squalamine squalamine squalamine is a steroid-polyamine conjugate compound with broad spectrum antimicrobial activity and anti-angiogenic activity. it was studied as a potential cancer drug and as a potential treatment for wet macular degeneration but as of 2018 had not succeeded in phase iii trials for any use. not to be confused with squalene. squalamine names iupac name (24r)-3β-(amino)-7α-hydroxycholestan-24-yl hydrogen sulfate systematic iupac name (3r,6r)-6-propyl}amino)-4-hydroxy-9a,11a-dimethylhexadecahydro-1h-cyclopentaphenanthren-1-yl]-2-methylheptan-3-yl hydrogen sulfate identifiers cas number 148717-90-2 3d model (jsmol) interactive image chembl chembl444929chembl507931 chemspider 65407 kegg c16841 pubchem cid 72495 unii f8po54z4v7 y comptox dashboard (epa) dtxsid40869971 inchi inchi=1s/c34h65n3o5s/c1-23(2)31(42-43(39,40)41)12-9-24(3)27-10-11-28-32-29(14-16-34(27,28)5)33(4)15-13-26(21-25(33)22-30(32)38)37-20-8-19-36-18-7-6-17-35/h23-32,36-38h,6-22,35h2,1-5h3,(h,39,40,41)/t24-,25-,26+,27-,28+,29+,30-,31-,32+,33+,34-/m1/s1key: uirknqlzzxalbi-msvgplkssa-ninchi=1/c34h65n3o5s/c1-23(2)31(42-43(39,40)41)12-9-24(3)27-10-11-28-32-29(14-16-34(27,28)5)33(4)15-13-26(21-25(33)22-30(32)38)37-20-8-19-36-18-7-6-17-35/h23-32,36-38h,6-22,35h2,1-5h3,(h,39,40,41)/t24-,25-,26+,27-,28+,29+,30-,31-,32+,33+,34-/m1/s1key: uirknqlzzxalbi-msvgplksbb smiles cc(c)(cc(c)1cc23(o)c4c(cc4(c)3cc12c)ncccnccccn)os(=o)(=o)o properties chemical formula c34h65n3o5s molar mass 628 g/mol except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °c , 100 kpa). infobox references pharmacology squalamine disrupts microbial membranes; the exact mechanism is not known. squalamine appears to have an anti-angiogenic effect in mammalian cells by binding to calmodulin once it is taken up by the cell; this prevents signal transduction downstream of pro-angiogenic factors like vegf. chemistry squalamine is a steroid-polyamine conjugate. it was first isolated from the liver of sharks of the genus squalus but methods to make it synthetically have been subsequently developed. research squalamine was studied as a potential drug to treat several forms of cancer and wet macular degeneration by scientists at magainin pharmaceuticals (subsequently called genaera), but the company ran out of money and closed in 2009. squalamine and some other drug assets were sold to ohr pharmaceutical for $200,000 by genaera's liquidator. it was studied in an eye drop formulation as a potential way to treat wet macular degeneration in combination with ranibizumab by ohr pharmaceuticals. a phase ii trial failed in 2015, but ohr said a subpopulation with choroidal neovascularization responded well enough to justify a phase iii trial. ohr announced that the phase iii trial had failed in january 2018.