Tubulin inhibitors as novel anticancer agents: an overview on patents (2013-2018)

Introduction: About 20 patents have been published from 2013 to 2018 for developing advanced cancer therapeutics by targeting tubulin polymerization. Currently, there are several tubulin inhibitors that are in the drug development pipeline for various cancers alone or in combination including antibody-conjugated drugs (ACDs).

Areas covered: Important patents focusing on the development of tubulin inhibitors published from 2013 to 2018 are covered. This review mainly focuses on the tubulin inhibitors that are being synthesized and studied in cancer research along with their structures and their phases of development in preclinical and clinical research.

Expert opinion: Regulation of microtubules is important for cell division, cell motility, intracellular transport, and cell shape maintenance. Modulating its activity proved to be very effective in various diseases including different types of cancers. Microtubules are composed of two units, namely, alpha and beta-tubulin, and modifications at these ends affect both its functions and dynamics. A number of compounds that have been designed and synthesized bearing various heterocyclic scaffolds have been proven to modulate its activity and have emerged as potent tubulin inhibitors. This encourages more to study microtubules in order to find a variety of novel, potent compounds as anticancer drugs.