AURKA-IN-4 is a novel capsaicin analog that acts as an Aurora kinase A (AURKA) inhibitor. By specifically targeting AURKA in mitochondria, AURKA-IN-4 inhibits AURKA-dependent mitophagy, thereby eliminating the organelle. AURKA-IN-4 exhibits antiproliferative effects against various tumor cells and holds potential value for application in anticancer therapies that target cell cycle regulation.