Repurposing medicinal compounds for blood cancer treatment

Ann Hematol. 2015 Aug;94(8):1267-76. doi: 10.1007/s00277-015-2412-1. Epub 2015 Jun 7.

Abstract

Drug development is being continuously scrutinised for its lack of productivity. Novel drug development is associated with high costs, high failure rates and lengthy development process. These downfalls combined with a huge demand in blood cancer for new therapeutic treatments have led many to consider the method of drug repurposing. Finding new therapeutic indications for already established drug substances is known as redirecting, repositioning, reprofiling, or repurposing of drugs. Off-patent and on-patent drugs can be screened for additional targets and new indications thus bringing them to clinical trials at a faster pace. This approach offers smaller research groups, such as those that are academic based, into the drug development industry. Drug repurposing can make use of previously published data concerning dosage, toxicology and mechanism of activity.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Benzamides / administration & dosage
  • Drug Delivery Systems / methods
  • Drug Delivery Systems / trends*
  • Drug Repositioning / methods
  • Drug Repositioning / trends*
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • Piperazines / administration & dosage
  • Pyrimidines / administration & dosage
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Benzamides
  • Piperazines
  • Pyrimidines
  • Imatinib Mesylate