New class of drug slows growth of castration-resistant prostate cancer cells

Sphingosine kinase inhibitors are a new category of drugs that act on specific enzymes involved in sphingolipid metabolism to reduce the formation of a pro-cancer, pro-inflammatory lipid signaling molecule known as sphingosine-1 phosphate (S1P). Preclinical studies showed that a first-in-class sphingosine kinase 2 inhibitor slowed growth of aggressive prostate cancer cells.