Fingolimod is a sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor modulator. Fingolimod is metabolized by sphingosine kinase to the active metabolite, fingolimod phosphate. Fingolimod phosphate binds at low nanomolar concentrations to sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) type 1 receptors located on lymphocytes; it readily crosses the blood-brain barrier to bind to S1P type 1 receptors located on nerve cells in the central nervous system (CNS).