EP1007003A1 - Compositions amphiphiles cationiques destinees a un apport intracellulaire de molecules therapeutiques - Google Patents

Compositions amphiphiles cationiques destinees a un apport intracellulaire de molecules therapeutiques

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Publication number
EP1007003A1
EP1007003A1 EP97927989A EP97927989A EP1007003A1 EP 1007003 A1 EP1007003 A1 EP 1007003A1 EP 97927989 A EP97927989 A EP 97927989A EP 97927989 A EP97927989 A EP 97927989A EP 1007003 A1 EP1007003 A1 EP 1007003A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
amphiphiles
amphiphile
cationic
carbamate
mmol
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Application number
EP97927989A
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German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
John Marshall
David J. Harris
Edward R. Lee
Craig S. Siegel
Simon J. Eastman
Chau Dung Chang
Ronald K. Scheule
Seng H. Cheng
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Genzyme Corp
Original Assignee
Genzyme Corp
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Application filed by Genzyme Corp filed Critical Genzyme Corp
Publication of EP1007003A1 publication Critical patent/EP1007003A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
    • C12N15/00—Mutation or genetic engineering; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification; Use of hosts therefor
    • C12N15/09—Recombinant DNA-technology
    • C12N15/87—Introduction of foreign genetic material using processes not otherwise provided for, e.g. co-transformation
    • C12N15/88—Introduction of foreign genetic material using processes not otherwise provided for, e.g. co-transformation using microencapsulation, e.g. using amphiphile liposome vesicle
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K9/00—Medicinal preparations characterised by special physical form
    • A61K9/10—Dispersions; Emulsions
    • A61K9/127—Liposomes
    • A61K9/1271—Non-conventional liposomes, e.g. PEGylated liposomes, liposomes coated with polymers
    • A61K9/1272—Non-conventional liposomes, e.g. PEGylated liposomes, liposomes coated with polymers with substantial amounts of non-phosphatidyl, i.e. non-acylglycerophosphate, surfactants as bilayer-forming substances, e.g. cationic lipids

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to novel cationic amphiphilic compounds that facilitate the intracellular delivery of biologically active (therapeutic) molecules.
  • the present invention relates also to pharmaceutical compositions that comprise such cationic amphiphiles, and that are useful to deliver into the cells of patients therapeutically effective amounts of biologically active molecules.
  • the novel cationic amphiphilic compounds of the invention are particularly useful in relation to gene therapy.
  • biologically active molecules for which effective targeting to a patients' tissues is often not achieved: (1) numerous proteins including immunoglobin proteins, (2) polynucleotides such as genomic DNA, cDNA, or mR A (3) antisense polynucleotides; and (4) many low molecular weight compounds, whether synthetic or naturally occurring, such as the peptide hormones and antibiotics.
  • acquired disorders are: (1) for cancers — multiple myeloma, leukemias, melanomas, ovarian carcinoma and small cell lung cancer; (2) for cardiovascular conditions — progressive heart failure, rcstenosis, and hemophilias; and (3) for neurological conditions — traumatic brain injury.
  • Transfection requires successful transfection of target cells in a patient.
  • Transfection may generally be defined as the process of introducing an expressible polynucleotide (for example a gene, a cDNA, or an mRNA patterned thereon) into a cell.
  • an expressible polynucleotide for example a gene, a cDNA, or an mRNA patterned thereon
  • Successful expression of the encoding polynucleotide leads to production in the cells of a normal protein and leads to correction of the disease state associated with the abnormal gene.
  • Therapies based on providing such proteins directly to target cells are often ineffective for the reasons mentioned above.
  • Cystic fibrosis a common lethal genetic disorder, is a particular example of a disease that is a target for gene therapy.
  • the disease is caused by the presence of one or more mutations in the gene that encodes a protein known as cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator ("CFTR"), and which regulates the movement of ions (and therefore fluid) across the cell membrane of epithelial cells, including lung epithelial cells.
  • CFTR cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator
  • Abnormnal ion transport in airway cells leads to abnormal mucous secretion, inflammmation and infection, tisssue damage, and eventually death.
