Semisynthetic

Notable examples in drug development

Practical applications of semisynthesis include the groundbreaking isolation of the antibiotic chlortetracycline and the subsequent semisynthesis of antibiotics such as tetracycline, doxycycline, and tigecycline. Other notable examples include the early commercial production of the anti-cancer agent paclitaxel from 10-deacetylbaccatin, isolated from Taxus baccata (European yew), the semisynthesis of LSD from ergotamine (derived from fungal cultures of ergot), and the preparation of the antimalarial drug artemether from the naturally occurring compound artemisinin. As synthetic chemistry advances, transformations that were previously too costly or difficult to achieve become more feasible, influencing the economic viability of semisynthetic routes.