FL118, a novel camptothecin analogue, overcomes irinotecan and topotecan resistance in human tumor xenograft models

Irinotecan and topotecan are the only camptothecin analogues approved by the FDA for cancer treatment. However, inherent and/or acquired irinotecan and topotecan resistance is a challenging issue in clinical practice. In this report, we showed that FL118, a novel camptothecin analogue, effectively obliterated human xenograft tumors that acquire irinotecan and topotecan resistance. Consistent with this finding, Pharmacokinetics studies indicated that FL118 rapidly clears from circulation, while effectively accumulating in tumors with a long elimination half-life. Consistent with our previous studies on irinotecan, FL118 exhibited >= 25 fold more effectiveness than topotecan at inhibiting cancer cell growth and colony formation; we further showed that although topotecan can inhibit the expression of survivin, Mcl-1, XIAP or cIAP2, its effectiveness is about 10-100 fold weaker than FL118. Lastly, in contrast to both SN-38 (active metabolite of irinotecan) and topotecan are substrates of the efflux pump proteins P-gp/MDR1 and ABCG2/BCRP, FL118 is not a substrate of P-gp and ABCG2. Consistently, sildenafil, a multiple efflux pump inhibitor, sensitized SN-38 much more than these of the ABCG2-selective inhibitor KO143 in growth inhibition of SW620 and HCT-8 cells. In contrast, both inhibitors showed no effect on FL118 efficacy. Given that both P-gp and ABCG2 express in SW620 and HCT-8 cells and FL118 is not a substrate for P-gp and ABCG2, this suggests that FL118 appears to bypass multiple efflux pump protein-induced resistance, which may contribute to FL118 overcoming irinotecan and topotecan resistance in vivo. These new findings provide renewed perspectives for further development of FL118 for clinical applications.