Case ID: M11-102LC^

Published: 2020-02-26 11:11:43

Last Updated: 1677134982


Inventor(s)

George (Bob) Pettit
Thomas Smith
Jun-Ping Xu
Delbert Herald
Collin Anderson
Paul Belcher
Eric Flahive

Technology categories

Cancer TherapeuticsLife Science (All LS Techs)Pharmaceuticals

Technology keywords

Therapeutics


Licensing Contacts

Jovan Heusser
Director of Licensing and Business Development
[email protected]

The novel anti-cancer drug dolastatin 16 and total synthesis of two new amino acid constituent units

Dolastatin compounds, isolated from the sea hare (sea slug) Dolabella auricularia, have been shown to have remarkable anticancer properties. In particular, dolaststin 16 has been shown to be an extraordinarily potent cancer cell growth inhibitor. Its 3-dimensional structure, however, has heretofore remained unknown.

Researchers at Arizona State University have determined the 3-dimensional X-ray crystal structure of dolastatin 16, thus paving the way for further development. Additionally, they have determined a way to stereoselectively synthesize two unique amino acid units of dolastatin 16, dolamethylleuine (DmJ) and dolaphenvaline (Dpv).

This work allows for the more facile synthesis of dolaststin 16 and should facilitate its progression into pre-clinical development.

Potential Applications

  • Inhibiting cancer cell growth
  • Treating many types of cancer
  • Antifungal treatments

Benefits and Advantages

  • Potentially more potent against cancer than dolastatins 10 and 15, which themselves are in clinical trials
  • Probable efficacy against fungal infections

For more information about the inventor(s) and their research, please see
Dr. Pettit's departmental webpage