Fingolimod (FTY720): A Recently Approved Multiple Sclerosis Drug Based on a Fungal Secondary Metabolite

Fingolimod (Gilenya; FTY720), a synthetic compound based on the fungal secondary metabolite myriocin (ISP-I), is, a potent immunosuppressant that was approved (September 2010) by the U.S. FDA as a. new treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). Fingolimod was synthesized by the research group of Tetsuro Fujita at Kyoto University in 1992 while investigating structure activity relationships of derivatives of the fungal metabolite ISP-I, isolated from Isaria sinclairii. Fingolimod becomes active in vivo following phosphorylation, by sphingosine kinase 2 to form fingolimod-phosphate, which binds to:extracellular G protein-coupled receptors, sphingosine 1-phosphates, and prevents the release of lymphocytes from lymphoid tissue. Fingolimod is orally,active, which is unique among current first-line MS therapies, and it has the potential to be used. in the treatment of organ transplants' and cancer This review highlights the discovery and development of fingolimod, from an isolated lead natural product, through synthetic analogues; to an approved drug.