Aurora kinase inhibitors as anti-cancer therapy

Aurora kinases are serine and threonine kinases that function as key regulators of the mitosis process. There are three distint human aurora kinases known as Aurora A, Aurora B, and Aurora C. Aurora A and Aurora B are overexpressed in a number of human cancers including non-small cell lung cancer, glioblastomas, and upper gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas. Given their association with tumorigenesis, both Aurora A and Aurora B have been targeted for cancer therapy. Currently, a number of selective and nonselective aurora kinase inhibitors are being tested in preclinical and clinical settings as anti-tumor agents. We review the biology of human aurora kinases, followed by an overview of inhibitors undergoing current clinical investigations. Anti-Cancer Drugs 21: 339-350 (C) 2010 Wolters Kluwer Health vertical bar Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.