The drug repurposing landscape from 2012 to 2017: evolution, challenges, and possible solutions

As the name suggests, drug repurposing is a strategy to identify new therapeutic uses for marketed drugs, discontinued and/or shelved drugs, and drug candidates currently in clinical development. Although not a recent concept, drug repurposing has gained momentum over the past few years and several drugs have been successfully repurposed. Here, we summarize the drug repurposing landscape from 2012 to 2017, with a major focus on repurposed drugs, collaborative opportunities, and funding opportunities specific to drug repurposing projects. Along with success stories, we also highlight the challenges and limitations associated with drug repurposing.