The present inventors discovered that the molecule pyridinylthiazolamine (PTA) specifically prevents the protein-protein interaction of hLC3 with hAtg3 in vitro and in cell based assays. The inventors have developed a novel class of PTA analogs which also prevents the protein-protein interaction of hLC3 with hAtg3 in vitro, and in cell based assays, and which can be used in prior to, or in combination with chemotherapeutic agents to treat proliferative diseases such as cancer.
