ABSTRACT

Halichondrin B, a polyether macrolide isolated from marine sponges and tunicates, was shown to have potent cytotoxicity properties

in vitro

and anticancer properties

in vivo

(Hirata and Uemura, 1986; Litaudon et al.,

1994; Fodstad et al.,

1996). The sponge

Lissodendoryx

n. sp. 1 was the most promising

source of halichondrin B components, although it is found in four other sponges. The potential of halichondrin B as an anticancer drug (Pettit et al.,

1993a) is limited by its relative scarcity. Halichondrin B disrupts mitotic spindle formation and induces mitotic arrest by inhibiting tubulin assembly and microtubule assembly (Pettit et al.,

1993b). A synthetic C(1)-C(38) halichondrin subunit was reported to exhibit anticancer properties similar to that of halichondrin B (Stamos et al.,

1997; Towle et al.,

2001). Wang et al. (2000) synthesized simplified analogues of halichondrin B that still retained cell growth inhibitory potency

in vitro.