Drug Repurposing: Insights into Current Advances and Future Applications

Abstract: Drug development is a complex and expensive process that involves extensive research and testing before a new drug can be approved for use. This has led to a limited availability of potential therapeutics for many diseases. Despite significant advances in biomedical science, the process of drug development remains a bottleneck, as all hypotheses must be tested through experiments and observations, which can be time-- consuming and costly. To address this challenge, drug repurposing has emerged as an innovative strategy for finding new uses for existing medications that go beyond their original intended use. This approach has the potential to speed up the drug development process and reduce costs, making it an attractive option for pharmaceutical companies and researchers alike. It involves the identification of existing drugs or compounds that have the potential to be used for the treatment of a different disease or condition. This can be done through a variety of approaches, including screening existing drugs against new disease targets, investigating the biological mechanisms of existing drugs, and analyzing data from clinical trials and electronic health records. Additionally, repurposing drugs can lead to the identification of new therapeutic targets and mechanisms of action, which can enhance our understanding of disease biology and lead to the development of more effective treatments. Overall, drug repurposing is an exciting and promising area of research that has the potential to revolutionize the drug development process and improve the lives of millions of people around the world. The present review provides insights on types of interaction, approaches, availability of databases, applications and limitations of drug repurposing.