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The Florida State University community is grieving the departure of respected chemist and prominent inventor Robert Holton, whose revolutionary creation of the cancer medication Taxol made it accessible to individuals globally.

Holton passed away on May 21 at the age of 81.

“Dr. Holton’s remarkable contributions to science have saved innumerable lives,” stated FSU President Richard McCullough. “Most scientists aspire to have such an influence. His narrative has motivated generations of chemists to engage in drug development with the aim of enhancing lives through science and innovation.”

Holton’s synthesis of Taxol represented a significant advancement in cancer therapy. His research was licensed to Bristol Myers Squibb, which introduced the drug to the market.

Upon approval in 1993, the National Cancer Institute referred to Taxol as the most crucial cancer medication developed in the prior 15 years. As reported by the National Institutes of Health, over one million patients have been treated with it since then.

Holton and his wife, Marie Krafft, became part of the FSU Department of Chemistry in 1986. Krafft, also a globally recognized researcher, passed away in 2014. The Krafft Professorship Program at FSU commemorates her legacy and was established with profits from the commercialization of Taxol.

“Bob Holton was an exceptional scientist and distinguished FSU alumnus whose synthesis of Taxol was a pivotal accomplishment,” remarked Sam Huckaba, dean of the FSU College of Arts and Sciences. “For many years, he and Marie enhanced the national reputation of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. His Taxol patent resulted in life-saving therapies and transformative effects.”

In the 1960s, scientists at the National Cancer Institute extracted paclitaxel from the bark of the Pacific Yew tree, discovering it impeded cancer cell division by stabilizing microtubules — an innovative mechanism that proved highly effective in chemotherapy.

In 1989, Holton and his team at Florida State University formulated a revolutionary semi-synthetic method to produce Taxol from 10-deacetylbaccatin III, a compound more easily sourced from renewable supplies. This technique allowed for large-scale production of the medication, leading to its commercialization by Bristol Myers Squibb in the early 1990s.

Building on this achievement, Holton’s team completed the first total synthesis of Taxol in 1994, marking a notable milestone in organic chemistry. This accomplishment emerged from a highly competitive international race among leading research teams.

In 2018, Holton was elected as a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors in recognition of his groundbreaking work.

At that time, Holton remarked, “I have always been attracted to challenging problems, and synthesizing Taxol was a significant one. Witnessing the drug’s effectiveness in treating so many patients has been an incredibly fulfilling experience.”

Following the success of Taxol, Holton continued to teach and engage in research. He co-founded Taxolog, Inc. with colleague Lewis Metts to develop and commercialize new taxane-based therapies for cancer and other illnesses.

He retired from Florida State University in 2023.

The post FSU mourns the loss of revered chemist who synthesized life-saving cancer drug Taxol appeared first on Florida State University News.

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