A new topoisomerase II inhibitor, BE-22179, produced by a streptomycete. I. Producing strain, fermentation, isolation and biological activity.

A new topoisomerase II inhibitor, designated BE-22179, was isolated from the culture broth of Streptomyces sp. A22179, which resembles "Streptomyces gangtokensis". The inhibitor was extracted from the mycelial cake of the culture broth with organic solvent and successively purified by silica gel chromatography. BE-22179 inhibited topoisomerase II strongly but not topoisomerase I and showed potent antitumor activity against various tumor cell lines both in vitro and in vivo.