RETRACTED: Vulnerability of Glioblastoma Cells to Catastrophic Vacuolization and Death Induced by a Small Molecule

Our study reported the discovery of a class of small molecules that induces the massive vacuolization and cell death of glioblastoma cells in vitro, attenuates disease progression, and prolongs survival in a glioblastoma animal model. In the process of generating additional pre-clinical data to support the transition of vacquinol-1 to the clinics, we found that we are unable to replicate the original results showing that vacquinol-1 treatment extends overall survival of mice implanted with glioblastoma cells (Figure 7U in the original paper). Retrospective histopathological analysis of the brains from the original Figure 7U in vivo study indicates that tumor growth in the meningeal compartment of mice in the control group may have contributed to the difference in survival observed between vehicle and vacquinol-treated animals. These results call into question the extent of in vivo efficacy of vacquinol-1 as a monotherapy, and we therefore believe that the responsible course of action is to retract the paper. We apologize for any inconvenience we may have caused.