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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – Scientists at the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Medicine have developed a groundbreaking artificial intelligence (AI) tool, LogiRx, that promises to revolutionize drug development by predicting how medications impact the body at a cellular level. This innovative tool goes beyond simply identifying potential patient benefits, delving into the intricate mechanisms of drug action within cells.
The researchers demonstrated LogiRx’s capabilities by uncovering a potential new use for the antidepressant escitalopram (Lexapro) in preventing heart failure, a leading cause of death worldwide. Their findings, published in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, highlight the tool’s ability to identify “off-target” drug effects that could have significant therapeutic implications.
“AI needs to move from detecting patterns to generating understanding,” explained UVA’s Jeffrey J. Saucerman, Ph.D. “Our LogiRx tool helps us identify not just which drugs can be repurposed for heart disease but how they work in the heart.”
Heart failure, characterized by the overgrowth of heart muscle cells (cardiac hypertrophy), claims over 400,000 American lives annually. The UVA team utilized LogiRx to analyze 62 drugs previously considered promising for preventing cardiac hypertrophy. The AI tool successfully predicted beneficial “off-target” effects for seven of these drugs, with two confirmed through laboratory testing.
Further validation involved analyzing patient data, which revealed that individuals taking escitalopram exhibited a significantly lower risk of developing cardiac hypertrophy. “LogiRx identifies unexpected new uses for old drugs that are already shown to be safe in humans,” said Taylor Eggertsen, a Ph.D. student at UVA’s Department of Biomedical Engineering. “This tool can help researchers explore new patient populations that could benefit from a drug or to avoid unwanted side effects.”
While further laboratory research and clinical trials are essential before escitalopram can be prescribed for heart health, the potential of LogiRx to accelerate drug development for various medical conditions is immense.
“AI is accelerating many aspects of drug development, but it has made less progress in providing the required understanding of how these drugs work in the body,” Saucerman stated. “LogiRx is a step towards combining AI with existing knowledge of how cells work to find new uses for old drugs.”
The research team included Eggertsen, Joshua G. Travers, Elizabeth J. Hardy, Matthew J. Wolf, Timothy A. McKinsey, and Saucerman. The scientists report no financial interests in the work.
More information: Taylor G. Eggertsen et al., Logic-based machine learning predicts how escitalopram attenuates cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2420499122
Disclaimer: This news article is based on the provided information and should not be taken as medical advice. The findings discussed are preliminary and require further research and clinical trials before any changes in medical practice should be considered. Consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any decisions related to your health or treatment.
