A REVIEW BASED ON DRUG REPURPOSING: AN VIRTUAL TOOL IN MODERN DRUG DISCOVERY

Drug repurposing involves using existing medications for new therapeutic purposes, gaining significant attention during the covid -19 pandemic as a means to expedite drug discovery and address urgent healthcare demands. The process starts with identifying potential drug candidates, followed by evaluating their effectiveness through preclinical models and advancing to phase2 clinical trials. identification can be achieved through both computational and experimental methods, leveraging public drug databases and various data sources, including primary research, clinical trials, and anecdotal evidence of off- label uses. Researchers utilize artificial intelligence and bioinformatics tools to explore drug –protein interactions, often integrating genetic information, clinical data, molecular docking, and other analyses to optimize outcomes. This article outlines the strategies for drug repurposing and list various drugs that have been successfully repurposed along with their new indications. Key words: drug repurposing, clinical trials, molecular docking, drug discovery, post- market safety