AU622145B2 - A new antibiotic, cammunocin, a process for the preparation thereof, and the use thereof as a pharmaceutical - Google Patents

Description

t)signtttule of A' Plicat (S) or 8.a1 of Company and Styn atures of its 0)(flcers as by D. B. Mischlewski Registerad Patent Attorney ThEr- COMMISSI1ONER Or RkTENTS.

Form COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRAL I f 4 1 PATENTS ACT 1952-69 62 2 14 Z COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (OAR IGINAL) Class I nt. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: ,Priority: SRelated Art: Name of Applic~nt: Address 'af Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service HOECHST AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT 4~5 Bruningstrasse, D-6230 Frankfurt/Main Federal Republic of Germany CHRISTOPHER MILTON MATHEW FRANCO, SUGATA CHATTERJEE, ERRA KOTESWARA STAYA VIJAYAKUMkR, BIMAL NARESH GANGULI, RICHARD HELMUT RUPP EDWD. WATERS SONS, 50 QUEEN STREET, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, 3000.

Complete Specification for the invention entitled: A NEW ANTIBIOTIC, CAMMUNOCIN, A PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION THEREOF, AND THE USE THEF 2OF AS A PHARMACEUTICAL Tha following statement is a full description of this invention, inclvd"ig the kiest method of perfo:',ming it known to us HOECHST AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT HOE 88/F 022 Dr. WN/rh Description A new antibiotic, cammunocin, a process for the preparation thereof, and the use thereof as a pharmaceutical SThe present invention relates to a new antibiotic, which is called cammunocin, to a process for the preparation thereof from Streptomyces species Y-84,36210 (deposited at the Deutsche Sammlung fur Mikroorganismen (German Microorganism Collection) on Dec. 23, 1987, under the No. DSM I 4329), to the variants and mutants thereof, and to the

S

r use of cammunocin as a pharmaceutical.

c r tStr. sp. Y-84,36210 was isolated from a soil sample collected at Poona, Maharashtra, India. Variants and mutants of the culture No. HIL Y-84,36210 can be obtained in a known manner by use of a mutagen such as, for example, Nmethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine or ultraviolet light.

The microorganism Str. sp. Y-84,36210 belongs to the order of Actinomycetales, family Streptomycetaceae and genus Streptomyces.

Str. sp. Y-84,36210 is regarded as a new strain because it differs in some of its morphological, cultural and physiological properties from the known strains, as is evident from the description which follows. Another reason for regarding it as a new strain is that it produces a new antibiotic complex whose characteristics are given in the following description, which is called cammunocin herein, and to which the present invention relates.

As is evident from the following detailed description Of the invention, cammunocin of this invention is a peptide antibiotic but differs from all known peptide antibiotics such as actinomycin, viridogrisein, valinomycin, chinomycin, cyclosporin, polymyxin or amphomycin. In contrast to Sthei ther known peptide or peptide-containing antibiotics, -d i 2 cammunocin requires at least about 10 mM calcium ions in order to display an antibacterial effect. This differs distinctly from other known antibiotics such as amphomycin, glumamycin, zaomycin and the A 21978 C complex, whose requirements for calcium ions are Lower, at 1.0 mM, in order to show an antibiotic effect. Amphomycin, glumamycin and zaomycin belong to the class of cyclic lipopeptide antibiotics mentioned in the CRC Handbook of antibiotic compounds, Volume IV, Part 1, pages 313-327, Janos Berdy (author), CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida (1980). An A 21978 C complex, likewise a cyclic lipopeptide antibiotic, is described in J. Antibiotics 40, 761-777 (1987).

This invention additionally relates to a process for the 15 preparation of the new antibiotic complex cammunocin, which comprises culturing Str. sp. Y-84,36210, the varic C ants and mutants thereof, under aerobic conditions at a temperature which is preferably between about 18 and 37 0

C

in an aqueous nutrient medium which contains sources of 20 carbon and of nitrogen, and minerals, at a pH which is preferably between about 6 and 9, and obtaining the antibiotic complex from the nutrient medium.

The new antibiotic of this invention is active in vitro against a number of Gram-positive microorganisms, but only in the presence of calcium ions. It is likewise active as an immunomodulating substance and can, accordingly, be used in human medicine.

