At iDR26, Nikoleta Efthymiopoulou, REMEDi4ALL Scientific Project Management Assistant, presented a poster exploring the prevalence and impact of repurposing across modern drug development. We spoke with her about the research, key findings, and her experience presenting at the conference.
What was the title and main focus of your poster?
Our poster was titled “Drug repurposing is omnipresent in drug development, yet with untapped potential.” The aim was to challenge the perception that drug repurposing is a niche or rare phenomenon and instead highlight that it is already a fundamental part of modern drug development. We wanted to demonstrate how frequently repurposing occurs and explore the opportunities to leverage it more strategically, particularly for rare and neglected diseases where unmet medical needs remain high.
What’s one key finding or insight you hope others will take away from your work?
One of the most striking findings was that approximately one-third of all approved medicines have been repurposed at some point during their development lifecycle. Among these, around one-third were classified as unanticipated, or “hard” repurposing cases – identifying a completely new, unintended application for an existing item or compound. We also found that these hard repurposing successes were twice as likely to emerge when two or more sponsors were involved, highlighting the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing in unlocking new therapeutic opportunities.
How does your research contribute to the drug repurposing landscape?
Our research provides evidence that drug repurposing is not marginal or anecdotal, it’s already happening at scale and it could be facilitated further with better knowledge on how to navigate the repurposing journey. And here is where REMEDi4ALL comes in, through the Concierge and the Foundation we are helping to translate promising research and clinical findings into treatment for patients.
What was the most rewarding part of presenting your work at iDR26?
Presenting the poster at iDR26 was particularly rewarding because it provided an opportunity to engage directly with the global drug repurposing community and receive valuable feedback on our findings. The discussions generated new ideas and perspectives that will help shape the next steps of the research. It was also a privilege to share the work at a conference that brought together patients, researchers, clinicians, funders, industry representatives, and policymakers, all united by the goal of accelerating access to better treatments through drug repurposing.
Discover all posters presented at iDR26 including Nikoleta’s in the iDR26 Poster Pack.
