To provide the subject new compound produced by culturing a microbial strain beleging to the genus Streptomyces and capable of forming the antitumor substance BE54238, exhibiting proliferation suppressing effect on the tumor cells of mouse and man and useful e.g. as an agent for the treatment of cancer.
This new antitumor substance BE-54238 (and its salt) is expressed by the formula [R1 is H; R2 is CH2COOX (X is H or a lower alkyl); R1 and R2 may together form O-CO-CH2]. The substance exhibits proliferation suppressing effect on mouse and human tumor cells and is useful in the medical field as an agent for the treatment of cancer, etc. The compound can be produced by culturing a microbial strain belonging to the genus Streptomyces and capable of forming the antitumor substance BE-54238 [e.g. Streptomyces sp. A54238 (FREM P-15721)], collecting the culture product from the culture liquid and the microbial cells and optionally converting the compound into a salt.
NAKAJIMA SHIGERU
NAGASHIMA MASAO
OJIRI KATSUHISA
SUDA HIROYUKI
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