Dr. Kang on the Preclinical Activity of ABC294640 in Multiple Myeloma

Yubin Kang, MD, a professor of medicine and member of Duke Cancer Institute, discusses the preclinical activity of the SK-2 inhibitor ABC294640 in multiple myeloma.

ABC294640 is a SK-2 inhibitor. In a phase I trial, investigators found that the agent downregulated M01 and cMET. When combined with venetoclax (Venclexta) in preclinical models, it showed great synergistic effect, says Kang. This activity in these preclinical models served as the basis for the phase I/II trial in myeloma, he says.

Based on these data, the agent is being tested in a phase I/II trial. The agent is related to a sphingolipid; it has the same membrane. People used to think the lipid only played a structural role, but in the last 10 to 20 years, it has been suggested that the lipid also has secondary messaging in which it also regulated cell signaling, says Kang. A paper published in Blood demonstrated that approximately 30% of patients with myeloma had upregulation on SK-2.