QW-5-70

QW-5-70 is a potent small molecule colchicine-binding-site inhibitor (CBSI) designed to overcome multidrug resistance in cancer. It works by binding to the colchicine site on tubulin, thereby inhibiting tubulin polymerization and disrupting microtubule networks. This leads to G2/M cell cycle arrest and mitochondrial apoptosis. A critical feature of QW-5-70 is its ability to evade P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-mediated efflux, allowing it to maintain subnanomolar potency in both parental and drug-resistant cancer cells, such as those resistant to taxanes and vincristine. Developed by researchers at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, it has shown robust antitumor activity in preclinical models of high-risk neuroblastoma and castration-resistant prostate cancer.