The present invention furthermore relates to a process for the isolation of Str. sp. Y-84,36210 from soil, entailing use, in a known manner, of a nutrient solution which preferably has a pH between about 6.5 and The nutrient solution used for the isolation of the microorganisms from soil is composed of sources of c 'bon and of nitrogen, and inorganic nutrient salts and solidifying agents. An example of a preferred source of carbon is glucose, starch, dextrin, glycerol, sucrose or molasses.

s 3 Preferred sources of nitrogen are peptone, yeast extract, beef extract, malt extract, casein or amino acids such as arginine or asparagine. An example of a solidifying agent which can be used is agar. Suitable and preferred inorganic nutrient salts are sodium, potassium, magnesium or calcium salts of phosphoric or sulfuric acid.

A microorganism according to the invention projects colorless aerial mycelia from branched substrate mycelia.

Spiral chains of spores are formed on the aerial mycelia.

The spirals are open. Short chains of spores representing the RA section are likewise common. Formation of neither whorls nor ascospores is observed. Mature chains of spores have 30 50 spores per chain. The properties 15 of the microorganism when cultured on various agar media is described as follows (cf. The Oxoid Manual 1972, 2nd edition, published by Oxoid Limited, London, GB or Difco Manual, 9th edition 1977, published by Difco Laboratories, Detroit, Michigan, USA): 9 llC

I

t *I 4

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0 a 0 O e 0.

0* 0 0# a.

4e 04 4 *s 0 04 *e SOt 1. Yeast extract/malt Growth Aerial mycelium Underside Soluble pigment extract agar good, furrowed, dry good, powdery, pale bluish gray black/purple brown/purple 2. Oatmeal agar Growth Aerial mycelium Underside Soluble pigment 3. Inorganic salts/starc Growth Aerial mycelium Underside Soluble pigment copious, flat, dry copious, powdery, pale gray dark brown/purple brown/purple h agar copious, raised, dry good, powdery, pale bluish gray dark blackish violet pale mauve n' i

N

4 4. Glycerol/asparagine Growth AeriaL mycelium Underside Soluble pigment agar good, raised, dry good, powdery, grayish pink black/purple pale purplish browr Peptone/yeast extract/iron agar Growth good, furrowed, moist Aerial mycelium none Underside pale yellow Soluble pigment pale brown Li Li

II

Li Li

J

tC C St C I z cC ct cc 6. Tyrosine agar Growth 15 Aerial mycelium Underside Soluble pigment 20 7. Sucrose/nitrate Growth Aerial mycelium Underside Soluble pigment copious, furrowed, dry copious, powdery, pale grayish blue dark blackish violet pale brownish violet agar copious, flat, dry good, powdery, pale bluish gray pale yellow pale violet 8. Peptone/beef extract agar (nutrient agar) Growth moderate, raised, dry Aerial mycelium weak, powdery, dark gray Underside grayish pink Soluble pigment The soluble pigment is a pH indicator: it becomes pinkish red in acid medium and bluish violet in the alkaline range.

The optimal temperature range for growth of the microorganism according to the invention is between about and 35 0 C. The microorganism L-quifies gelatin in glucose/ peptone/gelatin medium, hydrolyzes starch in inorganic salt/starch agar and coagulates skim milk.

I

5 Str. sp. Y-84,36210 grows well on Czapek's agar solution (cf. Oxoid Manual).

A very sparse formation of dark pigment is observed only in tyrosine agar, there being no pigment formation in peptone, yeast extract, iron agar or tryptone/yeast extract broth.

The assimilation scheme of this microorganism for sources of carbon is as follows (in Pridham-GottLieb medium): Positive: D-glucose, L-arabinose, D-xylose, I-inositol, D-mannitol, D-fructose, t rhamnose, galactose, maltose, ctllobiose, t tC .l 15 sodium glutamate, mannose, Lactose Doubtful: sucrose, salicin Negative: raffinose, celluLose, dulcitol 1 Str. sp. Y-84,36210 is inhibited by streptomycin in concentrations above 1.6 pg/ml, tolerates NaCL concentrations I of about 7 10 and has a pH tolerance range of about c 1 The published data on the cultural and physiological properties of known microorganisms show distinct differences from the microorganism according to the invention.

Furthermore, Str. sp. Y-84,36210 produces, when it is fermented, the new antibiotic complex cammunocin.

Based on the abovementioned observations, the microorganism according to the invention can be regarded as a new Streptomyces species.

