| abstract |
The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I), in which formula X is hydrogen or hydroxy or protected hydroxy; R1 an R2 stand for hydrogen, methyl or ethyl, or, when taken together with the carbon atom bearing the group X, R1 and R2 can form a C3-C5 carbocyclic ring; Q is a C3-C6 hydrocarbylene, hydrocarbylene indicating the diradical obtained after removal of 2 hydrogen atoms for a straight or banched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon, in which one of any CH2 groups may optionally be replaced by an oxygen atom or a carbonyl group, such that the carbon atom (C-22) directly bonded to C-20 is an sp2 or sp3 hybridized carbon atom, i.e. bonded to 2 or 3 other atoms; and in which another of the CH2 groups may be replaced by phenylene, and where Q may optionally be substituted with one or more hydroxy or C1-C4-alkoxy groups. These compounds have been discovered to possess exceptionally high immunosuppressive activites together with high tumour cell proliferation inhibiting activities. |