Early clinical candidates, such as EZN-3042 and ALN-VSP, achieved target engagement and biological activity, while limitations included variable tumour uptake, dose-limiting toxicities, and complex pharmacokinetic behaviour. Translation to clinical practice will depend on optimised delivery platforms, reproducible pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic synchronisation, and rigorous evaluation of safety and off-target effects. Overall, current evidence highlights substantial potential for siRNA-drug co-delivery while emphasizing key challenges to overcome in achieving durable clinically meaningful outcomes.

Molecular docking and dynamics simulations demonstrated that compounds 8 and 16 form stable complexes with the Eg5 protein through multiple hydrogen bonds, which was further validated by thermal shift assays. Collectively, these findings indicate that compounds 8 and 16 induce apoptosis in A549 cells by selectively targeting and stabilizing Eg5, highlighting their potential as lead candidates for lung cancer therapy.

Arry520 exhibits efficiently therapeutic effects on gastric cancer in tumour organoid models, cell-derived xenografts and patient-derived xenografts (PDX) in mice. Collectively, our findings provide evidence for the oncogenic properties of the mitotic protein Eg5 and identify Arry520 as a promising strategy to combat gastric cancer.

Existing drugs, such as ispinesib, are limited by side effects and multidrug resistance...Our findings identified Mol-121026 as a top candidate with a docking score of -10.2 kcal/mol and MM/GBSA binding energy of -19.10 kcal/mol. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed stable interactions with key residues GLU116 and GLU118, supporting its potential as a promising KIF11 inhibitor.

Four chemotherapy agents were chosen as priority hits for mechanistic follow-up due to their ability to enhance T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity at multiple doses and multiple time points: paclitaxel, bleomycin sulfate, ispinesib, and etoposide. Based on the ability to increase tumor cell susceptibility to T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity while minimizing T-cell toxicity, bleomycin was identified as the most promising lead candidate. Overall, the results of these studies provide mechanistic insight into potential new chemotherapy partners to enhance anti-PD-1 efficacy in TNBC patients.

Treating glioblastomas with the spindle inhibitors ispinesib, alisertib, or volasertib creates a subpopulation of therapy induced senescent cells that resist these drugs by relying upon the anti-apoptotic and metabolic effects of activated STAT3. Targeting STAT3 restores sensitivity to each of these drugs by depleting the senescent subpopulation and inducing quiescent cells to enter the mitotic cycle. These results support a therapeutic strategy of targeting STAT3-dependent therapy-induced senescence to enhance the efficacy of spindle inhibitors for the treatment of glioblastoma.

We analyzed the effects of co-treating OSCC cells with small molecules targeting MPS-1 (BAY1217389), Aurora-B (Barasertib), or KSP (Ispinesib), alongside Cetuximab. Additionally, we examined EGFR, MPS-1, Aurora-B, and KSP expression in OSCC patient samples, revealing their clinicopathologic significance. This combinatorial approach suggests a promising strategy to improve treatment outcomes in OSCC.

Mechanistically, we revealed MG53's transcriptional control over KIF11, leading to cell cycle arrest. Our findings position MG53 as a promising tumor suppressor in PDAC, offering a novel avenue for therapeutic intervention by regulating KIF11 expression.

Treating glioblastomas with the spindle inhibitors ispinesib, alisertib, or volasertib creates a subpopulation of therapy induced senescent cells that resist these drugs by relying upon the anti-apoptotic and metabolic effects of activated STAT3. These results support a therapeutic strategy of targeting STAT3-dependent therapy-induced senescence to enhance the efficacy of spindle inhibitors for the treatment of glioblastoma. • Resistance to non-microtubule spindle inhibitors limits their efficacy in glioblastoma and depends on STAT3.• Resistance goes hand in hand with development of therapy induced senescence (TIS).• Spindle inhibitor resistant glioblastomas consist of three cell subpopulations-proliferative, quiescent, and TIS-with proliferative cells sensitive and quiescent and TIS cells resistant.• TIS cells secrete TGFβ, which induces proliferative cells to become quiescent, thereby expanding the population of resistant cells in a spindle inhibitor resistant glioblastoma• Treatment with a STAT3 inhibitor kills TIS cells and restores sensitivity to spindle inhibitors.

Here, we investigated the impact of inhibiting anti-apoptotic signals with the BH3-mimetic Navitoclax in oral cancer cells treated with the selective KSP inhibitor, Ispinesib, or AurB inhibitor, Barasertib, aiming to potentiate cell death. A mechanistic analysis underlying this synergistic activity, undertaken by live-cell imaging, is presented. Our data underscore the importance of combining BH3-mimetics with antimitotics in clinical trials to maximize their effectiveness.

Moreover, treatment of human ex vivo GBM slices with ispinesib demonstrates phenotypic alignment with in vitro responses, underscoring the clinical relevance of our findings. Finally, using retrospective lineage tracing, we identify drugs that are synergistic with ispinesib.

Combinational targeting of kinesins (ispinesib) with cabazitaxel was more effective than single monotherapies in inducing cell death in resistant prostate tumors. Implications: Our findings are of translational significance in identifying kinesin as a novel target of cross-resistance, towards enhancing therapeutic vulnerability and improved clinical outcomes in patients with advanced prostate cancer.