It is self-evident to those skilled in the art that this invention is not confined to the specific organism defined above but includes all those spontaneous and artificial i i E r t' C C

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C

P;

r c~ LPI r rd(r r i 1.

b* Ft t htt :E c r* 6 mutants and variants which are derived from said microorganism and which have the ability to form the new antibiotic complex cammunocin.

The present invention furthermore relates to a process for the preparation of cammunocin, which comprises culturing Str. sp. Y-84,36210 by fermentation, preferably at a pH between about 6.0 and 9.0, and preferably at a temperature of between about 18 and 37 0 C, under aerobic conditions in a nutrient medium which contains sources of carbon and of nitrogen, and inorganic nutrient salts and trace elements, and isolating the compounds from the culture broth in a known manner, as described herein.

15 Examples of suitable and preferred sources of carbon for the nutrient medium used for the preparation of the new antibiotic are glucose, starch, dextrin, glycerol, sucrose, molasses or oil. Suitable and preferred sources of nitrogen in the nutrient medium for the preparation of the new 20 antibiotics are soybean meal, yeast extract, beef extract, malt extract, corn steep liquor, peptone or casein.

Suitable inorganic nutrient salts/mineral salts for use in the nutrient medium for the preparation of the new antibiotics are preferably sodium chloride, magnesium sulfate, ammonium sulfate or calcium carbonate. Trace elements which are preferably used are iron, manganese, copper, zinc or cobalt.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, Str.

sp. Y-84,36210 is cultured at about 26-280C and pH about 6.4 6.6. The highest yields of the compounds are obtained after fermentation has lasted about 40 45 hours.

The fermentation preferably takes the form of a submerged fermentation. The course of the fermentation and the formation of the new antibiotic complex can be followed by use of the antibacterial activity of the culture liquid and of the mycelium against Staphylococcus aureus 209 P in agar medium containing 30 mM calcium chloride.

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I

7 It is possible, where appropriate, to add to the nutrient medium during the fermentation of the culture an antifoam agent such as, for example, Desmophen(

R

(polyols from Bayer AG, Leverkusen).

Cammunocin can be obtained from the culture broth, for example by direct adsorption on suitable adsorbents or by solvent extraction followed by adsorption. Examples of preferred solvents are mixtures of ethyl acetate or chloroform with n-propanol; particularly preferred is an ethyl acetate/n-propanol mixture For example, it is possible for the culture filtrate, or the solvent extract of o the culture filtrate containing the compound according to S*the invention, to be adsorbed on active charcoal, polymeric 15 adsorbents such as, for example, Diaion R) HP-20 (Mitsubishi Chemical Industries, Japan) or Amber ite

R

XAD

(polymeric adsorbent composed of a matrix of polystyrene, acrylate or amine oxide with a mean pore diameter of -10 225 x 10 m, Rohm Haas Co., USA). The solvent extract S* 20 is preferably concentrated to remove the solvent, and then q chromatographed on the adsorbent. The compoupn according to the invention can be eluted from the adsorbents using «i *4 S* suitable mobile phases such as, for example, chloroform, methanol or acetone, or using nixtures of these solvents with one another or with water, and the eluates can then be evaporated to dryness. The eluent which is preferably used is methanol.

Cammunocin can also be isolated from the culture filtrate by use of ion exchange khromatography. Examples of suitable resins are anion exchange resins of the weakly basic polystyrene, polyamine or crosslinked amino alcohol polyacrylate type, such as, for example, Dowex

R

(Dow Chemical Company, USA) or Amberlite(R) IRA 68 (Rohm 39 Haas Co., USA). The ion exchanger which is preferably used is Amberlite R) IRA 68 (acrylic type, tertiary amine functionality). In this process the culture filtrate is preferably subjected to a column chromatography, using the anion exchange resin AmberLite

R

IRA 68 (Cl).

I*r S- 8 I The compound according to the invention is initially adsorbed by the ion exchanger and is then eluted using suitable mobile phases such as, for example, aqueous or methanolic sodium or potassium chloride solutions, or diluJte hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide solutions, with a 2 M NaCI solution preferably being used. The active eluates can be combined and the salts can be removed using the abovementioned adsorption chromatography. The active eluates from which the salts have been removed and which have been obtained in this way are collected and concentrated.

