First synthesized in 1992 by Yoshitomi Pharmaceuticals, fingolimod was derived from an immunosuppressive natural product, myriocin (ISP-I) through chemical modification. Myriocin was isolated from the culture broth a type of entomopathogenic fungus ("Isaria sinclairii") that was an eternal youth nostrum in traditional Chinese medicine. Showing positive results in both "in vitro" (mixed lymphocyte reaction) and "in vivo" screening (prolonging rat skin graft survival time), myriocin was modified through a series of steps to yield fingolimod, code named at the time FTY720. A recent review highlights the synthetic methods, mode of action and potential applications of this molecule.