ceramide C2 + ceramide C6

Ceramide C2/C6 is a topical formulation containing a 1:1 mixture of the short-chain ceramides N-acetylsphingosine (C2) and N-hexanoylsphingosine (C6). Developed by the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, this small molecule therapy was investigated for the treatment of cutaneous breast cancer. The drug's mechanism of action involves the induction of apoptosis (programmed cell death) in tumor cells, as ceramides are key regulatory lipids in the sphingolipid signaling pathway. In a Phase II clinical trial (NCT00008320), a 1% topical cream was applied twice daily to patients with refractory cutaneous breast cancer. However, the study demonstrated minimal clinical efficacy, with only a 4% partial response rate and a median progression-free survival of 2 months. Consequently, the development of this specific formulation and route of administration was not pursued further.

Other names

C2/C6 ceramidetopical ceramide C2/C6short-chain ceramides C2 and C6