i r, The abovementioned concentrated cammunocin-containing r eluates can be further purified in a variety of ways. For example, readsorption and elution using active charcoa,, *polymeric adsorbents such as, for example, Amberlite S XAD-4 (composed of a polystyrene matrix, mean pore 10 I t diameter 40 x 10" m) and 7 (composed of an acrylate matrix, mear, pore diameter 90 x 10 m, Rohm Haas Co., USA), Diaion HP-20 (Mitsubishi Chemical Industries, Japan), gel filtration with lipophilic gel filtration tmateriit such as, for example, Sephadex LH-20 and G-series gels (Pharmacia Fine Chemicals AB, Sweden) and equivalent products, as well as ion exchange gel filtration with gels having the diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) func-

(R)

tionality such as, for example, Sephadex DEAE gels (Pharmacia Fine Chemicals AB, Sweden), and adsorption chromatography on alumina and silica gel, can be satisfactorily combined together for the further purification.

In addition, it is also possible to use thin-layer chroma- Ai tography, medium-prees-re and high-pressure liquid chromatography with suitable adsorbents such as silica gel and modified silica gel C 18 (obtainable, for example, by reaction of silica gel with octadecyltrichlorositane) and suitable eluents. Said purpose can furthermore be satisfactorily achieved by countercurrent chromatography using a defined solvent system.

Cammunocin is a colorless amorphous powder which is 7

A

w

-I

9 soluble in water, methanol, ethanol, dimethyl suLfoxide. It is sparingly in acetone, methylenc chloride, ethyl hexane and petroleum ether (40-60o).

reaction in the ninhydrin color test.

propylene glycol and soluble or insoluble acetate, chloroform, It shows a negative The Rf values for cammunocin in the thin-layer chromatography (TLC) systems indicated below are as follous: TLC plate: precoated silica gel plate, Article No. 5554 from E. Merck, Darmstadt.

*.Ie *o 9 9 9@9 9 00 .9 9 9 9 9, 0 *r

S

e.

S

EtOAc:MeOH:H 2 0 4 4 1 0.47 Butanol:AcOH:H 2 0 4 4 1 0.39 15 Cammunocin Rf Figu-re 1 shows the TLC using the mobile phase: EtOAc:MeOH: Detection at 254 nm.

Figure 2 shows the analytical high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The HPLC was carried out as follows: Column packing ODS-Hypersil

R

(10p, 4x120mm) (HPLC material with octadecyltrichlorosilane groups from Shandon,

USA)

0.5 ml/minute at 234 nm MeOH:1 strength aqueous acetic acid (55:45) Flow rate Detection Solvent Cammunocin melts at 270°C with decomposition.

The spectroscopic data for cammunocin are listed hereinafter: 1. UV max in methanol at about 224, 280 and 345 nm see Figure 3. The UV absorption maxima of cammunocin were determined at a concentration of 0.2 g per liter. The 10 absorption spectrum was recorded in the range 200 to 800 nm using a Uvicon 810 apectrophotometer.

2. The IR spectrum (KBr disk) was recorded using a Perkin Elmer P.E. 521 spectrometer see Figure 4.

The abovementioned spectroscopic data, and the chemical and spectroscopic analyses described in Example VI indicate that cammunocin is a complex of related peptide antibiotics.

A unique characteristic oT cammunocin is that it displays *ft its antibiotic effect against Gram-positive bacteria only Sin the presence of calcium ions. Other metal ions, such S 15 as, for example, sodium, potassium, barium, rubidium and *c magnesium, do not have the same effect. This is why cammunocin is tested in an agar medium which contains at Sleast about 10 mM calcium chloride.

UI

Cammunocin in vitro in the abovementioned agar enriched with calcium shows an effect against sensitive and resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Streptomyces faecalis strains and against Bacillus subtilis, Sarcina lutea, 'Streptococcus pyogenes and Micrococcus luteus, The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of cammunocin for various microorganisms has been determined. The results S are listed in Table 1 which follows: 11 TabLe 1 MIC of carmunocin Test medium: MULLer-Hinton agar (cf. Oxoid ManuaL) with the addition of various Ca2+ concentrations.

