Derivatisation of parthenolide to address chemoresistant chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

Parthenolide is a natural product that exhibits anti-leukaemic activity, however, its clinical use is limited by its poor bioavailability. It may be extracted from and protocols for growing, extracting and derivatising it are reported A novel parthenolide derivative with good bioavailability and pharmacological properties was identified through a screening cascade based on anti-leukaemic activity and calculated "drug-likeness" properties, and pharmacokinetics studies and hERG liability testing. studies showed the most promising derivative to have comparable anti-leukaemic activity to DMAPT, a previously described parthenolide derivative. The newly identified compound was shown to have pro-oxidant activity and molecular docking studies indicate a prodrug mode of action. A synthesis scheme is presented for the production of amine used in the generation of .