MicrobeWorld

John Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, houses one of the largest public drug library available to researchers interested in finding new uses for old and often forgotten drugs. "Already, researchers have used the library to discover that itraconazole, a drug used for decades to treat toenail fungus, may also inhibit the growth of some kinds of tumors and may forestall macular degeneration. Another drug, clofazimine, used more than a century ago to treat leprosy, may be effective against autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis and psoriasis. "