scholarly journals In Vitro and Clinical Compassionate Use Experiences with the Drug-Repurposing Approach CUSP9v3 in Glioblastoma

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 1241
Author(s):  
Marc-Eric Halatsch ◽  
Annika Dwucet ◽  
Carl Julius Schmidt ◽  
Julius Mühlnickel ◽  
Tim Heiland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Primary Brain Tumor ◽  
Additional Treatment ◽  
Recurrent Glioblastoma ◽  
Compassionate Use ◽  
Migratory Activity ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Traditional Drug ◽  
Grade 3

Background: Glioblastoma represents the most common primary brain tumor in adults. Despite technological advances, patients with this disease typically die within 1–2 years after diagnosis. In the search for novel therapeutics, drug repurposing has emerged as an alternative to traditional drug development pipelines, potentially facilitating and expediting the transition from drug discovery to clinical application. In a drug repurposing effort, the original CUSP9 and its derivatives CUSP9* and CUSP9v3 were developed as combinations of nine non-oncological drugs combined with metronomic low-dose temozolomide. Methods: In this work, we performed pre-clinical testing of CUSP9v3 in different established, primary cultured and stem-like glioblastoma models. In addition, eight patients with heavily pre-treated recurrent glioblastoma received the CUSP9v3 regime on a compassionate use basis in a last-ditch effort. Results: CUSP9v3 had profound antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects across all tested glioblastoma models. Moreover, the cells’ migratory capacity and ability to form tumor spheres was drastically reduced. In vitro, additional treatment with temozolomide did not significantly enhance the antineoplastic activity of CUSP9v3. CUSP9v3 was well-tolerated with the most frequent grade 3 or 4 adverse events being increased hepatic enzyme levels. Conclusions: CUSP9v3 displays a strong anti-proliferative and anti-migratory activity in vitro and seems to be safe to apply to patients. These data have prompted further investigation of CUSP9v3 in a phase Ib/IIa clinical trial (NCT02770378).

Drug Discovery by Drug Repurposing: Combating COVID-19 in the 21st Century

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nitesh Sanghai ◽  
Kashfia Shafiq ◽  
Geoffrey K. Tranmer
Keyword(s):  
Drug Discovery ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Compassionate Use ◽  
Drug Candidates ◽  
Working Day ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Approved Drugs ◽  
Day By Day ◽  
Potential Use

: Due to the rapidly developing nature of the current COVID-19 outbreak and its almost immediate humanitarian and economic toll, coronavirus drug discovery efforts have largely focused on generating potential COVID-19 drug candidates as quickly as possible. Globally, scientists are working day and night to find the best possible solution to treat the deadly virus. During the first few months of 2020, the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak quickly developed into a pandemic, with a mortality rate that was increasing at an exponential rate day by day. As a result, scientists have turned to a drug repurposing approach, to rediscover the potential use and benefits of existing approved drugs. Currently, there is no single drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for the treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, previously known as 2019-nCoV) that causes COVID-19. Based on only in-vitro studies, several active drugs are already in the clinical pipeline, made possible by following the compassionate use of medicine protocols. This method of repurposing and the use of existing molecules like Remdesivir (GS-5734), Chloroquine, Hydroxychloroquine, etc. has proven to be a landmark in the field of drug rediscovery. In this review article we will discuss the repurposing of medicines for treating the deadly novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).

Bevacizumab (BV) plus irinotecan (I) in recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM): A single center experience.

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e13000-e13000
Author(s):  
Eluska Iruarrizaga ◽  
Eider Azkona ◽  
Unai Aresti ◽  
Itziar Rubio ◽  
Mikel Arruti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Glioblastoma Multiforme ◽  
Median Number ◽  
Primary Brain Tumor ◽  
Recurrent Glioblastoma ◽  
Recurrent Glioblastoma Multiforme ◽  
Single Center Experience ◽  
Flair Sequence ◽  
Grade 3 ◽  
Number Of Cycles ◽  
Recurrent Gbm

