A new antitumor antibiotic, awamycin

A new antibiotic, awamycin, was isolated from the culture broth of Streptomyces sp. No. 80-217. It appeared to belong to the quinone indicator group from results of physicochemical studies and has the empirical formula C38H49NO12S. This antibiotic possessed antibacterial and antitumor activities against Gram-positive bacteria and experimental murine tumors. The antibiotic also showed direct cytotoxic activity against HeLa cells in vitro.