Paclitaxel saved my life. New discoveries could boost supply

LONDON—As I approached Kew Palace, the 18th-century summer home of King George III and Queen Charlotte, my eyes sought out a tree of equally royal stature. Perhaps it was that cone-shaped topiary directly in front of the four-story Dutch House, a palace with distinctive rust-orange hue and curved gables? Alas, no—a squint at the plant’s label identified it as the common boxwood. Roaming the well-manicured grounds, I eventually found what I was looking for. Tucked away inconspicuously, near the path leading to the palace, there was the English yew—a scraggly conifer with peeling bark. I squeezed myself between the tree’s sprawling branches and stood in its shadows, touching its surprisingly soft needles in thanks. The high-pitched “see see see” of a long-tailed tit, a fluffy, silver-chested bird, whistled through the air. The English yew (Taxus baccata) may not dazzle like a cherry blossom, but if it weren’t for this tree and its relative, the Pacific yew (T. brevifolia), I likely wouldn’t be here with my husband and 6-year-old son exploring the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the world’s most-diverse living-plant collection. Pacific yews produce a potent cancer-inhibiting molecule called paclitaxel in their bark, while spiky English yew needles make baccatin III, a precursor that companies use to create paclitaxel, which is known by the brand name Taxol. Part of the World Health Organization’s Model List of Essential Medicines, paclitaxel is valued globally at more than $2 billion per year and treats a variety of diseases, including breast cancer.In 2022, doctors in