New Journal presents techniques for finding new uses for approved drugs

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers (http://www.liebertpub.com) is pleased to announce Drug Repurposing, Rescue, and Repositioning, a dynamic new peer-reviewed journal that will present techniques and tools for finding new uses for approved drugs—particularly for disorders where no animal model, physiologic abnormality, biochemical pathway, or molecular target has been identified. The Journal will be published online with open access options and in print, and is currently under the leadership of Managing Editor Bill Ferguson, PhD.

Repurposing allows human investigation early in the drug discovery process, speeding up the development of important therapeutics. Repurposing can be an important tool in dissecting complex disorders, discovering molecular targets, and unraveling disease processes leading to therapeutic compounds for drug discovery and development. Drug "rescue" refers to research using small molecules and biologics that previously were used in studies but not further developed and submitted for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. Drug repositioning is a scientifically logical process for finding new uses for drugs in well-defined and selected patient populations. These initiatives have attracted the attention of regulators around the world; the National Institutes of Health in the United States has launched its National Center for Advancing Translational Medicine (NCATS), with the goal of promoting drug repurposing by industry. There are also several similar European and Asian initiatives already well underway.

Drug Repurposing, Rescue, and Repositioning will include original papers, application-oriented technology reviews, and reports in methodology and technology application. Timely and authoritative articles will cover topics such as: assay design, target development, high-throughput technologies, and chemistry; lab automation, sample management, bioinformatics, data mining, virtual screening, and data analysis; approaches to assays configured for gene families, inherited, and infectious diseases; assays and strategies for adapting model organisms to drug discovery; the use of stem cells as models of disease; translation of phenotypic outputs to target identification; and exploration and mechanistic studies of the technical basis for assay and screening artifacts.