE (Y01). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
A 2023 study of a Pakistani consanguineous family with non-syndromic syndactyly identified a novel missense variant in the HOXD13 gene (c.969G>T; p.Trp323Cys) by whole exome and Sanger sequencing. Three-dimensional protein modelling predicted that this change would compromise protein function. The authors note that HOXD13 variants have previously been linked to syndactyly type 5, brachydactyly types D and E, and synpolydactyly type 1, and they state that their finding extends the mutation spectrum of HOXD13. No treatment or drug is mentioned in this abstract.
Two older surgical case series describe outcomes for syndactyly repair. A 1987 report of 20 congenital syndactyly cases treated at a single hospital states that reconstructive procedures restored hand function in more than 90% of patients. A 1991 paper describes a method of finger separation using graduated steps with skeletal fixation and skin grafting in 60 operations on patients aged 5 months to 30 years; results were rated good in 56 cases, satisfactory in 3, and unsatisfactory in 1. Neither surgical study mentions any drug.
No drug has been studied or proposed for syndactyly type 4 in these abstracts. The only available interventions are surgical separation of fused digits, with reported success rates above 90% in small, uncontrolled case series from decades ago. What is missing is any molecular or pharmacological strategy to prevent or reverse the webbing, any clinical trial of a drug for this condition, and any understanding of whether the HOXD13 variant identified in one family is druggable or common across patients.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Journal of Biochemical and Clinical Genetics · 2023 · 1 citations · open access
Novel Heterozygous Sequence Variant in the HOXD13 Gene Underlie Non-syndromic Syndactyly
AbstractBackground: The term "Syndactyly" referred to an inherited deformity of the hand or foot marked by persistence of the webbing between adjacent digits that are more or less completely attached and mostly inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. Pathogenic variants in the HOXD13 (Homeobox D13) gene, located on chromosome 2q31.1, have been associated with syndactyly type 5, brachydactyly type D, E and synpolydactyly type 1 phenotypes. Objectives: A Pakistani inbreed was recruited from the remote area of the country was added in the study and aimed to clinically and genetically characterize the syndactyly as marked abnormal feature observed. Methodology: Whole exome sequencing coupled with Sanger sequencing was carried out to uncover the disease associated variant/s followed by 3D protein modeling to check variant related effect on protein level. Results: WES data analysis revealed a novel-HOXD13 gene missense variant (c.969G>T; p.Trp323Cys) that might explain the disease phenogenesis. 3D protein modeling of the normal and mutant protein predicated high level changes that might compromise the ultimate function of the protein. Conclusion: Our findings extend the mutation spectrum of HOXD13 gene and also provided additional evidence that HOXD13 play an important role in limbs development.
Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery · 1987 · 0 citations · open access
Congenital Syndactyly: An Analysis of 20 Cases*
AbstractSummary 20 cases of congenital syndactyly seen during the last 3 ½ year at the Command Hospital, Pune have been analysed, elucidating the types of the anomaly confronted, the sex incidence and the associated anomalies / syndromes. The reconstructive procedures performed on these patients are being presented whereby restoration of hand function was achieved in more than 90% of the cases.
Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics · 1991 · 0 citations
LOCAL EPIDERMOPLASTY FOR SYNDACTYLY
AbstractA new method of treating syndactyly is described. The fingers are separated by graduated steps in a special apparatus using skeletal fixation of the phalanges with wires. Skin grafting is then carried out. Scarring and deformity are avoided. The operation can be used for very young children and our patients were aged from 5 months to 30 years. The results of 60 operations are reviewed: 56 were good, 3 satisfactory and 1 unsatisfactory. The advantages of the procedure are discussed.
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.
