Vismodegib
Vismodegib is indicated for patients with basal-cell carcinoma (BCC) which has metastasized to other parts of the body, relapsed after surgery, or cannot be treated with surgery or radiation. The substance acts as a cyclopamine-competitive antagonist of the smoothened receptor (SMO) which is part of the Hedgehog signaling pathway. SMO inhibition causes the transcription factors GLI1 and GLI2 to remain inactive, which prevents the expression of tumor mediating genes within the hedgehog pathway. This pathway is pathogenetically relevant in more than 90% of basal-cell carcinomas. In clinical trials, common side effects included gastrointestinal disorders (nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation), muscle spasms, fatigue, hair loss, and dysgeusia (distortion of the sense of taste). The effects were mostly mild to moderate. Vismodegib has undergone several promising phase I and phase II clinical trials for its use in treating medulloblastoma.
Indication
Vismodegib (trade name Erivedge ) is a drug for the treatment of basal-cell carcinoma (BCC).