Identification of Established Drugs for Contemporary Indications: A Hospital Based Study

Atla Sai Keshava Reddy; Madhan Mohan Immadi; Sree Dharani Nese; Aswini Ubbala; U. Kalyan Kumar; Rajan Ethiraj Ugandar

doi:10.31632/ijalsr.2025.v08i01.007

Atla Sai Keshava Reddy Department of Pharmacy Practice, Santhiram College of Pharmacy, Nandyal 518501, Andhra Pradesh, India https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3317-6581
Madhan Mohan Immadi Department of Pharmacy Practice, Santhiram College of Pharmacy, Nandyal 518501, Andhra Pradesh, India https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4111-8394
Sree Dharani Nese Department of Pharmacy Practice, Santhiram College of Pharmacy, Nandyal 518501, Andhra Pradesh, India https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1986-0913
Aswini Ubbala Department of Pharmacy Practice, Santhiram College of Pharmacy, Nandyal 518501, Andhra Pradesh, India https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6221-6646
U. Kalyan Kumar Department of Pharmacy Practice, Santhiram College of Pharmacy, Nandyal 518501, Andhra Pradesh, India https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7743-1646
Rajan Ethiraj Ugandar Department of Pharmacy Practice, Santhiram College of Pharmacy, Nandyal 518501, Andhra Pradesh, India

DOI https://doi.org/10.31632/ijalsr.2025.v08i01.007

Abstract

Drug repurposing offers a cost-effective and time-efficient alternative to traditional drug development by identifying new therapeutic uses for established drugs. This study aimed to identify established drugs with potential new indications, examine changes in drug categories, and observe variations in dosage and frequency. A cross-sectional study was conducted over six months at Santhiram Medical College and General Hospital, Nandyala, across multiple specialised departments, including Neurology, Cardiology, and Gastroenterology. Patients aged 18–60 years were included, and 157 case files were analysed. Prescriptions were cross-referenced with subjective and objective evidence, excluding those aligned with either. The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee (Ref. No. IEC/SRMC/SRCP/RESEARCH/006/2023, dated 29.08.2023). The results identified nine contemporary-indicated drugs, with Aspirin (27.39%) and Dapagliflozin (21.01%) being the most frequent. Seven drugs, including Atorvastatin, Gabapentin, Levetiracetam, and Flupirtine maleate, showed changes in indication categories, while Sildenafil and Tadalafil retained their original categories. Aspirin demonstrated dosage modifications, and both Aspirin and Sildenafil displayed changes in frequency between old and new indications. The findings revealed notable shifts in categorisation, dosage, and frequency, offering insights into the evolving therapeutic roles of these drugs. In conclusion, this study highlights the potential of drug repurposing, identifying promising candidates for new indications and emphasising the need for further clinical validation to ensure safety and efficacy. These results provide a valuable foundation for advancing drug repurposing research to benefit healthcare systems and patients.

Keywords: Contemporary Indications, Drug Repurposing, Established Drugs

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