| abstract |
Anhydride modified cantharidin analogues useful in the treatment of certain forms of cancer also methods for the screening for anti-cancer activity of these analogues and/or their ability to sensitise cancer cells to cancer treatment. The modified cantharidin analogues have structure (I) or (II), wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are H, aryl or alkyl; X is O, N or S; Y is O, S, NH, NR; R is alkyl or aryl; A and B are H or CH3; W and Z are CHOH or C=O. These compounds inhibit protein phosphatase. |