a2Ca concentrations Test organism 0.0mM 2.5mM 10.0mM 30.0mM 60.0mM S.aureus 209 P >100.0 25.0 6.3 1.6 <0.1 S.aureus 20464 MacR) >100.0 100.0 25.0 1.6 1.6 S.aureus 3066 MetR) >100.0 50.0 6.3 6.3 0.8 S.aureu' R 85, Em(R) >100.0 >100.0 >50.0 25.0 6.3 CR) 6 S.aureus R 85/M,Em(R) >100.0 >100.0 >50.0 2.5 1.6 S.aureus 712 Met(R) >100.0 100.0 6.3 6.3 0.4 S.aureus 789 Met(R >100.0 100.0 6.3 1.6 0.8 Str.fae .Lis UD86 >100.0 100.0 25.0 6.3 0.8 S* 15 Str.faecaLis Eder Mac R) >100.0 100.0 25.0 6.3 1,6 S.aureus MLS 11 >100.0 >100.0 12.5 3.2 1.6 S* S.aureus MLS 14 >100.0 50.0 25.0 12.5 1.6 S.aureus MLS 16 >100.0 100.0 25.0 25,0 1.6 S.aureus O11UC5 >100.0 100.0 >50.0 12.5 1.6 S S.aureus 011GR5 >100.0 100.0 >50.0 >50.0 NT Str.faecaLis 02 >100.0 100.0 25.0 6.3 1.6 Micrococcus Luteus >100.0 .2 0.8 0.2 <0.1 Sarcina lutea >100.0 25.0 6.3 1.6 0.8 BacilLus subtiLis >100.0 100.0 6.3 3.2 0.8 E. coLi 9632 >100.0 >100.0 >100.0 >100.0 >100.0 e E. coLi 2231 >100.0 >100.0 >100.0 >100.0 >100.0 Candida albicans >o00.0 >100.0 >100.0 >100.0 >100.0 AspergilLus niger >100.0 >100.0 >100.0 >100.0 >100.0 CR) niitc MacR) resistant to macrolide antibiotics Met(R) resistant to methiciLLin Em(R) resistant to erythromycin 12 Immunomodulating effect The immunomoduLating effect of cammunocin was tested as follows: Hemolysis plaque test (PFC): *r 4 *4 I I I

I

t I I I I I I f Female Swiss mice weighing 16 18 g (6 per group) are sensitized by intraperitoneal injection of sheep erythrocytes (5 x 10 cells). After 5 days, the mice are sacrificed by cervical dislocation, and the spleen is removed and stored in ice-cold Dulbecco's solution. The spleriocytes are obtained by cautiously breaking up the spleen on a fine-mesh wire grid. Their viability is determined, 15 and the amount thereof is adjusted to about 6 x 106 cells/ ml. The splenocytes are then reacted with sheep erythrocytes in the presence of complement in a Cunningham chamber at 37 0 C under 5 C02. The plaques whish have formed are counted after 2 hours.

Cammunocin was injected intraperitoneally or subcutaneously, in doses of 5, 10 and 20 mg/kg, or of 10 mg/kg each day from the day of sensitization onwards. The last dose of the compound was administered on day 5, one hour before the animals were sacrificed. The results are listed in Table 2.

Table 2 Dose Administration Percentage mg/kg, x 5 route inhibitiln oif PFC i.p. 31.20 10.0 i.p. 40.66 4.67 20.0 i.p. 41.4 4.89 10.0 s.c. 38.4 These results show that cammunocin has an immunosuppressant effect and thus can be used as an immunosuppressant, for example in transplantations.

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13 The pharmacological properties qualify the -ompounds accordintg to the invention for use as a therapeutic agent. Accordingly, the invention also relates to pharmaceutica~s containing cammunocin in addition to customary and generally known auxiliaries and/or vehicles, as well as to the use of cammunocin for the preparation of pharmaceuticals having an antibiotic and/or immunosuppressant effect in a manner known per se.

The inventiD~n is to be explained in dletail hereinafter on the basis of some preferred exampLes, but it should not be reordd as confined to these examples.

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9 tt #8 44 8 1 ExampLe I !TZOLation of Streptomyces sp. Y-84,36210 fi'c'u soiL (al) Preparation of the isoLation nutrient media Med ium 1 Glucose Glycerol L arg i n e

K

2 HP 04 MgS(24.7H 2 0 N aC L Yeast extract F e 2 (S 0 4 3

CUSO

4 .5H 2 0 ZnS0 4 .7H 2 0 MnSO 4 .7H?,0 Agar Distilled water p H 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.2 10.0 1 1 1 15.0 1 14 Medium 2: Medium 3: Glucose L-asparagine

K

2 HP04 MgSO4.7H 2 0 Soil extract Agar Distilled water pH Starch Casein KN0 3 NaC L

K

2 HP04 MgSO 4 .7H 2 0 CaC03 FeSO 4 Agar Distilled water Ie IP I ett I' C 200 15.0 800 10.0 g 0.3 g 2.0 g 2.0 g 2.0 g 0.05 g 0.02 g 0.01 g 15.0 g 1 L 7.2-7.5

I

I,

The media are sterilized at 121 0 C for 30 minutes.

