Repurposing FDA-Approved Drugs for Emerging Infectious Diseases: Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) such as COVID-19, Ebola, Zika, and Nipah virus outbreaks continue to pose substantial threats to global public health. The time-consuming and costly process of de novo drug discovery often falls short in addressing these rapidly evolving threats. In this context, drug repurposing—identifying new therapeutic uses for FDA-approved drugs—offers a strategic and time-efficient approach. This paper explores the potential of drug repurposing in combating EIDs, analyzing its pharmacological, regulatory, and clinical implications. It also examines the methodologies used in identifying candidate drugs, such as high-throughput screening, in silico modeling, and real-world evidence from electronic health records. Despite its promise, drug repurposing presents challenges including intellectual property issues, dosage optimization, off-target effects, and limited pathogen-specific efficacy. This paper highlights notable success stories, such as remdesivir for COVID-19, while emphasizing the need for robust clinical trial frameworks and public-private collaborations. Through an integrated analysis of pharmacological data, literature, and case studies, the paper underscores that while drug repurposing cannot replace novel drug development, it is an invaluable tool in the fight against rapidly emerging pathogens.

DOI: 10.8612/37.2.2022.2