Irosustat
chemical compound
Irosustat (INNTooltip International Nonproprietary Name, USANTooltip United States Adopted Name; developmental code names STX-64, 667-coumate, BN-83495; also known as oristusane) is an orally active, irreversible, nonsteroidal inhibitor of steroid sulfatase (STS) and member of the aryl sulfamate ester class of drugs that was under development by Sterix Ltd and Ipsen for the treatment of hormone-sensitive cancers such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, and endometrial cancer but has not yet been marketed. The drug was first designed and synthesized in the group of Professor Barry V L Potter at the Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology, University of Bath, working together with Professor Michael J. Reed at Imperial College, London and its initial development was undertaken through the university spin-out company Sterix Ltd and overseen by Cancer Research UK (CRUK). Results of the "first-in-class" clinical trial in breast cancer of an STS inhibitor in humans were published in 2006 and dose optimisation studies and further clinical data have been reported.
Mechanism of action
By inhibiting STS, irosustat prevents the conversion of hormonally inactive steroid sulfates such as DHEA sulfate (DHEA-S) and estrone sulfate (E1S) into their respective active forms, DHEATooltip dehydroepiandrosterone and estrone (which, in turn, can be transformed into more potent androgens and estrogens, respectively).
The X-ray crystal structure of the drug bound to CAII has been determined.
Pharmacokinetics
Despite Irosustat being quickly degraded in plasma ex vivo, this is prevented in vivo by its sequestration almost completely inside red blood cells after oral administration, being bound to carbonic anhydrase II (CA II) like its parent steroidal sulfamate ester E2MATE and thus avoiding first pass metabolism.
Clinical development
In 2004 Sterix Ltd was acquired by Ipsen and Irosustat continued in development through formal academic-industry partnerships by Ipsen with the University of Bath and Imperial College. The drug reached phase II clinical trials in women with hormone-dependent breast cancer and endometrial cancer prior to the discontinuation of its initial development by Ipsen as a monotherapy for endometrial cancer in women with advanced/metastatic or recurrent estrogen-receptor positive endometrial cancer after a futility analysis of trial data. Results published in 2017 showed clinical activity and a good safety profile for Irosustat, with 36% of patients on Irosustat alive without progression at 6 months; 11% showed responses and there was more stable disease noted (47%) compared to the current therapy (32%), the progestin megestrol acetate (MA). However, overall there were no statistically significant differences between Irosustat and the current standard of care MA in response and survival rates.
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