Burnham Institute for Medical Research

The University of Texas System

Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute

Gil Ma

Jeffrey W Smith

Daniel Romo

Steven J Kridel

Vikram C Purohit

Fumiko Axelrod

Manuel Zancanella

The present invention provides compounds having the general structure A, or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives thereof: wherein R is an alkyl group, and Rcomprises at least one moiety selected from a group consisting of an alkyl, an alkenyl, an aryl, a heterocycle, hydroxyl, ester, amido, aldehyde, and a halogen.

Beta-lactone compounds

The present invention features methods of treating a cancer in a subject by administering an effective amount of a beta-lactone to the subject. The invention also features methods of inhibiting angiogenesis in a subject by administering an effective amount of an inhibitor of fatty acid synthase to the subject. These methods can be used to treat a variety of cancers and other diseases and conditions. The invention also features methods of identifying beta-lactones and other compounds that can be used in the methods of the invention for the treatment of tumors, inhibition of angiogenesis, and the treatment of diseases and conditions that involve pathological angiogenesis. The invention also features methods of synthesizing beta-lactones and features novel beta-lactone compounds.

Method for the asymmetric synthesis of beta-lactone compounds

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College Station, TX, United States of America

Gil Ma