Abstract: The invention relates to new carbohydrate derivatives of paclitaxel and docetaxel with increased solubility in water as compared to the parent compounds, paclitaxel and docetaxel These derivatives are produced from naturally occurring precursor molecules which upon hydrolysis yield these natural precursors and the original paclitaxel and docetaxel molecules. The present invention also related to the composition and the use of such derivatives for cancer therapy. These derivatives may also be used in antifungal or antiviral therapy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of obtaining different biologically pure cultures of bacteria isolated from different species of Taxus such as Taxus canadensis. T. brevifolia, T. baccata, T. cuspidata, and T. hunnewelliana, wherein the bacteria produce in vitro taxanes and paclitaxel, and wherein the bacteria are of the genus Sphingomonas, Bacillus, Pantoea or Curtobacterium. Also, the present invention relates to a method of a bacterial mass production of at least one taxane or paclitaxel. There is also disclosed a novel bacterial taxane. The present invention also relates to the use of different biologically pure cultures of bacteria isolated from different species of Taxus, wherein the bacteria are able to biotransform pro-taxanes. There is also provided a process for improving taxanes and paclitaxel production of taxanes and paclitaxel producing bacteria which include culturing bacteria in the presence of a mutagenic agent for a period a time sufficient to allow mutagenesis.

Abstract: Taxanes are purified by chromatographic separation using a phenylalkyl chromatographic resin, wherein the alkyl portion of the phenylalkyl is a C.sub.4 -C.sub.10 moiety. Taxanes such as paclitaxel, 10-deacetyltaxol, 7-epi-taxol, cephalomannine, baccatin III, baccatin V, 7-epi-DAB, 10-deactylbaccatin III ("DAB") and 9-dihydro-13-acetylbaccatin III ("DHB") and others may be purified. In accordance with the invention, taxanes are separated from each other and from other impurities common to crude taxane samples.

Abstract: The invention relates to new paclitaxel derivatives showing an increased solubility in water. More particularly, the invention relates to glutarylpaclitaxel, glutarylpaclitaxel 6-aminohexanol glucuronide and to different amino acid derivatives of the glutarylpaclitaxel, all of which possess the cytotoxicity activity of the parent compound, paclitaxel. Also disclosed are fluorescent derivatives of paclitaxel for determining a concentration of paclitaxel in a medium or for detecting apoptotic cancer cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to antitumor compounds of the formula I: ##STR1## wherein M is selected from the group consisting of an hydrogen atom, a peptide residue, and a protein residue linked to the carbon atom via the amino residue of .epsilon.-lysine present therein which can be an antibody used to target the anti-tumor agent to the malignant cells, and R can be an antitumor agent such as daunorubicin, doxorubicin, or an epirublicin derivative.

Abstract: In an intercom system, electrical noise interference is alleviated by interconnecting the tranceivers and receivers with the control sets via fibre optic lines. Audio signals are applied to a multiplexer which drives an optical modulator. The output of the optical modulator feeds a fiber optic line. Conversely, optical signals are fed to an optical demodulator whose output feeds a demultiplexer. Audio outputs from the demultiplexers feed the receivers and tranceivers and control sets.