NCIt definition : An orally available, aryladamantane compound and selective inhibitor of sphingosine
kinase-2 (SK2) with potential antineoplastic activity. Upon administration, opaganib
competitively binds to and inhibits SK2, thereby preventing the phosphorylation of
the pro-apoptotic amino alcohol sphingosine to sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), the
lipid mediator that is pro-survival and critical for immunomodulation. This may eventually
lead to the induction of apoptosis and may result in an inhibition of cell proliferation
in cancer cells overexpressing SK2. SK2 and its isoenzyme SK1 are overexpressed in
numerous cancer cell types.;