Current Research

50 Active Trials at 38 Institutions in 35 Diseases in 12 Countries

 

Researchers work on current repurposing research projectsWe support investigator-initiated repurposing research projects in any unsolved disease including cardio, neuro, oncology, ophthalmic, vascular and rare diseases in pediatrics and adults. We support projects from accredited academic and nonprofit research institutions and large group medical practices located anywhere in the world. Our Impact Awards support early-stage companies bringing a repurposed treatment to market.

We take an impact philanthropy approach that prioritizes patient when selecting repurposing research projects. We support both philanthropic projects, which have little or no commercial value but have critical value to patients, as well as commercial projects, which industry may bring to regulatory approval and then to market. Our proof-of-concept funding of repurposing projects allows researchers and clinicians to leverage positive data into follow-on funding.

Our current projects were selected through a two-stage submission process. Applicants submit a Letter of Intent (LOI), and the top-scoring LOIs are typically invited to submit a more detailed proposal.  Both the LOIs and proposals are reviewed by an external, volunteer Grant Review Committee which represents academia and other nonprofit research institutions, industry, clinicians and the patient/community voice. This committee helps staff and the Science Advisory Board select the strongest projects for funding. Our customized approach allows donors to be as involved in the entire process as desired.

The diversity of our current projects reflects our disease-agnostic, patient-first approach:

  • more than 75% adult, less than 25% pediatric
  • more than 85% clinical, less than 15% pre-clinical
  • more than 75% drug, less than 25% device or other
  • more than 75% US-based, less than 25% outside of the US

Click HERE to see a map of our ongoing research projects!

 

