Abstract
Taxol is a powerful and complex anti-cancer compound that was first isolated from the bark of the Pacific yew Taxus brevifolia. Although it offered huge potential as an anti-cancer agent, it experienced a long development period, attributed to by its low availability from its traditional source. Research into alternate sources and methods of production for Taxol have been crucial in meeting with demand for the drug. Three main avenues of research have resulted. Firstly, chemical syntheses of this complex diterpene consist of multiple steps and are not economically feasible due to their low yield. Developments have therefore concentrated on enhancing production in vivo. Efforts have been made to understand the enzymatic steps involved in the synthesis within the yew and innovations to produce Taxol and Taxol-like substances in high yield from cell cultures of Taxus species. An alternative stream of research focuses on endophytes as the producer of Taxol. Endophytes can be isolated from the yew tree and produce Taxol in culture. Encouraging findings with endophytes resulted in much interest in the prospect of using endophytes as the producer of Taxol and Taxol-like substances. This review also discusses patents and the future prospects of each of the main streams of production.
Keywords: Taxol, anti-cancer agents, endophyte, diterpene
Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery
Title: Development of Taxol and Other Endophyte Produced Anti-Cancer Agents
Volume: 3 Issue: 1
Author(s): Daniel M.Y. Sze, Kristin Miller and Brett Neilan
Affiliation:
Keywords: Taxol, anti-cancer agents, endophyte, diterpene
Abstract: Taxol is a powerful and complex anti-cancer compound that was first isolated from the bark of the Pacific yew Taxus brevifolia. Although it offered huge potential as an anti-cancer agent, it experienced a long development period, attributed to by its low availability from its traditional source. Research into alternate sources and methods of production for Taxol have been crucial in meeting with demand for the drug. Three main avenues of research have resulted. Firstly, chemical syntheses of this complex diterpene consist of multiple steps and are not economically feasible due to their low yield. Developments have therefore concentrated on enhancing production in vivo. Efforts have been made to understand the enzymatic steps involved in the synthesis within the yew and innovations to produce Taxol and Taxol-like substances in high yield from cell cultures of Taxus species. An alternative stream of research focuses on endophytes as the producer of Taxol. Endophytes can be isolated from the yew tree and produce Taxol in culture. Encouraging findings with endophytes resulted in much interest in the prospect of using endophytes as the producer of Taxol and Taxol-like substances. This review also discusses patents and the future prospects of each of the main streams of production.
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Cite this article as:
Sze M.Y. Daniel, Miller Kristin and Neilan Brett, Development of Taxol and Other Endophyte Produced Anti-Cancer Agents, Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery 2008; 3 (1) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157489208783478685
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157489208783478685 |
Print ISSN 1574-8928 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 2212-3970 |
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