AS TACROLIMUS

Production of tacrolimus (fk-506) using new streptomyces species invention * Get notified when a new patent matches your "search terms". More info...The invention relates to a new microorganism Streptomyces glaucescens MTCC 5115 and a process for producing the immunosuppressant agent, tacrolimus (FK-506) utilizing the new microorganism Streptomyces glaucescens MTCC 5115. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions that include the tacrolimus (FK-506) and use of said compositions for treatment or prevention of the transplantation rejection of organs or tissues such as heart, kidney, liver, medulla ossium, skin, etc. (end of abstract)[0019] Cultural characteristics were observed on various kinds of solid media, for example oat meal agar, YMA, tap water agar, basal mineral agar, inorganic salt starch mineral agar, glycerol asparagine agar and Czapek agar. The culture was incubated at 28.degree. C. for 11 days. The culture exhibited very good growth on Czapek's agar, nutrient agar, potato dextrose agar and glucose asparagine agar. On basal mineral salt agar, tap water agar and oat meal agar the growth was sparse. Soluble pigment production was observed on YMA, in contrast to the Merck strain ATCC 55098, a known producer of tacrolimus (FK-506). Coloration of vegetative mycelium of Streptomyces glaucescens MTCC 5115 ranges from white to off-white whereas in case of Streptomyces tsukubaensis 9993, another FK-506 producer strain, it ranges from pale pink to reddish orange to pale brown (Tables 1 and 2). TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Comparative Morphological and Cultural Properties of Streptomyces glaucescens MTCC 5115 with known FK-506 producers Strain Streptomyces Streptomyces Streptomyces glaucescens tsukubaensis species S. No.