M14

M14 is a synthetic naphthoquinone-derived small molecule developed by researchers at the Federal University of Espirito Santo in Brazil. It was designed as a polyamine-depleting agent to target polyamine biosynthesis and metabolism, pathways that are frequently dysregulated in cancer to promote cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and survival while inhibiting apoptosis. In preclinical in vitro studies using the OVCAR3 ovarian cancer cell line, M14 demonstrated significant antineoplastic activity, including efficacy against cisplatin-resistant lineages. The compound effectively reduces cellular metabolic viability with an IC50 of approximately 14.5 μM, suggesting its potential as a novel therapeutic candidate for chemoresistant gynecological malignancies.