Background: Resistance of
cancer to chemo- and
radiotherapy remains a major clinical problem. This study contributes to the ongoing search for agents that can bypass this resistance by developing a novel
antimitotic theranostic. Materials and Methods: Methyl N-[5-(3'-iodobenzoyl)-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl]
carbamates 1 and 2 were synthesized from a common precursor 3 or its 3'-stannylated derivative. The cytotoxicity of compound 1 was evaluated in several
neuroblastoma and
glioblastoma cell lines and in the NCI 60-cell assay. Biodistribution was conducted in mice after
oral administration of compound 2 to determine tissue and brain uptake. Result: Lethal concentrations (LC50s) of compound 1 in
neuroblastoma and
glioblastoma are >15 × lower compared with compound 3, a drug currently tested in clinical studies in pediatric and adult
brain tumors. Growth inhibition concentrations (GI50) are in the nanomolar range in 60
cancer cell lines. When compound 1 is combined with a 4-Gy dose of radiation, <0.5% of cells retain their reproductive integrity. Increased hydrophobicity of new agents greatly enhances their brain uptake after
oral administration. Conclusions: Compound 1 is potently cytotoxic in a wide range of human
cancer cell lines. Its structure allows incorporation of imaging and therapeutic
radionuclides. It is therefore expected that compound 1 can be developed into a novel
theranostic modality across a wide range of
malignancies.