382599-34-0Relevant academic research and scientific papers
Semisynthetic Maytansine analogues for the targeted treatment of cancer
Widdison, Wayne C.,Wilhelm, Sharon D.,Cavanagh, Emily E.,Whiteman, Kathleen R.,Leece, Barbara A.,Kovtun, Yelena,Goldmacher, Victor S.,Xie, Hongsheng,Steeves, Rita M.,Lutz, Robert J.,Zhao, Robert,Wang, Lintao,Bl?ttler, Walter A.,Chari, Ravi V. J.
, p. 4392 - 4408 (2007/10/03)
Maytansine, a highly cytotoxic natural product, failed as an anticancer agent in human clinical trials because of unacceptable systemic toxicity. The potent cell killing ability of maytansine can be used in a targeted delivery approach for the selective destruction of cancer cells. A series of new maytansinoids, bearing a disulfide or thiol substituent were synthesized. The chain length of the ester side chain and the degree of steric hindrance on the carbon atom bearing the thiol substituent were varied. Several of these maytansinoids were found to be even more potent in vitro than maytansine. The targeted delivery of these maytansinoids, using monoclonal antibodies, resulted in a high, specific killing of the targeted cells in vitro and remarkable antitumor activity in vivo.
Process for the preparation and purification of thiol-containing maytansinoids
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, (2008/06/13)
The present invention provides a process for the preparation and purification of thiol-containing maytansinoids comprising the steps of: (1) reductive hydrolysis of a maytansinoid C-3 ester with a reducing agent selected from the group consisting lithium trimethoxyaluminum hydride (LiAl(OMe)3H), lithium triethoxyaluminum hydride (LiAl(OEt)3H), lithium tripropoxyaluminum hydride (LiAl(OPr)3H), sodium trimethoxyaluminum hydride (NaAl(OMe)3H), sodium triethoxyaluminum hydride (NaAl(OEt)3H) and sodium tripropoxyaluminum hydride (NaAl(OPr)3H) to yield a maytansinol; (2) purifying the maytansinol to remove side products when present; (3) esterifying the purified maytansinol with a carboxylic acid to yield a mixture of an L- and a D-aminoacyl ester of maytansinol; (4) separating the L-aminoacyl ester of maytansinol from the reaction mixture in (3); (5) reducing the L-aminoacyl ester of maytansinol to yield a thiol-containing maytansinoid; and (6) purifying the thiol-containing maytansinoid.
Cytotoxic agents comprising maytansinoids and their therapeutic use
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, (2008/06/13)
A cytotoxic agent comprising one or more maytansinoids linked to a cell binding agent. A therapeutic agent for killing selected cell populations comprising: (a) a cytotoxic amount of one or more maytansinoids linked to a cell binding agent, and (b) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier diluent or excipient. A method for killing selected cell populations comprising contacting a cell population or tissue suspected of containing cells from said selected cell population with a cytotoxic amount of a cytotoxic agent comprising one or more maytansinoids linked to a cell binding agent. An N-methyl-alanine-containing ester of maytansinol or an analogue of maytansinol, said N-methyl-alanine-containing ester comprising a linking group capable of linking an N-methyl-alanine-containing maytansinoid ester to a chemical moiety. N-methyl-cysteine-containing ester of maytansinol or an analogue of maytansinol.