  • amphiphiles In as much as compounds designed to facilitate intracellular delivery of biologically active molecules must interact with both non-polar and polar environments (in or on, for example, the plasma membrane, tissue fluids, compartments within the cell, and the biologically active molecule itself ), such compounds are designed typically to contain both polar and non-polar domains. Compounds having both such domains may be termed amphiphiles, and many lipids and synthetic lipids that have been disclosed for use in facilitating such intracellular delivery (whether for in vitro or in vivo application) meet this definition. One particularly important class of such amphiphiles is the cationic amphiphiles.
  • cationic amphiphiles have polar groups that are capable of being positively charged at or around physiological pH, and this property, is understood in the art to be important in defining how the amphiphiles interact with the many types of biologically active (therapeutic) molecules including, for example, negatively charged polynucleotides such as DNA. It is also art-preferred to expose such amphiphiles to a source of protons, thereby increasing their positive charge, prior to contacting therapeutic molecules.
  • cationic amphiphilic compounds that have both polar and non-polar domains and that are stated to be useful in relation to intracellular delivery of biologically active molecules are found, for example, in the following references, which contain also useful discussion of (1) the properties of such compounds that are understood in the art as making them suitable for such applications, and (2) the nature of structures, as understood in the art, that are formed by complexing of such amphiphiles with therapeutic molecules intended for intracellular delivery.
  • cationic amphiphiles that are particularly effective to facilitate transport of biologically active molecules into cells.
  • Any cationic amphiphile useful for this purpose is contemplated herein.
  • such cationic amphiphile is used in a state in which it is capable of accepting additional protons, i.e., it is not fully protonated.
  • cationic amphiphiles may be considered to encompass four general categories: (A) T-shaped/ steroid-based molecules; (B) T-shaped/ non-steroid based molecules; (C) non T- shaped/steroid-based molecules and (D) non T-shaped/non-steroid based molecules.
  • T-shaped/ steroid-based amphiphiles these are divided into two groups herein described, in representative examples, as: (I) having polar R groups contributed by alkylamine and polyalkylamine moieties ; and (II) having polar R groups contributed by alkylamine and polyalkylamine moieties, extended by amino acids and derivatized amino acids.
  • amphiphiles of Category A, Group I capable of facilitating transport of biologically active molecules into cells, said amphiphiles having the structure (I),
  • Z is a steroid
  • X is a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom
  • Y is a short linking group , or Y is absent;
  • R- * is H, or a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic group;
  • R ⁇ is — NH— , an alkylamine, or a polyalkylamine
  • R ⁇ is H, or a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic group
  • R-*-" is --NH-- , an alkylamine, or a polyalkylamine; and wherein R* is the same or is different from R 2 , except that both R* and R 2 cannot be — NH--.
  • the steroid component "Z" is selected from the group consisting of 3-sterols, wherein said sterol molecule is linked by the 3-O- group thereof , or by N- in replacement thereof, to Y (or directly to X, if Y is absent ).
  • particularly effective amphiphiles include, for example, spermidine cholesterol carbamate ( N 4 -spermidine cholesteryl carbamate, amphiphile No. 53), and spermine cholesterol carbamate ( N -spermine cholesteryl carbamate, amphiphile No. 67), and amphiphiles patterned thereon.
  • the steroid group is linked to Y (or directly to X, if Y is absent) from ring position 17 of the steroid nucleus (see Figures 1 and 22), or from the arm that normally extends from position 17 in many steroids( see the structure of cholesterol in Figure 1), or from any shortened form of said arm.
  • linking group Y are contained no more than about three or four atoms that themselves form a bridge of covalent bonds between X and Z.
  • Y is a linking group wherein no more than one atom of said group forms a bond with both X and Z, or Y is absent.
  • amphiphiles provided according to Group I include: iST-spermidine cholesteryl carbamate
  • amphiphiles of Category A, Group II capable of facilitating transport of biologically active molecules into cells said amphiphiles having the structure (II),
  • Z is a steroid
  • X is a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom
  • Y is a linking group or Y is absent
  • R is an amino acid, a derivatized amino acid, H or alkyl
  • R' is — NH- , an alkylamine, or a polyalkylamine
  • R 4 is an amino acid, a derivatized amino acid, H or alkyl
  • R 2 is --NH-- , an alkylamine, or a polyalkylamine; and wherein R- is the same or is different from R 2 , except that both R-- and
  • R 2 cannot be -NH ⁇ .
