DeCure's autonomous Dermatology AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for urticaria — 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 moduleUrticaria 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 urticaria 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
dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) — DHFR 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 ndpdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 4M6J · 1.201 Å · ligand NADPH DIHYDRO-NICOTINAMIDE-ADENINE-DINUCLEOTIDE PHOSPHATE (NDP). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
A 2005 consensus guideline from the EAACI, GA²LEN, and EDF defined and classified urticaria, outlining diagnostic approaches for its subtypes. A 2006 protocol for chronic urticaria management, derived from a literature review, stated that much about pathogenetic mechanisms and aetiological factors remained to be clarified. A 2021 characterisation of US outpatient visits between 1998 and 2016 listed H1-antihistamines, topical and systemic corticosteroids, and other medications reported as efficacious for urticaria.
A 2025 narrative review of chronic spontaneous urticaria pathogenesis, covering literature from 1977 to 2024, reinforced the central role of mast cells and noted that multiple cells, pathways, and mediators are involved. The review prioritised 138 articles on therapeutics from the last 15 years and records on ClinicalTrials.gov, stating that immunobiologicals and small molecules hold promise for future treatment regimens. It did not provide concrete numbers for survival, response rates, or sample sizes, and acknowledged that narrative reviews do not provide statistical value.
No drug is named in any of these abstracts as having demonstrated efficacy in a specific trial. The 2006 protocol admitted that its approach might not represent a cornerstone for chronic urticaria. The 2025 review, while promising, is a narrative review without statistical results. What is still missing are randomised controlled trials with reported response rates and survival data, patient stratification by subtype, and funding for definitive studies that move beyond consensus guidelines and narrative summaries.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Allergy · 2005 · 190 citations
EAACI/GA<sup>2</sup>LEN/EDF guideline: definition, classification and diagnosis of urticaria
AbstractThis guideline is the result of a consensus reached during a panel discussion at the 2nd International Consensus Meeting on Urticaria, Urticaria 2004, a joint initiative of the European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology Dermatology Section and the European Union (EU)-funded network of excellence, GA2LEN. It covers the definition and classification of urticaria, taking into account the recent progress in identifying causes, eliciting factors and pathomechanisms of this disease. We have outlined useful diagnostic approaches for different subtypes of urticaria. This guideline was, in addition, accepted by the European Dermatology Forum (EDF) and was formally approved by the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS).
Indian Journal of Dermatology · 2009 · 26 citations · open access
Chronic urticaria and treatment options
AbstractChronic urticaria has a wide spectrum of clinical presentations and causes. Still, despite our best efforts no cause may be found in the majority of cases. The treatment options are: Primary prevention in the form of avoidance of aggravating factors; counseling; antihistamines; leukotriene receptor antagonists; prednisolone; sulfasalazine and a host of immunosuppressives like methotrexate, cyclosporine, omalizumab etc.
Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia · 2025 · 10 citations · open access
Chronic spontaneous urticaria: update on pathogenesis and therapeutic implications
AbstractBACKGROUND: The understanding of chronic spontaneous urticaria pathogenesis has been increasing recently. The central role of mast cells is being reinforced, but multiple cells, pathways, and mediators are involved in a complex interrelationship. Modern therapies for its management reflect the need to encompass different mechanisms and promise to alter the course of urticaria and the long journey of those with refractory disease. Continuous updating of these aspects is necessary to optimize patient care. OBJECTIVES: To review concepts and advances in the pathogenesis of chronic spontaneous urticaria, in addition to contextualizing promising drug options for its management. METHOD: A narrative review was conducted between 1977 and 2024, including relevant articles published in the scientific literature, indexed in the PubMed system. RESULTS: A total of 25,732 articles were found. Inclusion criteria were determined by the authors' decision regarding their level of importance for furthering knowledge in the areas of pathogenesis and treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria, with preference given to meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and randomized trials. Regarding therapeutics, 138 articles from the last 15 years were prioritized, in addition to records on ClinicalTrials.gov, and the drugs could be in the clinical trial phase. Immunobiologicals and small molecules hold promise for future treatment regimens for chronic spontaneous urticaria. STUDY LIMITATIONS: Narrative reviews do not provide statistical value to the results and outcomes studied. CONCLUSION: A review of the pathogenesis of chronic spontaneous urticaria was conducted, contextualizing these aspects with promising drug options for its treatment, particularly immunobiologicals and small molecules.
International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology · 2006 · 5 citations
Diagnostic and Therapeutic <i>Iter</i> in Chronic Urticaria Patients
AbstractWe describe a diagnostic and therapeutic protocol for the management of chronic urticaria. It is derived from an extensive review of current literature, with a cost-effective evaluation of laboratory investigations and therapeutic approaches. Our protocol may not represent a cornerstone for chronic urticaria: much has in fact to be clarified on pathogenetic mechanisms and aetiological factors. Nevertheless, its application should be able, in our opinion, to identify what is useful or not in the everyday management of chronic urticaria patients.
Characterization of Outpatient Visits and Treatments for Urticaria in the United States Adult Population Between 1998 and 2016
AbstractList of medications utilized in the management of urticaria in the United States adult population. To characterize treatment agents, we identified H1-antihistamines, topical and systemic corticosteroids, and other medications reported as efficacious for urticaria associated with each visit.
Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) · 2021 · 0 citations · open access
Characterization of Outpatient Visits and Treatments for Urticaria in the United States Adult Population Between 1998 and 2016
AbstractList of medications utilized in the management of urticaria in the United States adult population. To characterize treatment agents, we identified H1-antihistamines, topical and systemic corticosteroids, and other medications reported as efficacious for urticaria associated with each visit.
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.