e13000 Background: Glioblastoma multiforme constitutes the most common and malignant form of primary brain tumor. Median survival for recurrent disease is 3-9 months. Combining bevacizumab with irinotecan represents an option of treatment in recurrent GBM. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients with recurrent GBM treated with bevacizumab (10 mg/kg) and irinotecan (340 mg/m2 for patients receiving enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs –EIAEDs- and 125 mg/m2 for patients not receiving EIAEDs) every 14 days on a 4-week cycle. Inclusion criteria: age ≥ 18, histology of GBM, progression after radiotherapy and temozolomide and signed informed consent for bevacizumab compassionate use. MRI-FLAIR sequence was used every 8 weeks to assess response. Results: From October 2009 to December 2012, a total of 26 patients were included; 15 (57.7%) male/11 (42.3%) female. Median age of the patients was 52 years (32-69); ECOG 0/1/2/3: 7.7/46.2/38.5/7.7% respectively; 19.23 % of patients received EIAEDs. Median number of cycles was 2.5 (1-14). Response rate was 30.8% (23.1% PR; 7.7 % CR); SD 23.1 %. Median PFS was 23 weeks; median OS was 30 weeks. Most common grade 3 toxicities were: asthenia 26.9%, arthromyalgia 3.8%, diarrhea 3.8% and hepatotoxicity 15.4%; grade 2 thromboembolic complications: 3.8 %. Conclusions: Combination of bevacizumab and irinotecan is effective against recurrent GBM and prolongs PFS and OS compared with historical controls, with mild toxicity.

scholarly journals Repurposing Old Drugs into New Epigenetic Inhibitors: Promising Candidates for Cancer Treatment?

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Filipa Moreira-Silva ◽  
Vânia Camilo ◽  
Vítor Gaspar ◽  
João F. Mano ◽  
Rui Henrique ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Epigenetic Alterations ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Epigenetic Machinery ◽  
Traditional Drug ◽  
Repurposed Drugs ◽  
Old Drugs

Epigenetic alterations, as a cancer hallmark, are associated with cancer initiation, progression and aggressiveness. Considering, however, that these alterations are reversible, drugs that target epigenetic machinery may have an inhibitory effect upon cancer treatment. The traditional drug discovery pathway is time-consuming and expensive, and thus, new and more effective strategies are required. Drug Repurposing (DR) comprises the discovery of a new medical indication for a drug that is approved for another indication, which has been recalled, that was not accepted or failed to prove efficacy. DR presents several advantages, mainly reduced resources, absence of the initial target discovery process and the reduced time necessary for the drug to be commercially available. There are numerous old drugs that are under study as repurposed epigenetic inhibitors which have demonstrated promising results in in vitro tumor models. Herein, we summarize the DR process and explore several repurposed drugs with different epigenetic targets that constitute promising candidates for cancer treatment, highlighting their mechanisms of action.

scholarly journals A Drug Screening Pipeline Using 2D and 3D Patient-Derived In Vitro Models for Pre-Clinical Analysis of Therapy Response in Glioblastoma

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 4322
Author(s):  
Sakthi Lenin ◽  
Elise Ponthier ◽  
Kaitlin G. Scheer ◽  
Erica C. F. Yeo ◽  
Melinda N. Tea ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Therapy Response ◽  
Clinical Analysis ◽  
Primary Brain Tumor ◽  
In Vitro Models ◽  
Recurrent Glioblastoma ◽  
Tumor Models ◽  
2D And 3D

Glioblastoma is one of the most common and lethal types of primary brain tumor. Despite aggressive treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, tumor recurrence within 6–9 months is common. To overcome this, more effective therapies targeting cancer cell stemness, invasion, metabolism, cell death resistance and the interactions of tumor cells with their surrounding microenvironment are required. In this study, we performed a systematic review of the molecular mechanisms that drive glioblastoma progression, which led to the identification of 65 drugs/inhibitors that we screened for their efficacy to kill patient-derived glioma stem cells in two dimensional (2D) cultures and patient-derived three dimensional (3D) glioblastoma explant organoids (GBOs). From the screening, we found a group of drugs that presented different selectivity on different patient-derived in vitro models. Moreover, we found that Costunolide, a TERT inhibitor, was effective in reducing the cell viability in vitro of both primary tumor models as well as tumor models pre-treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. These results present a novel workflow for screening a relatively large groups of drugs, whose results could lead to the identification of more personalized and effective treatment for recurrent glioblastoma.

scholarly journals Morphological cell profiling of SARS-CoV-2 infection identifies drug repurposing candidates for COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (36) ◽  
pp. e2105815118
Author(s):  
Carmen Mirabelli ◽  
Jesse W. Wotring ◽  
Charles J. Zhang ◽  
Sean M. McCarty ◽  
Reid Fursmidt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Target Identification ◽  
Therapeutic Option ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Virus Attachment ◽  
Alveolar Epithelial ◽  
Traditional Drug ◽  
Multiple Cell

