SCO-101 is a novel add-on drug that potentiates the effect of well established anti-cancer agents
Scandion Oncology’s lead compound SCO-101 has a novel dual-acting mode-of-action and is used as a combination partner with anti-cancer drugs (e.g. chemotherapy) in the treatment of cancers.
SCO-101 is a potent inhibitor of the drug efflux pump and cancer stem-cell marker ABCG2. When combined with chemotherapy, SCO-101 will increase the intracellular concentration of the cytotoxic chemotherapy leading to increased cancer cell death. Cancer cells with high levels of ABCG2 expression will be especially sensitive to this combinatory treatment.
Independently of ABCG2, SCO-101 also potently inhibits the liver enzyme UGT1A1 that metabolizes a range of approved drug substrates, including SN-38 (the active component of the cytotoxic chemotherapy irinotecan). When SCO-101 is combined with irinotecan it enhances the plasma exposure and half-life of SN-38 in an unprecedented and modular fashion.