gms | German Medical Science

Introduction: Medicine repurposing, also known as drug repositioning, is a strategic process of identifying new uses or indications for approved medicines beyond their original indication. This strategy serves as an opportunity to address areas of unmet treatment need in a timely manner while reducing costs and associated risks of novel drug development. The concept of repurposing has been pursued not only by the pharmaceutical industry, but also by research institutes and academia. The Medicines Repurposing Programme (MRP) in England was established to identify and progress repurposing opportunities that will improve clinical outcomes within the National Health Service (NHS). Here, we describe a snapshot scan of an ongoing project, undertaken by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Innovation Observatory (IO) to identify suitable candidates that meet the predefined MRP eligibility criteria and satisfy the objectives.

Method: The IO utilises robust horizon scanning methodology to identify and collate data from clinical trial registries and company/media sources which are systematically stored on the IO’s database (Medicines Innovation Database {MInD}). A search strategy on trial registries and MInD was implemented using the MRP screening criteria to identify potential candidates in phase I/II–III development by non-commercial sponsors, with primary completion dates between April 2020 and March 2023, among other criteria. A descriptive analysis of some of this data is provided here.

Results: A total of 528 eligible technologies were identified; 274 (51.9 percent) targeted cancer indications; 357 (67.6 percent) targeted rare disease indications. Haematological cancer and lymphomas, gastrointestinal cancers and neurological disorders were the most common therapeutic areas. The least investigated therapeutic areas were male reproductive cancers (0.4 percent), urological cancers (0.2 percent), and women’s and men’s health disorders (not otherwise classified) (0.2 percent). 322 technologies (61 percent) evaluated repurposed medicines as monotherapy, and 206 (39 percent) were combination therapies. Monoclonal antibodies, kinase inhibitors and corticosteroids were the most frequently repurposed drug classes.

Conclusion: This ongoing scan will provide systematic intelligence on repurposing opportunities (an early alert process) which will allow the MRP ongoing early intelligence from which to assess and prioritise medicines that can benefit from tailored support towards licensing and adoption into the NHS. We believe this project would also provide valuable insights into innovation trends, gaps, and areas of unmet medical need and highlight opportunities for further research to improve patient health outcomes.