Current Repurposing Research Projects

DISEASE AREAINSTITUTIONLEAD RESEARCHERPROJECT NAMETYPEOTHERSTATUS
Cardio/NeuroUniversity of California San FranciscoDr. AmorimTesting the Epilepsy Drug Perampanel to Prevent Seizures After Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation *DrugAdultStarted 2023
DermatologyUniversity of AntananarivoDr. Rapelanoro RabenjaEffect of methotrexate as a treatment for moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in Madagascar
DrugAdultStarted 2023
Ear Nose ThroatHouse Institute FoundationDr. Derebery - Researcher Spotlight available hereReducing vertigo and hearing loss in Meniere’s disease by repurposing a common allergy drugDrugAdultIn Process
Ear Nose Throatibs.GRANADA Dr. Gallego-MartinezSearching for Pharmacogenetic Targets in Meniere’s Disease PatientsDrugPre-ClinicalStarted 2022
Ear Nose ThroatDent Neurologic Institute Dr. ZhangCombining an anti-epileptic drug  with an anti-anxiety drug to treat the inner ear disorder Meniere’s diseaseDrugAdultIn Process
Ear Nose ThroatUniversity Hospital of MunichDr. ZwergalIdentifying a Potential Biomarker and Repurposed Migraine Treatment in Meniere’s diseaseDrugAdultStarted 2022
Ear Nose ThroatUniversity Hospital of MunichDrs. Zwergal and FilippopulosTreating Vestibular Neuritis Symptoms with a Thyroid Hormone
DrugAdultStarted 2024
Ear Nose ThroatUniversity of Illinois ChicagoDrs. Lee and PerezTreating Chronic Sinus Inflammation with a Probiotic Sinus Wash
NutraceuticalAdultStarted 2024
Ear Nose ThroatYale UniversityDr. NavaratnamInvestigating the Effects of Blocking Immune Disease Pathways in Meniere’s Disease
DrugPre-ClinicalStarted 2024
Immune Disorder/RareCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical CenterDr. Abonia
- Researcher Spotlight available here
Repurposing a Rare Disease Treatment for the Immune Disorder Eosinophilic EsophagitisDrugAdultStarted 2022
Immune Disorder/RareSt. Jude Children’s Research HospitalDr. Nichols - Researcher Spotlight available hereRepurposing a Blood Cancer Drug to Treat an Immune Disorder (HLH) in Children *Drug PediatricIn Process
Infectious DiseaseGeorge Washington University, Universidad El BosqueDr. Chang - Researcher Spotlight available hereRepurposing a Flu Treatment for Severe Dengue Patients in ColombiaDrugPediatricIn Process
Infectious DiseaseUniversité d'Abomey-CalaviDr. JohnsonAdding Beta-lactam Antibiotics to Shorten Buruli Ulcer Disease Therapy in Benin
DrugPediatric / AdultStarted 2024
Infectious DiseaseUniversity of ChicagoDr. Meltzer - Researcher Spotlight available hereCan Vitamin D Reduce the Burden of COVID-19 in Chicago?NutraceuticalAdultIn Process
Infectious Disease/RareInternational Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, BangladeshDr. MondalAssessing Safety and Efficacy of Oral Ivermectin in Post Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis TreatmentDrugAdultStarted 2023
Inflammatory DiseaseSIDS Hospital and Research CentreDr. Mehta - Researcher Spotlight available hereCombining the Cholesterol-Lowering Drug Simvastatin with N-Acetylcysteine for Chronic Pancreatitis in IndiaDrugAdultStarted 2022
Liver Disease/RareVietnam National Children’s Hospital/Big Leap ResearchDr. Nguyen - Researcher Spotlight available hereImproving Outcomes for the Rare Liver Disease Biliary Atresia with a Cancer Drug in VietnamDrugPediatricIn Process
Maternal HealthBusitema University Faculty of Health SciencesDr. MusabaUsing Sodium Bicarbonate to Reduce Maternal / Fetal Death from Acidosis During Obstructed Labor
DrugPediatric / AdultStarted 2024
NeuroUniversity of California, Los AngelesDr. AckermanTesting a Repurposed Device to Improve the Treatment of Chronic Pelvic Pain in WomenDeviceAdultStarted 2022
NeuroEdward Hines Jr VA Hospital and CARESDr. Bender PapeUsing an Approved Depression Treatment to Restore Cognitive Function in Veterans with Mild TBI and PTSDDeviceAdultStarted 2022
NeuroAdvocate Health CareDr. BurekTesting a Low-Dose of the Hypertension Drug Clonidine for PTSD in VeteransDrugAdultStarted 2022
Neuro Virginia Commonwealth UniversityDr. BjorkDaily Rotigotine Patch to Enhance Behavioral Therapy for Cocaine Use Disorder Recovery in Veterans
DrugAdultStarted 2024
NeuroUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillDr. LinnstaedtEstrogen to Prevent Chronic Pain and PTSD Following Sexual AssaultDrugAdultStarted 2023
NeuroUniversity of ZambiaDr. ZimbaTesting an Antihypertensive Drug as an Add-On Therapy for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy Patients in Zambia
DrugAdultStarted 2023
Neuro/RareEdward Hines Jr. VA Hospital and CARESDr. KletzelImproving cognitive function in Veterans with atypical parkinsonism with rTMS brain stimulation