On each occasion, the sterilized media are allowed to cool to 45 0 C, introduced into Petri dishes and left to solidify.

Preparation of the soil suspension 1 g of soil is heated in a hot-air oven at 1100C for 1 hour. After the soil has cooled it is suspended in distilled water and thoroughly shakn. The soil is allowed to settle, and the supernatant is used to inoculate each one of the abovementioned isolation nutrient media.

Inoculation of the isolation iedium 1 ml of the soil suspension is transferred into Petri dishes which each contain 50 ml of any one of the iI in u a i, potymyxin or amphomycin. In contrast to f the other known peptide or peptide-containing antibiotics, 15 abovementioned isolation media.

Isolation of Streptomyces sp. Y-84,36210 The inoculated Petri dishes are incubated at 37 0 C for days, and Streptomyces sp. Y-84,36210 is isolated from the growing microorganisms.

Example 2 Culturing of Streptomyces sp. Y-84,36210 for the preparation of caamunocin by fermentation Streptomyces sp. Y-84,36210 is cultured on yeast/malt agar of the following composition: t 4 SC c Malt extract 10.0 g Yeast extract 4.0 g GLucose 4.0 g Agar 15.0 g E Distilled water 1 1 pH t The iedium is distributed in test tubes and sterilized at 121 0 C for 30 minutes. The test tubes are cooled in a slanting position to prepare agar slants. The agar slants are inoculated with the culture and incubated at 28 0 C for to 15 days, after which satisfactory growth and spore formation are observed. A suspension of the spores from 1 30 one agar slant in distilled water is used to inoculate 500 ml Erlenmeyer flasks each containing 100 ml of the seed culture medium, or a 5 liter suction flask containing 1 liter of the same seed culture medium.

Composition of the seed culture medium GLucose 15.0 g Soybean meal 15.0 g Corn steep liquor i i :n i.'vi i C- I t t 16 CaCO 3 2.0 g M a C 5.0 g Distilled water 1 L pH The abovementioned medium is distributed in 100 mL portions in each 500 mL ErLenmeyer flask or in 1 Liter portions in each 5 liter suction flask and is sterilized at 120 0 C for 30 minutes. The flasks are cooled, inoculated with the spore suspension, and shaken at 27 0 C (+1 0 C) and 240 rpm in a rotary shaker with a 3.8 cm (1.5 inch) excursion for 72 hours. The product which has grown in this way is used to inoculate two 15 liter glass fermenters containing 10 liters of 8 10 by volume seed S 15 culture medium for the preparation of the 2nd stage of the seed culture. The fermentation is carried out at S270 C stirring at 180 200 rpm and with an aeration rate of 6 7 Lpm for a period of 24 hours. The well-grown 2nd stage of the seed culture which is obtained 20 in this way is used to inoculate the production medium.

Composition of the production medium Glucose 15.0 g Soluble starch 20.0 g Soyatone 3.0 g Peptone 3.0 g CaC03 2.0 g NaC 2.0 g Corn steep liquor 2.0 g

(NH

4 2

SO

4 0.5 g Distilled water 1 L pH 0.025 Desmophen is added to the contents of the fermentor as antifoam agent.

280 liters of the above medium are placed in a 390 liter fermentation tank. The medium is steriLized at 121 0 C by y 17 indirect or direct steam for 28 minutes. The fermenta ion tank is cooled and inoculated with the 2nd stage of the seed culture by volume). The fermentation is carried out at 270C stirring at 100 120 rpm. The aeration rate is 170 liters per minute. When the fermentation has terminated after 40 45 hours, the diameter of the zone of inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus 209 P is 20 mm when the culture filtrate is tested by the agar well method (6 mm diameter) using agar to which calcium is added (30 mM) at a pH of the culture liquid in the range to 6.9.

The packed cell volume is 20 i /Cc 15 The harvested culture broth containing the antibiotic Sir complex is centrifuged to separate the mycelium from the Sculture liquid and is further processed as described in l Example 4.

