In a review, published in the Lancet, researchers have introduced guidelines on how to use artificial intelligence (AI) for revolutionizing and accelerating COVID-19 drug repurposing.
The researchers said rapidly developing and innovative AI models could expedite therapeutic development. The review offers a strong rationale for using AI tools in drug repurposing for diseases, including COVID-19, the infection caused by the novel coronavirus.
Also called drug repositioning or reprofiling, drug repurposing is a technique in which existing drugs are used to treat emerging and challenging diseases, including COVID-19. It is a strategy to identify the therapeutic effects of an already approved drug or experimental drugs that have not been approved.
Coupled with AI, drug repurposing could offer cutting-edge application of information science to defining therapeutics and identifying new indications with the least error.
In the review, the researchers introduced a few guidelines on how to use AI for revolutionizing drug repurposing, stating that AI approaches are not just formidable but also necessary. They also discussed how AI can actually accelerate COVID-19 drug repurposing.
The researchers primarily focus on AI for drug repurposing, which can offer rapid and cost-effective solutions for COVID-19 treatment, especially where de-novo drug discovery is almost infeasible.
Several drugs have been studied and tested in clinical trials for COVID-19, including antiviral drugs and host-targeting therapies. For instance, an antiviral drug called remdesivir, which was originally developed by Gilead Sciences for Ebola, has been found effective at treating severe COVID-19 infection.
Drug repurposing of Toremifene, a breast cancer drug, is considered a top candidate for the treatment of COVID-19. Host-targeting therapy, including drugs like baricitinib, dexamethasone, and melatonin, has been studied for the treatment of coronavirus.
One of the important aspects of using AI for drug repurposing is the use of electronic health records (EHRs) in discovering effective repurposed drug candidates.
However, the researchers explained that there are a few challenges they have to face despite the enthusiasm for using AI for drug repurposing in treating COVID-19. For instance, animal studies may not reflect the host environment of viral infections in humans.
AI-based drug repurposing is still in the developmental stage and several examples have shown promising results, including the host-targeting therapy. The article was originally published online in the Lancet.