DeviceAdultStarted 2024
Neuro/Infectious DiseaseEmory University School of MedicineDr. McKenzie-Brown - Researcher Spotlight available hereAddressing Chronic Pain in HIV Patients with an Approved Addiction TreatmentDrugAdultStarted 2022
OncologyUniversity of PittsburghDr. DavarReducing Immune-Related Adverse Events by Adding Oral FMT to Solid Tumor Cancer Treatment
OtherAdultStarted 2024
OncologyUniversity of Illinois ChicagoDr. IbraheemUsing a Generic Drug Combination in Early-Stage Hormone Receptor Positive Breast Cancer Patients
DrugAdultStarted 2023
OncologyUniversity of Illinois ChicagoDr. ReizineGlycyrrhizin in Prostate Cancer: A Window-of-Opportunity Clinical Trial
NutraceuticalAdultStarted 2024
OncologyUniversity of Colorado, Anschutz Medical CampusDr. AppiahReducing Side Effects of Breast Cancer Treatments with Oxytocin
DrugAdultStarted 2024
Oncology/RareUniversity of California, IrvineDr. Fleischman - Researcher Spotlight available hereTreating a Group of Rare Blood Cancers, Myeloproliferative Neoplasms, with N-Acetylcysteine *DrugAdultIn Process
Oncology/RareUniversity of MichiganDr. GhoshReducing CAR T-cell therapy complications in relapsed lymphoma patients by adding natalizumab
DrugAdultStarted 2023
Oncology/RareThe University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterDr. Gordon
- Researcher Spotlight available here
Enhancing Treatment Response in Recurrent/Metastatic Osteosarcoma with Hydroxychloroquine *DrugPediatricIn Process
Oncology/RareBrown University / Rhode Island HospitalDr. Holder Repurposing the Prostate Cancer Drug Degarelix to Treat Bladder Cancer *DrugAdultStarted 2023
Oncology/RareUniversity of PittsburghDr. ItoInvestigating a Rare Disease Drug to Treat AML and MDS Patients with Post-Stem Cell Transplant RelapseDrugAdultStarted 2023
Oncology/RareLoyola University Medical CenterDr. Liotta
- Researcher Spotlight available here
Repurposing the Blood Pressure Drug Minoxidil for the Treatment of Recurrent Chemo-Resistant Ovarian Cancer and Other Gynecological CancersDrugAdultIn Process
Oncology/RareMuhimbili University Health and Allied SciencesDr. MalicheweTesting a Generic Drug Combination to Treat AML in Tanzania
DrugAdultStarted 2024
Oncology/RareUniversity Hospital College IbadanDr. Ntekim
- Researcher Spotlight available here
Adding the Antibiotic Clofazimine to Chemotherapy for Triple Negative Breast Cancer in NigeriaDrugAdultStarted 2022
Oncology/RareThe University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CenterDr. OhanianAdding Metal Detoxification Drugs to Improve Childhood AML and Other Blood Cancer OutcomesDrugPediatricStarted 2023
Oncology/RareCity of HopeDr. Phillips - Researcher Spotlight available hereRepurposing Venetoclax and Glofitamab to Improve Patient Response in Mantle Cell LymphomaDrugAdultStarted 2023
Oncology/RareUniversity of Illinois ChicagoDr. Sims - Researcher Spotlight available hereRepurposing a Diagnostic Device to Address Health Disparities in Esophageal Cancer Screening and OutcomesDevice / DiagosticAdultStarted 2022
Oncology/RareChildren’s Hospital of PhiladelphiaDr. Seif - Researcher Spotlight available herePreventing Relapse After Bone Marrow Transplant in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) with a Personalized TreatmentDrug PediatricIn Process
Oncology/RareEmory University School of MedicineDr. RomancikCombining Approved Drugs for Alcoholism and Cancer to Treat Diffuse Large B-cell LymphomaDrugAdultStarted 2023
Oncology/RareBrigham Young UniversityDr. WattTreating Anemia in Myelofibrosis with Nelfinavir
DrugAdultStarted 2023
Oncology/RareColorado State UniversityDr. ReganEvaluating an Approved Drug Combination Plus Immunotherapy in Canine Metastatic Osteosarcoma
DrugPre-ClinicalStarted 2023
Ophthalmic/RareUniversity of MichiganDr. ZacksTesting a Generic Malarial Drug in a Rare Ophthalmic Condition, Retinitis Pigmentosa DrugAdultIn Process
RareGlobal Health Uganda LtdDr. NamazziAdding Zinc to Reduce Sickle Cell Anemia-related Infections in Ugandan ChildrenNutraceuticalPediatricStarted 2024
RareUniversity of ChicagoDr. WesevichTesting a Low-Dose Anti-inflammatory Drug Tocilizumab for Acute Chest Syndrome in Sickle Cell DiseaseDrugAdult and PediatricStarted 2023
RareChildren's National Research InstituteDr. ShurUsing Steroids to Improve Rhabdomyolysis Outcomes in Pediatric PatientsDrugPediatricStarted 2023
Rare/VascularStanford UniversityDr. Teng - Researcher Spotlight available hereTreating Vascular Malformations Using the Cancer Drug Trametinib *DrugPediatricIn Process

*CureAccelerator Live! winner