''Halichondria'' produces the eribulin_(Halaven)_precursor_halichondrin_B_.html" ;"title="halichondrin_B.html" ;"title="eribulin (Halaven) precursor halichondrin B">eribulin (Halaven) precursor halichondrin B ">halichondrin_B.html" ;"title="eribulin (Halaven) precursor halichondrin B">eribulin (Halaven) precursor halichondrin B Lacking an immune system, protective shell, or mobility, sponges have developed an ability to synthesize a variety of unusual compounds for survival. C-nucleosides isolated from Caribbean ''Cryptotethya crypta'', were the basis for the synthesis of

zidovudine Zidovudine (ZDV), also known as azidothymidine (AZT), is an antiretroviral medication used to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS. It is generally recommended for use in combination with other antiretrovirals. It may be used to prevent mother-to-child ...

(AZT),

aciclovir Aciclovir (ACV), also known as acyclovir, is an antiviral medication. It is primarily used for the treatment of herpes simplex virus infections, chickenpox, and shingles. Other uses include prevention of cytomegalovirus infections following tra ...

(Cyclovir),

cytarabine Cytarabine, also known as cytosine arabinoside (ara-C), is a chemotherapy medication used to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It is given by i ...

(Depocyt), and cytarabine derivative

gemcitabine Gemcitabine, with brand names including Gemzar, is a chemotherapy medication. It treats cancers including testicular cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and bladder cancer. It is administered by ...

(Gemzar). Semisynthetic analogs of the sponge isolate jasplakinolide, were submitted to

National Cancer Institute The National Cancer Institute (NCI) coordinates the United States National Cancer Program and is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is one of eleven agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ...

’s Biological Evaluation Committee in 2011.

Other marine isolates

Trabectedin,

aplidine Plitidepsin (also known as dehydrodidemnin B, marketed by PharmaMar, S.A. under the trade name Aplidin) is a chemical compound extracted from the ascidian ''Aplidium albicans''. It is currently undergoing clinical trial testing. It is a member o ...

, didemnin, were isolated from sea squirts.

Monomethyl auristatin E Monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) is a synthetic antineoplastic agent. Because of its toxicity, it cannot be used as a drug itself; instead, it is linked to a monoclonal antibody (MAB) which directs it to the cancer cells. In International Nonpropr ...

is a derivative of a dolastatin 10, a compound made by '' Dolabella auricularia''. Bryostatins were first isolated from ''

Bryozoa Bryozoa (also known as the Polyzoa, Ectoprocta or commonly as moss animals) are a phylum of simple, aquatic invertebrate animals, nearly all living in sedentary colonies. Typically about long, they have a special feeding structure called a ...

''. Salinosporamides are derived from '' Salinispora tropica''.

Ziconotide Ziconotide (SNX–111; Prialt), also called intrathecal ziconotide (ITZ) because of its administration route, is an atypical analgesic agent for the amelioration of severe and chronic pain. Derived from ''Conus magus'', a cone snail, it is the ...

is derived from the sea snail ''

Conus magus ''Conus magus'', common name the magical cone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Conidae, the cone snails and their allies. Like all species within the genus ''Conus'', these snails are predatory and venomous. ...

''.

References

{{reflist, 2 Pharmaceutical isolates Marine biology

Other marine isolates

See also

References