The mitotic kinesin Eg5 is critical for the assembly of the mitotic spindle and is a promising chemotherapy target. Previously, we identified S-trityl-l-cysteine as a selective inhibitor of Eg5 and developed triphenylbutanamine analogues with improved potency, favorable drug- like properties, but moderate in vivo activity. We report here their further optimization to produce extremely potent inhibitors of Eg5 (K iapp< 10 nM) with broad-spectrum activity ...
[McClelland, Robert A.; Kanagasabapathy; Banait, Narinder S.; Steenken, Steen Journal of the American Chemical Society, 1991 , vol. 113, # 3 p. 1009 - 1014]