REVIEW
J. Pharm. Pharm. Sci.
Old drugs, new weapons: current trends in repurposing therapies against antimicrobial resistance
- GS
Gatadi Srikanth 1
- NP
Niggula Praveen Kumar 2
- BS
Bhima Sridevi 3
- PB
Padma Bhavani Borra 4
- PT
Parul Thapar 5
- AW
Aabid Wani 6
1. Department of Chemistry, Gandhi Institue of Technology and Management (GITAM) Hyderabad, Telangana, India, Hyderabad, India
2. Bharat Institute of Technology, Mangalpally, Ibrahimpatnam, Hyderabad, 501510, India, Hyderabad, India
3. K L College of Pharmacy, K L Deemed to be University, Vaddeswaram, Andhra Pradesh, 522502, India, Hyderabad, India
4. Vision College of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, Boduppal, Hyderabad, 500092, Telangana, India, Hyderabad, India
5. Department of Microbiology, Parul Institute of Applied Sciences, Parul University, Vadodara, Gujarat, India, Vadodara, India
6. Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management - Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad, India
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Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a globally accelerating issue threatening the efficacy of existing treatments. Drug repurposing of approved drugs for the development of new antimicrobial agents reduces the development cost and risk. The clinical potential of repurposed medications for AMR is essential to implement coordinated strategies that encompass scientific validation and supportive regulatory frameworks. Repurposing serves as a strong method to prolong the effectiveness of current antimicrobial classes and to fill significant voids in the global AMR pipeline. The present review summarizes current trends in repurposing strategies against AMR, utilization of non-antibiotic drugs with antibacterial activity, agents that potentiate conventional antibiotics through membrane disruption or efflux pump inhibition, and host-directed therapies that modulate immune responses and combination therapies. We also highlight advances in systems pharmacology, in silico screening, and phenotypic assays that enable rational identification of repurposing candidates. Although significant regulatory and economic barriers persist, including weak intellectual property protection, limited commercial incentives, and market constraints swift attempts are being made to address the issues.
Summary
Keywords
adjuvants, antimicrobial resistance, combination therapy, Drug repurposing, pathogens
Received
30 December 2025
Accepted
20 March 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Srikanth, Praveen Kumar, Sridevi, Borra, Thapar and Wani. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Gatadi Srikanth, sgatadi@gitam.edu
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.