CBL0137, a metabolically stable curaxin, activates p53 (EC50: 0.37 μM) and inhibits NF-κB (EC50: 0.47 μM). It functionally inactivates the facilitates chromatin transcription complex (FACT), driving the effects on p53 and NF-κB and promoting cancer cell death. CBL0137 has broad anticancer activity in mice when administered orally, eradicates drug-resistant cancer stem cells, and potentiates the efficacy of gemcitabine in preClinicalal models of pancreatic cancer.