The global spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and the associated disease COVID-19, requires therapeutic interventions that can be rapidly identified and translated to clinical care. Traditional drug discovery methods have a >90% failure rate and can take 10 to 15 y from target identification to clinical use. In contrast, drug repurposing can significantly accelerate translation. We developed a quantitative high-throughput screen to identify efficacious agents against SARS-CoV-2. From a library of 1,425 US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved compounds and clinical candidates, we identified 17 hits that inhibited SARS-CoV-2 infection and analyzed their antiviral activity across multiple cell lines, including lymph node carcinoma of the prostate (LNCaP) cells and a physiologically relevant model of alveolar epithelial type 2 cells (iAEC2s). Additionally, we found that inhibitors of the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway exacerbate SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro. Notably, we discovered that lactoferrin, a glycoprotein found in secretory fluids including mammalian milk, inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection in the nanomolar range in all cell models with multiple modes of action, including blockage of virus attachment to cellular heparan sulfate and enhancement of interferon responses. Given its safety profile, lactoferrin is a readily translatable therapeutic option for the management of COVID-19.

The Antiviral and Antimalarial Drug Repurposing in Quest of Chemotherapeutics to Combat COVID-19 Utilizing Structure-Based Molecular Docking

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sisir Nandi ◽  
Mohit Kumar ◽  
Mridula Saxena ◽  
Anil Kumar Saxena
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Docking ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Clinical Settings ◽  
The Novel ◽  
In Silico Docking ◽  
Biochemical Mechanisms ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
In Silico Molecular Docking

Background: The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by a new strain (SARS-CoV-2) erupted in 2019. Nowadays, it is a great threat that claims uncountable lives worldwide. There is no specific chemotherapeutics developed yet to combat COVID-19. Therefore, scientists have been devoted in the quest of the medicine that can cure COVID- 19. Objective: Existing antivirals such as ASC09/ritonavir, lopinavir/ritonavir with or without umifenovir in combination with antimalarial chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine have been repurposed to fight the current coronavirus epidemic. But exact biochemical mechanisms of these drugs towards COVID-19 have not been discovered to date. Method: In-silico molecular docking can predict the mode of binding to sort out the existing chemotherapeutics having a potential affinity towards inhibition of the COVID-19 target. An attempt has been made in the present work to carry out docking analyses of 34 drugs including antivirals and antimalarials to explain explicitly the mode of interactions of these ligands towards the COVID-19protease target. Results: 13 compounds having good binding affinity have been predicted towards protease binding inhibition of COVID-19. Conclusion: Our in silico docking results have been confirmed by current reports from clinical settings through the citation of suitable experimental in vitro data available in the published literature.

scholarly journals Mathematical model for the thermal enhancement of radiation response: thermodynamic approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriana M. De Mendoza ◽  
Soňa Michlíková ◽  
Johann Berger ◽  
Jens Karschau ◽  
Leoni A. Kunz-Schughart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Denaturation ◽  
Collateral Damage ◽  
Hyperthermia Treatment ◽  
Reversible Process ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Thermal Enhancement ◽  
Main Driver ◽  
Definition Of

AbstractRadiotherapy can effectively kill malignant cells, but the doses required to cure cancer patients may inflict severe collateral damage to adjacent healthy tissues. Recent technological advances in the clinical application has revitalized hyperthermia treatment (HT) as an option to improve radiotherapy (RT) outcomes. Understanding the synergistic effect of simultaneous thermoradiotherapy via mathematical modelling is essential for treatment planning. We here propose a theoretical model in which the thermal enhancement ratio (TER) relates to the cell fraction being radiosensitised by the infliction of sublethal damage through HT. Further damage finally kills the cell or abrogates its proliferative capacity in a non-reversible process. We suggest the TER to be proportional to the energy invested in the sensitisation, which is modelled as a simple rate process. Assuming protein denaturation as the main driver of HT-induced sublethal damage and considering the temperature dependence of the heat capacity of cellular proteins, the sensitisation rates were found to depend exponentially on temperature; in agreement with previous empirical observations. Our findings point towards an improved definition of thermal dose in concordance with the thermodynamics of protein denaturation. Our predictions well reproduce experimental in vitro and in vivo data, explaining the thermal modulation of cellular radioresponse for simultaneous thermoradiotherapy.

scholarly journals High-resolution AP-SMALDI MSI as a tool for drug imaging in Schistosoma mansoni

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annika S. Mokosch ◽  
Stefanie Gerbig ◽  
Christoph G. Grevelding ◽  
Simone Haeberlein ◽  
Bernhard Spengler
Keyword(s):  
Schistosoma Mansoni ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Cancer Drug ◽  
Ionization Mass ◽  
Parasitic Flatworm ◽  
Paired Female ◽  
First Time ◽  
Organ Tropism

