Repurposing is risk management
New medicinal entities are of course fascinating, but there is also magic around the known molecules – our trustworthy old friends. In the world of drug development, the path from discovery to approval is often long, risky, and costly. However, drug repurposing—identifying new therapeutic uses for existing drugs—offers a promising alternative. This innovative strategy not only accelerates the development process but also reduces costs and risks, making it an attractive option for bringing new treatments to patients faster.
What is Drug Repurposing?
Drug repurposing, also known as drug repositioning, is all about finding new uses for existing drugs that have already been approved by regulatory agencies for a different indications. These drugs have already passed several stages of development, including safety testing and clinical trials, and patients have been using these drugs perhaps even decades, which means their safety profiles are well-known. By bypassing some of the early and most expensive stages of drug development, repurposing can significantly reduce both time and cost.
Derisking the Development Process
One of the greatest challenges in drug development is the high rate of failure, only a very small fraction of compounds ever mature to drugs. Drug repurposing mitigates this risk because it leverages drugs that have already been tested and approved for other uses. Since these drugs are known to have a positive effect on the therapy target and their safety profiles are well established, the focus can shift to evaluating their efficacy for the new condition. This reduces the uncertainty that often accompanies the development of entirely new drugs.
Cost-Effectiveness and Speed
Developing a new drug from scratch can take over a decade and cost billions of euros. In contrast, drug repurposing can be significantly cheaper and faster usually between just five to ten years and cost a few tens of millions of euros. Since much of the preliminary research has already been done, repurposed drugs can often move faster through the clinical trials. This accelerated timeline not only saves money but also allows life-saving treatments to reach patients more quickly. Also, the manufactruing processes are established for drug substances and only drug product maybe updated or refined if needed providing significant addional savings.
Why Drug Repurposing Makes Sense
Drug repurposing is a cheaper, less risky, and a practical approach in the pharmaceutical development landscape. For patients with limited or no therapy options, drug repurposing can provide much-needed hope. By exploring the full potential of existing medications, we can develop new treatments more efficiently, improving outcomes for patients and making better use of excisting knowledge and processes . For example, the repositioning of non-oncology drugs for cancer treatment has shown promise, especially for patients with rare and / or hard to treat tumors. We at Sartar consider drug repurposing as a highly pragmatic risk management.
Mikael Maksimow, CEO