Drug Repurposing Patent Applications April – June 2025

This set of 17 drug repurposing patent applications, selected for their illustrative value, demonstrates the global breadth of inventive strategies across diverse therapeutic areas. Antiviral repurposing is a prominent feature, with brincidofovir claimed for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, elvitegravir for the treatment of multidrug-resistant bacteria, and etravirine for the treatment of a rare autism spectrum disorder. Irish researchers have identified the interplay of the cholinergic system with the sigma-1 receptor and have suggested the use of the Alzheimer's drug donepezil for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. China's ongoing contributions to the field of repurposing innovations are noteworthy. One patent application reveals that alitretinoin, a medication utilized in the treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma and chronic hand eczema, impedes the process of advanced glycation endproduct formation, a significant contributor to the development of diabetic neuropathy. Another repurposing candidate is dronedarone, an antiarrhythmic agent, which has been claimed for the treatment of fatty liver disease. A novel malaria strategy proposes pretreatment with telotristat, a tryptophan hydroxylase inhibitor approved for carcinoid syndrome–related diarrhea, to sensitize cerebral Plasmodium falciparum infections to chloroquine. Conversely, the antimalarial atovaquone is claimed for muscular dystrophies via binding to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, thereby upregulating utrophin, a dystrophin paralog. Further, classic beta-adrenoceptor agonists such as isoproterenol are claimed for hematopoietic regeneration after radiation or chemotherapy, paralleling the effects of colony-stimulating factors. From Iceland, a striking claim suggests treating attention deficit disorder with widely used calcium channel blockers. Perhaps the most remarkable: a synergy between two oncology drugs—the topoisomerase I inhibitor irinotecan and the aromatase inhibitor letrozole—shows potential in treating Alzheimer’s disease in a mouse model.