CR42-24

CR42-24 is a novel small molecule colchicine derivative developed by researchers at the University of Alberta as a potential therapeutic for aggressive bladder cancer. It functions as an anti-mitotic agent by binding to unpolymerized tubulin and inhibiting microtubule polymerization. CR42-24 was specifically designed to have a high affinity for the βIII tubulin isotype (TUBB3), which is overexpressed in many metastatic and drug-resistant cancers but has low expression in healthy tissues. This selectivity aims to provide a wider therapeutic window compared to parent colchicine. In preclinical studies, CR42-24 demonstrated low nanomolar potency against various cancer cell lines and significantly improved survival in bladder cancer xenograft models, showing potential as both a monotherapy and a synergistic agent with standard chemotherapies like gemcitabine and cisplatin.