New microtubule/tubulin-targeted anticancer drugs and novel chemotherapeutic strategies

Abstract

The clinical success of the taxanes and the vinca alkaloids has sparked a major search for new drugs that perturb mitotic spindle microtubule dynamics and function, yielding a large number of promising compounds. A potential valuable strategy would be to use core microtubule-targeted drugs along with novel targeted drug therapies as they are developed, where the antitumor activity of a targeted drug can be combined with the power of low dose microtubule-targeted therapy. The goal of such combination therapy is to achieve high efficacy, reduced toxicity, and reduced emergence of drug resistance.