Synthesis and evaluation of taxol-folic acid conjugates as targeted antineoplastics.

A series of Taxol derivatives tethered at C2' and C-7 to glutamate and folate have been synthesized for evaluation as prodrugs which release Taxol via hydrolytic lability of their alpha-alkoxy and alpha-amino esters. The half-time for hydrolysis of these materials was determined in pH 7 and pH 5 buffer. The in vitro cytotoxicity has been assessed in cell culture against A-549 lung cancer, MCF-7 breast cancer, and HT-29 colon cancer.