Vismodegib and Hedgehog signalling pathway

Abstract

Sonic Hedgehog signaling pathway was discovered in the nineties, especially for its implication in the development of the embryo, which led to further investigations of its molecular biology. It promotes cell division and proliferation, and its role in oncogenesis was later described, especially in the basal cell carcinoma. The development of molecules to block this pathway, in order to treat this neoplasm, came into the creation of Vismodegib, a hedgehog pathway inhibitor which proof efficacy in the treatment of metastatic and locally advanced basal cell carcinoma. Research of this pathway and its clinical implications is continuous.