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1. Novel drug repurposing method reveals two drugs effective for bacterial, fungal infections
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-03-drug-repurposing-method-reveals-drugs.html[3/14/2016 8:15:58 AM]
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March 10, 2016
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Novel drug repurposing method reveals two drugs effective for
bacterial, fungal infections
March 10, 2016 by Mohamad Seleem
Featured Last comments Popular
Medical Xpress on facebook
A Purdue University researcher has developed a novel strategy on identifying
antimicrobial drugs to better treat bacterial and fungal infections, which could
produce significant impacts that leapfrog the drug development process and
save years of expensive research.
Mohamed Seleem, an associate professor of microbiology in Purdue's
College of Veterinary Medicine, has used novel drug repurposing methods to
discover two drugs that could have significant promise as a potent
antimicrobial agent for treatment of both superficial and invasive infections.
Seleem said that bacterial resistance to conventional antibiotics as well as
invasive fungal infections, has become a burgeoning global health epidemic
that necessitates urgent action.
"In the United States alone more than two million individuals are stricken
each year with infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens," he said.
"Invasive fungal infections afflict millions of patients annually, resulting in
nearly one-and-a-half million deaths. The demand for antifungals is at an all-
time high because current antifungal treatments aren't working very well and
can't be administered very conveniently."
Seleem said that approximately 30 percent of newly approved FDA drugs and
vaccines have been repurposed. However, not a single drug has been
thoroughly investigated and repurposed for use as an antibacterial or
antifungal.
Finding new ways to repurpose drugs for antimicrobials outside of their
current scope could allow companies many benefits, he added.
"Repurposing existing approved drugs allows companies to bypass much of
the preclinical work and early-stage clinical trials required for new
compounds, thus cutting the cost associated with bringing a drug to the
marketplace by as much as 40 percent," he said. "Given these drugs have
already been tested in human patients, valuable information pertaining to
their chemical parameters are known. This permits a better understanding of
the overall pharmacology of the drug, potential routes of administration, and
establishing an appropriate dosing regimen for patients."
Seleem and his team are currently screening 3,200 of the 4,000 available
approved drugs to test, which involves identifying those that have shown
activity against bacteria and fungi and determining which ones are most
promising.
"We take a drug that is being used for, say, heart disease and we re-use it as
something like a topical ointment over the skin. The drug hasn't changed, but
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2. Novel drug repurposing method reveals two drugs effective for bacterial, fungal infections
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-03-drug-repurposing-method-reveals-drugs.html[3/14/2016 8:15:58 AM]
Provided by:
Purdue University
feedback to editors
the method of application and purpose has," Seleem said. "We have ready
information about the drugs from previous research for its initial purpose, but
we conduct tests in the new model since they have never been used as an
antifungal or antimicrobial, to reveal any additional information we may need.
We plan on buying the additional 800 drugs for testing."
Seleem said that through his research and studies he has identified two
drugs, auranofin and ebselen, as a potent antimicrobial agent that is capable
of killing intracellular Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a
bacterium responsible for several difficult-to-treat infections in humans. In
addition, auranofin and ebselen also are exhibiting novel antifungal
mechanisms.
"Through our trials we have found that these two drugs have the ability to
disrupt adherent staphylococcal biofilms, the most frequent cause of
infections originating in hospitals. We've found also that they suppress toxin
production and key resentment factors and reduce excessive host-
inflammatory responses associated with these toxins, significantly reducing
bacterial load and enhancing wound healing," he said. "In addition, both
drugs have many advantageous qualities including oral bioavailability, potent
bactericidal activity in a clinically achievable range, very low frequency of
resistance, and synergistic activity with conventional antibiotics."
Seleem said he plans to research two other drug repurposing applications
that would be of interest to the market: acne and toenail fungus.
"Approximately 85 percent of people age 12-24 suffer from at least minor
acne, and current treatments aren't always effective. Toenail fungus is
prevalent in about 10 to 20 percent of the world population, and current
treatment, which can take for up to three years, is only effective in about 10
percent of those people," he said. "So we want to start screening the
causative agent of these conditions and hopefully find a treatment that is
safe and effective that is already being used in other approved drugs to fast
track its availability to the market."
Seleem initially received funding from startup and university incentive grants,
which allowed him to purchase the library of drugs he has been testing. He
also received a one-year, $250,000 grant from the National Institutes of
Health and is seeking additional funding to expand his research. He is also
open to partnerships with companies that could use his research to move the
drug into clinical trials for its new purpose.
Explore further: Antimicrobial use in hospitals appears to be common
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3. Novel drug repurposing method reveals two drugs effective for bacterial, fungal infections
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![Novel drug repurposing method reveals two drugs effective for bacterial, fungal infections
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-03-drug-repurposing-method-reveals-drugs.html[3/14/2016 8:15:58 AM]
Home
Diseases, Conditions,
Syndromes
March 10, 2016
more »
Novel drug repurposing method reveals two drugs effective for
bacterial, fungal infections
March 10, 2016 by Mohamad Seleem
Featured Last comments Popular
Medical Xpress on facebook
A Purdue University researcher has developed a novel strategy on identifying
antimicrobial drugs to better treat bacterial and fungal infections, which could
produce significant impacts that leapfrog the drug development process and
save years of expensive research.