AbstractSchistosoma mansoni is a parasitic flatworm causing schistosomiasis, an infectious disease affecting several hundred million people worldwide. Schistosomes live dioeciously, and upon pairing with the male, the female starts massive egg production, which causes pathology. Praziquantel (PZQ) is the only drug used, but it has an inherent risk of resistance development. Therefore, alternatives are needed. In the context of drug repurposing, the cancer drug imatinib was tested, showing high efficacy against S. mansoni in vitro. Besides the gonads, imatinib mainly affected the integrity of the intestine in males and females. In this study, we investigated the potential uptake and distribution of imatinib in adult schistosomes including its distribution kinetics. To this end, we applied for the first time atmospheric-pressure scanning microprobe matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (AP-SMALDI MSI) for drug imaging in paired S. mansoni. Our results indicate that imatinib was present in the esophagus and intestine of the male as early as 20 min after in vitro exposure, suggesting an oral uptake route. After one hour, the drug was also found inside the paired female. The detection of the main metabolite, N-desmethyl imatinib, indicated metabolization of the drug. Additionally, a marker signal for the female ovary was successfully applied to facilitate further conclusions regarding organ tropism of imatinib. Our results demonstrate that AP-SMALDI MSI is a useful method to study the uptake, tissue distribution, and metabolization of imatinib in S. mansoni. The results suggest using AP-SMALDI MSI also for investigating other antiparasitic compounds and their metabolites in schistosomes and other parasites. Graphical abstract

scholarly journals Bioengineered in vitro skeletal muscles as new tools for muscular dystrophies preclinical studies

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 204173142098133
Author(s):  
Juan M. Fernández-Costa ◽  
Xiomara Fernández-Garibay ◽  
Ferran Velasco-Mallorquí ◽  
Javier Ramón-Azcón
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Tissue Engineering ◽  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Skeletal Muscles ◽  
Screening Tools ◽  
Muscular Dystrophies ◽  
Preclinical Studies ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Topographical Cues

Muscular dystrophies are a group of highly disabling disorders that share degenerative muscle weakness and wasting as common symptoms. To date, there is not an effective cure for these diseases. In the last years, bioengineered tissues have emerged as powerful tools for preclinical studies. In this review, we summarize the recent technological advances in skeletal muscle tissue engineering. We identify several ground-breaking techniques to fabricate in vitro bioartificial muscles. Accumulating evidence shows that scaffold-based tissue engineering provides topographical cues that enhance the viability and maturation of skeletal muscle. Functional bioartificial muscles have been developed using human myoblasts. These tissues accurately responded to electrical and biological stimulation. Moreover, advanced drug screening tools can be fabricated integrating these tissues in electrical stimulation platforms. However, more work introducing patient-derived cells and integrating these tissues in microdevices is needed to promote the clinical translation of bioengineered skeletal muscle as preclinical tools for muscular dystrophies.

scholarly journals Modulatory Effects of Caffeine and Pentoxifylline on Aromatic Antibiotics: A Role for Hetero-Complex Formation

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (12) ◽  
pp. 3628
Author(s):  
Anna Woziwodzka ◽  
Marta Krychowiak-Maśnicka ◽  
Grzegorz Gołuński ◽  
Anna Felberg ◽  
Agnieszka Borowik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibacterial Activity ◽  
Drug Repurposing ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
Titration Calorimetry ◽  
Human Pathogens ◽  
Neighborhood Association ◽  
Treatment Regimens ◽  
Vis Spectroscopy ◽  
Antibiotic Interactions

Antimicrobial resistance is a major healthcare threat globally. Xanthines, including caffeine and pentoxifylline, are attractive candidates for drug repurposing, given their well-established safety and pharmacological profiles. This study aimed to analyze potential interactions between xanthines and aromatic antibiotics (i.e., tetracycline and ciprofloxacin), and their impact on antibiotic antibacterial activity. UV-vis spectroscopy, statistical-thermodynamical modeling, and isothermal titration calorimetry were used to quantitatively evaluate xanthine-antibiotic interactions. The antibacterial profiles of xanthines, and xanthine-antibiotic mixtures, towards important human pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterobacter cloacae were examined. Caffeine and pentoxifylline directly interact with ciprofloxacin and tetracycline, with neighborhood association constant values of 15.8–45.6 M−1 and enthalpy change values up to −4 kJ·M−1. Caffeine, used in mixtures with tested antibiotics, enhanced their antibacterial activity in most pathogens tested. However, antagonistic effects of caffeine were also observed, but only with ciprofloxacin toward Gram-positive pathogens. Xanthines interact with aromatic antibiotics at the molecular and in vitro antibacterial activity level. Given considerable exposure to caffeine and pentoxifylline, these interactions might be relevant for the effectiveness of antibacterial pharmacotherapy, and may help to identify optimal treatment regimens in the era of multidrug resistance.

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