Definition

An orally bioavailable inhibitor of the oncoprotein c-Met (hepatocyte growth factor receptor; HGFR), with potential antineoplastic activity. Upon oral administration, c-Met inhibitor SPH3348 targets and binds to c-Met protein, thereby disrupting c-Met-dependent signal transduction pathways. This may induce cell death in tumor cells overexpressing c-Met protein. c-Met protein is overexpressed or mutated in many tumor cell types and plays key roles in tumor cell proliferation, survival, invasion, metastasis, and tumor angiogenesis.