Mohamed Seleem, an associate professor of microbiology in Purdue's
College of Veterinary Medicine, has used novel drug repurposing methods to
discover two drugs that could have significant promise as a potent
antimicrobial agent for treatment of both superficial and invasive infections.
Seleem said that bacterial resistance to conventional antibiotics as well as
invasive fungal infections, has become a burgeoning global health epidemic
that necessitates urgent action.
"In the United States alone more than two million individuals are stricken
each year with infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens," he said.
"Invasive fungal infections afflict millions of patients annually, resulting in
nearly one-and-a-half million deaths. The demand for antifungals is at an all-
time high because current antifungal treatments aren't working very well and
can't be administered very conveniently."
Seleem said that approximately 30 percent of newly approved FDA drugs and
vaccines have been repurposed. However, not a single drug has been
thoroughly investigated and repurposed for use as an antibacterial or
antifungal.
Finding new ways to repurpose drugs for antimicrobials outside of their
current scope could allow companies many benefits, he added.
"Repurposing existing approved drugs allows companies to bypass much of
the preclinical work and early-stage clinical trials required for new
compounds, thus cutting the cost associated with bringing a drug to the
marketplace by as much as 40 percent," he said. "Given these drugs have
already been tested in human patients, valuable information pertaining to
their chemical parameters are known. This permits a better understanding of
the overall pharmacology of the drug, potential routes of administration, and
establishing an appropriate dosing regimen for patients."
Seleem and his team are currently screening 3,200 of the 4,000 available
approved drugs to test, which involves identifying those that have shown
activity against bacteria and fungi and determining which ones are most
promising.
"We take a drug that is being used for, say, heart disease and we re-use it as
something like a topical ointment over the skin. The drug hasn't changed, but
Blueberries, the well-known
'super fruit,' could help fight
Alzheimer's
15 hours ago
4
Burning more calories linked with
greater gray matter volume,
reduced Alzheimer's risk
Mar 11,
2016
0
Saturated fat 'short-circuits'
immune cells to trigger
inflammation
Mar 11, 2016
2
Seismic for the spine: Vibration
technology offers alternative to
MRI
Mar 11, 2016
0
Circuit for experience-informed
decision-making ID'd in rats
Mar
11, 2016
1
Latest news Week's top Unread news
Topics Conditions
search Submit](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/21589795-66bb-409a-90b0-e37aab301d91-160510202844/85/Novel-drug-repurposing-method-reveals-two-drugs-effective-for-bacterial-fungal-MedicalXpress-1-320.jpg?cb=1462912148)
![Novel drug repurposing method reveals two drugs effective for bacterial, fungal infections
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-03-drug-repurposing-method-reveals-drugs.html[3/14/2016 8:15:58 AM]
Provided by:
Purdue University
feedback to editors
the method of application and purpose has," Seleem said. "We have ready
information about the drugs from previous research for its initial purpose, but
we conduct tests in the new model since they have never been used as an
antifungal or antimicrobial, to reveal any additional information we may need.
We plan on buying the additional 800 drugs for testing."
Seleem said that through his research and studies he has identified two
drugs, auranofin and ebselen, as a potent antimicrobial agent that is capable
of killing intracellular Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a
bacterium responsible for several difficult-to-treat infections in humans. In
addition, auranofin and ebselen also are exhibiting novel antifungal
mechanisms.
"Through our trials we have found that these two drugs have the ability to
disrupt adherent staphylococcal biofilms, the most frequent cause of
infections originating in hospitals. We've found also that they suppress toxin
production and key resentment factors and reduce excessive host-
inflammatory responses associated with these toxins, significantly reducing
bacterial load and enhancing wound healing," he said. "In addition, both
drugs have many advantageous qualities including oral bioavailability, potent
bactericidal activity in a clinically achievable range, very low frequency of
resistance, and synergistic activity with conventional antibiotics."
Seleem said he plans to research two other drug repurposing applications
that would be of interest to the market: acne and toenail fungus.
"Approximately 85 percent of people age 12-24 suffer from at least minor
acne, and current treatments aren't always effective. Toenail fungus is
prevalent in about 10 to 20 percent of the world population, and current
treatment, which can take for up to three years, is only effective in about 10
percent of those people," he said. "So we want to start screening the
causative agent of these conditions and hopefully find a treatment that is
safe and effective that is already being used in other approved drugs to fast
track its availability to the market."
Seleem initially received funding from startup and university incentive grants,
which allowed him to purchase the library of drugs he has been testing. He
also received a one-year, $250,000 grant from the National Institutes of
Health and is seeking additional funding to expand his research. He is also
open to partnerships with companies that could use his research to move the
drug into clinical trials for its new purpose.
Explore further: Antimicrobial use in hospitals appears to be common
Related Stories Recommended for you
Antimicrobial use in hospitals appears to be
common
October 7, 2014
A one-day prevalence survey of 183 hospitals found that approximately 50
percent of hospitalized patients included in the survey were receiving
antimicrobial drugs, and that about half of these patients were receiving 2 or
...
New treatment regimen cuts severity of drug-
resistant malaria in pregnancy
March 9, 2016
A two-drug preventive treatment greatly reduces the severity of malaria during
pregnancy, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
The treatment provides an alternative for many parts of Africa where ...](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)