Foscenvivint (ICG-001)

Foscenvivint (ICG-001) antagonizes Wnt/β-catenin/TCF-mediated transcription and specifically binds to CREB-binding protein (CBP) with IC50 of 3 μM, but is not the related transcriptional coactivator p300. ICG-001 induces apoptosis.

ICG-001 has no effect on the related reporter construct, FOPFLASH, which contains mutated TCF sites. After treatment with 25μM of ICG-001 for 8 hours, SW480 cell reduces the steady-state levels of Survivin and Cyclin D1 RNA and protein, both of which can be up-regulated by β-catenin. ICG-001 selectively induces apoptosis in transformed cells but not in normal colon cells, reduces in vitro growth of colon carcinoma cells. [1] ICG-001, can phenotypically rescue normal nerve growth factor (NGF) -induced neuronal differentiation and neurite outgrowth in the presenilin-1 mutant cells, emphasizing the importance of the TCF/β-catenin signaling pathway on neurite outgrowth and neuronal differentiation. [2] A recent study demonstrates that 5μM ICG-001 inhibits leptin-induced EMT, invasion and tumorsphere formation in MCF7 cells. [3]

Administration of a water-soluble analog of ICG-001 for 9 weeks reduces the formation of colon and small intestinal polyps by 42% as effectively as the nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agent Sulindac, which has consistently demonstrated efficacy in this model. No overt toxicity is detected throughout the course of treatment. In the SW620 nude mouse xenograft model of tumor regression, 150 mg/kg, i.v. of analog demonstrates a dramatic reduction in tumor volume over the 19-day course of treatment, with no mortality or weight loss. [1] ICG-001 (5 mg/kg per day) significantly inhibits beta-catenin signaling and attenuates bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in mice, while concurrently preserving the epithelium. [4]

[1] Emami KH, et al, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 2004, 101(34), 12682-12687. [2] Teo JL, et al, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 2005, 102(34), 12171-12176. [3] Yan D, et al, J Biol Chem, 2012, 287(11), 8598-8612.