KU-32 is a novel and novobiocin-based Hsp90 inhibitor. It can protect against neuronal cell death.

KU-32 protects against glucose-induced death of embryonic DRG (dorsal root ganglia) neurons cultured for 3 days in vitro. Treating human islets with KU-32 for 24 hours displays no toxicity. KU-32 improves cellular viability by blocking apoptosis, with a minimum of 2-day exposure. When preincubate in KU-32, isolated human islets release more glucose-stimulated insulin [1] [2].

Administered with KU-32 (10 weeks; diabetic BKS-db/db mice) do not display any obvious changes in blood glucose and insulin levels, despite having greater insulin staining/beta cells in the pancreas compared to untreated BKS db/db mice[1].