OK-1 + paclitaxel

OK-1 + paclitaxel is an investigational combination therapy consisting of the novel small molecule OK-1 (also known as SHetA2 or NSC 726189) and the microtubule-stabilizing agent paclitaxel. OK-1 was developed by Dr. Doris Benbrook at the University of Oklahoma and is a first-in-class sulfur heteroarotinoid that lacks the toxicity typically associated with traditional retinoids. It functions by binding to heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) family members, specifically mortalin (HSPA9), thereby disrupting their chaperone activity and inducing apoptosis in cancer cells. Paclitaxel is a standard-of-care taxane chemotherapy that stabilizes microtubules, leading to mitotic arrest. Preclinical models have demonstrated a synergistic anticancer effect when these two agents are combined, showing superior efficacy compared to either agent alone. The combination is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 clinical trial for patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer.

Other names

OK-1 & PaclitaxelSHetA2 + paclitaxel