Can We Teach Old Drugs New Tricks? Repurposing Neuropharmacological Drugs for Inflammatory Skin Diseases

The 2019 document discussed the potential of repurposing neuropharmacological drugs for treating inflammatory skin diseases. It emphasized the need for new, locally applied, anti-inflammatory drugs with better risk-benefit profiles. The paper suggested drug repurposing, using drugs with established safety in humans for other diseases, as a solution. The document used Minoxidil, originally for arterial hypertension but repurposed for androgenetic alopecia, as an example. The paper proposed that the skin's neuroendocrine system could be a target for repurposed drugs. The document also highlighted Cannabidiol (CBD) for its anti-inflammatory effects on human sebocytes and skin organ cultures, suggesting its potential for improving acne vulgaris. The researchers focused on Asimadoline and Fingolimod, which showed potential efficacy in inflammatory skin diseases. However, they noted challenges in obtaining intellectual property for repositioned drugs.