Example 3 S Culturing of Streptomyces sp. Y-84,36210 for the preparation of cammunocin by fermentation The process described in Example 2 io repeated under the following conditions: Str. sp. Y-84,36210 is cultured on an agar medium having the following composition: Starch (soluble) 10.0 g

K

2

HPO

4 1.0 g MgSO 4 .7H 2 0 1.0 g NaCI 1.0 g

(NH

4 2

SO

4 2.0 g CaCO3 2.0 g FeS04.7H 2 0 0.1 mg MoCL 2 .4H 2 0 0.1 mg ZnSO 4 .7H 2 0 0.1 mg I k I 18 Agar 15.0 g Distilled water 1 L pH 7.2 The composition of the seed culture medium is the same as that described in Example 2.

Composition of the production medium Glucose 20.0 g Soybean meal 10.0 g CaC0 3 0.2 g SCoC 2 .6H 2 0 1.0 mg Distilled water 1 L pH 100 liters of the above medium are placed in a 150 liter fermentation tank. The medium is sterilized at 121 0 C by indirect or direct steam for 28 minutes. The fermentation tank is cooled and inoculated with the 2nd stage of the seed culture (9 by volume). The fermentation is carried out at 27 C stirring at 80 90 rpm with an aeration rate of 60 70 liters per minute. When the fermentation is terminated after 40 45 hours, the pH of the culture broth is 6.45 and the diameter of the zone of inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus 209 P is 22 mm when the culture filtrate is tested by the agar well method (6 mm diameter) using agar to which calcium is added mM). The packed cell volume is 12 by volume. The culture broth is further processed as described in Example Example 4 240 ml of the culture filtrate obtained as in Example 2 are loaded onto a column containing 6 liters of the anion exchange resin AmberliteR) IRA 68 (exchange resin with polystyrene/polyamine functionality). After the column has been washed with 40 liters of demineralized 19 water it is eLuted with aqueous 2.0 M NaCL soLution, pH (adjusted with ammonia). The resulting active eluates liters) are extracted 3 times with ai- ethyl acetate: n-propanol 2:1 mixture after the pH has been adjusted to 4.0 with HCL. The extracts are concentrated in vacuo, and the concentrate (6.1 g) obtained in this way is subjected tu silica gel chromatography (particle size 0.062- 0.037 mm (230 400 mesh, 600 g) and eluted with a gradient from chloroform to chloroform:methanol The combined concentrated active fractions (3 g) are extracted with a saturated aqueous NaHC03 solution, and then the pH of the extract is adjusted to 4.0 with HCl, after which renewed extraction with an ethyl acetate:npropanol 2:1 mixture is carried out. The extract is concentrated in vacuo, resulting in 1.8 g of the compound, which is then subjected to a silica gel chromatography (particle size 0.062-J.037 mm (230-402 mesh), 360 g).

Elution is carried out with a gradient from ethyl acetate to ethyl acetate:methanol and, on concentration, provides 860 mg of active material. This material is divided into 6 portions and separately loaded onto columns containing 50 g of SephadexR) LH-20 (lipophilic gel filtration material) in methanol; methanol is used as eluent. 360 mg of cammunocin are obtained in this way.

Example The culture filtrates from the two fermenter batches in Example 3 are combined to result in a volume of 185 liters.

This amount is loaded onto a column containing 4 liters of AmberLite IRA-68 the column is washed with liters of demineralized water and eluted with aqueous M sodium chloride solution which has been adjusted to pH 8.5 with ammonia. The ssulting 47 liters of active eluates are loaded onto a column containing 3 Liters of

(R)

Diaion HP-20 (polymeric adsorbent, from Mitsubishi Chemical Industries, Japan); the column is washed with 7 liters of demineralized water and eluted with methanol.

The active methanol eluates are concentrated in vacuo, d .i 20 and the aqueous solution obtained in this way is diluted with distilled water. The pH is adjusted to 3.0 with HCI, and the solution is loaded onto a column containing 2 liters of Diaion HP-20. The column is washed with demineralized water until the wash-water is free of chloride ions. The cammunocin is eluted with methanol; the methanol eluates are concentrated in vacuo and freeze-dried.

21 g of the crude antibiotic complex are obtained in this way.

The crude antibiotic complex is dissolved in doubledistilled water, pH 1.7 with ammonia, and the solution is divided into two equal volumes and loaded onto two columns

S(R)

which are 6.4 x 84 cm in size and contain Sephadex LH- S 15 20 in double-distilled water. The columns are eluted with double-distilled water at a flow rate of 0.5 ml per minute, t* r and the eluate is collected in 20 ml fractions. In total, *t 1.1 liters of the active eluates are freeze-dried, resulting in 8 g of the antibiotic complex. This material is further purified by renewed chromatography on a column

(R)

't i containing Sephadex LH-20 in the manner described I above, resulting in 4.45 g of semi-pure antibiotic complex.

