Novel vitamin D.sub.3 derivatives and process for producing the same

Abstract

There are disclosed 6,19-epidioxyvitamin D.sub.3 derivatives which are represented by the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are each a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group; when R.sub.1 is a hydrogen atom, R.sub.2 represents a hydroxyl group and R.sub.3 is a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group; when both R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 represent a hydroxyl group, R.sub.3 is a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group; and when R.sub.1 is a hydroxyl group and R.sub.2 is a hydrogen atom, R.sub.3 represents a hydroxyl group. The compounds are highly capable of inducing differentiation of human myeloid leukemia cells with minimum effects on calcium metabolism and are useful as an agent to treat leukemia.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.