A renaissance in marine pharmacology: From preclinical curiosity to clinical reality

doi:10.1016/j.bcp.2009.04.015

Biochemical Pharmacology

Volume 78, Issue 5, 1 September 2009, Pages 440-448

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcp.2009.04.015 Get rights and content

Abstract

Marine pharmacology, the pharmacology of marine natural products, has been for some time more associated with marine natural products chemistry rather than mainstay pharmacology. However, in recent years a renaissance has occurred in this area of research, and has seen the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 2004 of Prialt^® (ziconotide, ω-conotoxin MVIIA) the synthetic equivalent of a conopeptide found in marine snails, used for the management of severe chronic pain. Furthermore Yondelis^® (trabectedin, ET-743) an antitumor agent discovered in a marine colonial tunicate, and now produced synthetically, receiving Orphan Drug designation from the European Commission (EC) and FDA for soft tissue sarcomas and ovarian cancer and its registration in 2007 in the EU for the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma. The approval/marketing of so few marine natural products has come after many years of research primarily by the academic community and the sporadic involvement of major pharmaceutical companies. This commentary, through the opinions provided by several leaders in the marine natural products field, will examine the potential reasons and perceptions from both the academic and pharmaceutical communities regarding the development of marine natural products as viable therapeutic entities.

Graphical abstract

Opinions provided by leaders in marine natural products will address potential reasons and perceptions from academic and pharmaceutical communities regarding the development of marine natural products as viable therapeutic entities.

Section snippets

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge the contributors for their time and efforts to provide such a dynamic view of the development of marine natural products as therapeutics: Dr.’s Fenical, Ireland, Jacobs, Hamann, Alcaraz, Jaspars, Fusetani, Potts and Carter.

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CommentaryA renaissance in marine pharmacology: From preclinical curiosity to clinical reality

Abstract

Graphical abstract

Section snippets

Acknowledgements

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Eur J Cancer

Eur J Cancer

Comp Biochem Physiol C: Toxicol Pharmacol

Comp Biochem Physiol C: Toxicol Pharmacol

Comp Biochem Physiol C: Toxicol Pharmacol

Biochim Biophys Acta

Trends Microbiol

Phytochemistry

J Biol Chem

Biochem Pharmacol

Contributions to the study of marine products. XL. The nucleosides of sponges. IV. Spongosine

J Org Chem

Contributions to the study of marine products. XXXII. The nucleosides of sponges. I.

J Org Chem

Contributions to the study of marine products. XLIII. The nucleosides of sponges. V. The synthesis of spongosine

J Org Chem

Ziconotide—a novel neuron-specific calcium channel blocker for the intrathecal treatment of severe chronic pain—a short review

Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther

Clinical impact of trabectedin (ecteinascidin-743) in advanced/metastatic soft tissue sarcoma

Expert Opin Pharmacother

Marine natural products

Nat Prod Rep

Marine natural products

Nat Prod Rep

Marine natural products

Nat Prod Rep

Marine natural products

Nat Prod Rep

Marine natural products

Nat Prod Rep

Marine natural products

Nat Prod Rep

Marine natural products

Nat Prod Rep

Marine natural products

Nat Prod Rep

Marine natural products

Nat Prod Rep

Marine pharmacology in 2000: antitumor and cytotoxic compounds

Int J Cancer

Commentary
A renaissance in marine pharmacology: From preclinical curiosity to clinical reality