RePo-SUDOE: A Transnational Network for Drug Repurposing in the SUDOE Space

Abstract

[Abstract]: The development of new drugs is hindered by high failure rates, substantial costs, and prolonged timelines, highlighting the importance of drug repurposing (or drug repositioning) as a key strategy to identify new therapeutic applications for existing drugs. Despite its potential, collaboration within the SUDOE space, concerning Portugal, Spain, and France, remains limited, as evidenced by a bibliometric analysis that reveals their relatively modest contribution to global drug repurposing research in comparison to leading countries, such as China, USA, and UK. The RePo-SUDOE project aims to address this gap by bringing together diverse partners to advance drug repurposing technologies and enhance the region’s competitiveness in this field. The project includes three key objectives: (i) raising awareness and understanding of drug repurposing technologies, positioning SUDOE’s R&D centers as leaders in European research; (ii) fostering multidisciplinary collaboration and identifying opportunities for innovative drug repurposing initiatives across the SUDOE space through the establishment of a transnational network with a key focus of developing methodologies for drug repurposing for cancer treatment; (iii) creating a prototype of a three-dimensional visualization room for biological systems with virtual and augmented reality technologies to explore drug–target interactions, engaging STEAM students and researchers in immersive learning. The RePo-SUDOE project brings together diverse partners from the SUDOE space to collaborate on drug repurposing, making scientific information more accessible, and using advanced visualization technologies to strengthen the field in this geographic region.