Repurposed Molecules: A New Hope in Tackling Neglected Infectious Diseases

Abstract Neglected infectious diseases (NIDs) are a group of chronic, debilitating, and poverty-promoting diseases, which include parasitic, bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. Current treatments are far from optimal due to major limitations, ranging from high levels of drug toxicity to the emergence and spread of drug-resistant strains. In addition, drug discovery is presently a major obstacle in the control of these diseases. NIDs are a heterogeneous group of pathogens that have been traditionally abandoned in terms of funding and policy, leading to a sparse and obsolete pharmacopeia. In this chapter, we explore and discuss the current situation of NIDs globally, as well as different drug-repurposing strategies—with a particular focus on in silico approaches that can be implemented in current and future pipelines aiming to develop more effective anti-NIDs. We also provide information pertaining to potential drug repurposing candidates for NIDs revealed by computer-aided methods detailed in the most recent literature.