This semi-pure antibiotic complex is dissolved in 200 ml of double-distilled water and loaded onto a column (6.2 x 26 cm) containing DEAE-Sephadex A-25 (ion exchanger 4 with diethylaminoethyl functionality) in double-distilled water. The column is washed with water and then eluted with an aqueous NaCI solution, with its molarity being increased in a stepped gradient with 5 steps. The antij biotic complex is eluted in 6 liters of a 1.5 M NaCL solution and 5 liters of a 2 M NaCL solution. The combined eluates, whose pH has been adjusted to 2.0 with HCI, are then loaded onto a column containing 2 liters of DiaionCR) HP-20; the column is washed with water until the washwater no longer contains chloride ions and is then eluted with methanol. The methanol is removed by distillation in vacuo, and the remaining aqueous solution is freeze-dried, resulting in 700 mg of pure cammunocin.

c ile 21 ExaipLe 6 HPLC of the pure antibiotic complex cammunocin on a column which is 4 x 120 mm in size and contains ODS-Hypersil (10p), using an eluent mixture composed of MeOH and 1 aqueous acetic acid (55:45), with a flow rate of 0.5 ml per minute and detection at 234 nm, shows that canmunocin is a microheterogeneous mixture, i.e. a complex of related antibiotic compounds, as is shown in Figure 2.

Cammunocin is hydrolyzed with 6 N HCL, and the hydrolyzate obtained in this way is, after methylation and trifluoroacetylation, analyzed by means of GC-EIMS (gas chromatography/electron impact mass spectrometry) and GC-CIMS (gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy with chemical ionization) using a Perkin Elmer gas chromatograph with 3 OV-1 on a r t Gaschromone Q column connected to an AEI MS-9025 mass spectror meter with a DS-50 SM on-line data system. This showed the presence of the following amino acids: Main constituents: a-Aminoadipic acid Aspartic acid SGlycine 4-Hydroxyphenylglycine Serine Subsidiary constituents: Glutamic acid 3-Hydro.yaspartic acid Leucine N-methylphenylglycine ProL ine Threonine The conclusion which may be drawn from the above data is that cammunocin is a peptide antibiotic complex.

Claims (8)

1. Cammunocin, which has the UV spectrum in methanol shown in Figure 3, with bands at about 234 nm, 280 nm and 340 nm, and the IR spectrum in KBr as shown in Figure 4, with bands at about 3400 cm- 1 1680 cm- 1 1559 cm- 1 1250 cm- 1 and 600 cm- 1

2. Cammunocin as claimed in Claim 1, obtainable with Streptomyces species Y- 84,36210 (DSM 4329) as herein defined.

3. A process for the preparation of a compound as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, which ;fr; comprise cultivating Streptomyces species Y-84,36210 (DSM 4329) as herein defined, or variants or mutants thereof capable of producing Cammunocin, under aerobic S: conditions in a nutrient medium which contains sources of carbon and of nitrogen, and nutrient salts and, where appropriate, trace elements, tC

4. The process as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the cultivation is carried out at a temperature between about 18 and 37 0 C and at a pH of about 6 9. The process as claimed in Claim 3 or 4, wherein cultivation is carried out at a temperature of about 26- 280C and at a pH of about 6,4 6.6.

6. The process as claimed in Claim 5, wherein cultivation is carried out for about 45 hours.

7. The process as claimed in one or more of Claims 3 6, wherein submerged cultivation is carried out.

8. A pharmaceutical which contains Cammunocin as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, in addition to customary auxiliaries and/or vehicles,

9. A method of preparation of a pharmaceutical compositio9 having an antibiotic and/or immunosuppressant effect comprising admixing In acceptable pharmacological is cined it Cr'aiM I proportions Cammunocin 4 with pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and exciplents. I, 4 S t I Ie tIt 23 Pure culture of Streptomyces species Y-84,36210 (DSM 4329) as herein defined, grown in such a manner as to elicit production of Cammunocin. DATED this 20th day of September, 1991 HOECHST AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS THE ATRIUM 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN VICTORIA 3122 AUSTRALIA