Review of Drug Repositioning in Cancer Therapeutics

Abstract

Drug repositioning encompassing the practise of finding new uses apart from the original therapeutic indication for old/available/existing drugs. The prominent repurposed drugs having two strategies of drug repurposing on-target as well as off-target some drug shows action drugs like Minoxidil (Rogaine) is one of the examples of an on-target profile shows action on hair loss and remain less potent antihypertensive. Metformin ameliorated to progression-free survival (PFS) and (NSCLC) OS in advanced, previously untreated non-small cell lung cancer. Metformin 500 mg/day was recently trailed in patients of lung adenocarcinoma along with erlotinib, afatinib or Gefitinib at standard recommended dose. In consequence it has been linked to the fetal abnormalities devastating teratogenic effects of thalidomide when taken in early pregnancy. Thalidomide also shows specific causes results to degradation of repressors in T-cells which play the role lead to activation with increased IL-2 secretion. This animate the immune system to fight cancer cells. Thus conclusion of repurposing medications in conjunction with other treatments has the potential action to enhance cancer patient outcomes with its indications might be quite useful. Drugs and disease-specific on targets and off targets have previously been screened for using in silico methods such as docking techniques, in vitro methods, and in vivo methods. But there are a number of technological and legal obstacles that require the development of fresh ideas.