Improving Therapy of Severe Infections Through Drug Repurposing of Synergistic Combinations

Overview

Journal Curr Opin Pharmacol

Specialty Pharmacology

Date 2019 Aug 28

PMID 31454708

Citations 32

Authors

Yu-Shan Cheng

Peter R Williamson

Wei Zheng

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Infections from multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogens and emerging viruses present challenges for effective clinical treatments. Drug repurposing and combination screens may provide therapies at a fraction of the time and cost of traditional methods of drug development. Synergistic combinations of two or three known compounds can increase therapeutic efficacy and reduce concentrations required for individual drugs, in turn, reducing the risk of drug toxicity. Using libraries of approved drugs, traditionally non-antibiotic compounds identified in repurposing screens can quickly move into clinical trials, since safety profiles have been previously established. Herein we summarize recent advances in identifying synergistic drug combinations and the use of drug screens for personalized medicine treatments of infections caused by MDR pathogens and emerging viruses.

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