  • amphiphiles provided according to Group II include:
  • T-shaped/ non-steroid based amphiphiles these are divided generally according to the practice of the invention into two groups, herein described, in representative examples, as: (III) wherein the lipophilic group is contributed by a mono or dialkylamine moiety and the polar groups are, typically, alkylamine or polyalkylamine; and (IV) wherein the lipophilic groups are contributed by saturated or unsaturated alkyl or acyl groups and the polar groups are, typically, alkylamine or polyalkylamine.
  • amphiphiles of Category B, Group III capable of facilitating transport of biologically active molecules into cells said amphiphiles having the structure (III),
  • Z is an alkylamine or a dialkylamine, linked by the N-atom thereof, to Y ( or directly to X, if Y is absent ), wherein if Z is a dialkylamine, the alkyl groups thereof can be the same or different;
  • X is a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom
  • Y is a short linking group , or Y is absent;
  • R-* is H, or a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic group
  • R' is —NH— , an alkylamine, or a polyalkylamine
  • R 4 is II, or a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic group
  • R 2 is —Nil— , an alkylamine, or a polyalkylamine; and wherein R' is the same or is different from R 2 , except that both R' and
  • R 2 cannot be -NH--.
  • linking group Y there are contained no more than about three or four atoms that themselves form a bridge of covalent bonds between X and Z.
  • amphiphiles provided according to Group III include: .
  • Additional Group III amphiphiles are represented by those related to the well known amphiphile dioctadecylamidologlycylspermine "DOGS" (see Behr et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. ,USA, 86, 6982-6986, 1989) and DPPES (as described in Behr, J.P., Bioconjugatc Chemistry, 5, 1994, 382-389.
  • DOGS amphiphile dioctadecylamidologlycylspermine
  • amphiphiles of Category B, Group IV capable of facilitating transport of biologically active molecules into cells said amphiphiles having the structure (IV),
  • a and B are independently O, N or S;
  • R 5 and R 6 are independently alkyl or acyl groups and may be saturated or contain sites of unsaturation;
  • E is a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom;
  • R' is H, or a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic group
  • R' is — NH-- , an alkylamine, or a polyalkylamine
  • R 4 is H, or a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic group
  • R 2 is — NH— , an alkylamine, or a polyalkylamine; and wherein R* is the same or is different from R 2 , except that both R' and
  • R 2 cannot be -NH--.
  • up IV include:
  • the invention also provides for formulations of non T-shaped/steroid-based amphiphiles (Category C), and use thereof, such as
  • Additional Category C amphiphiles that may be used according to the practice of the invention include, for example, those described in U.S. Patent 5, 283,185 to Epand et al. including 3B [N ⁇ N 1 , ⁇ - dimethylaminoethane)- carbamoyl] cholesterol, termed "DC-chol".
  • the invention also provides for diverse formulations of non T- shaped/non steroid-based amphiphiles (Category D),and use thereof, such as cationic lipids patterned on N-[ l(2,3-dioleyloxy)propyl]-N,N,N- trimethylammonium chloride ("DOTMA"), but being non-quaternary variants thereof that can be further protonated (Feigner, et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.
  • DOTMA l(2,3-dioleyloxy)propyl]-N,N,N- trimethylammonium chloride
  • compositions that comprise one or more cationic amphiphiles, and one or more biologically active molecules, wherein said compositions facilitate intracellular delivery in the tissues of patients of therapeutically effective amounts of the biologically active molecules.
  • the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention may be formulated to contain one or more additional physiologically acceptable substances that stabilize the compositions for storage and/or contribute to the successful intracellular delivery of the biologically active molecules.
  • the invention provides a method for facilitating the transfer of biologically active molecules into cells comprising the steps of: preparing a dispersion of a cationic amphiphile of the invention; contacting said dispersion with a biologically active molecule to form a complex between said amphiphile and said molecule, and contacting cells with said complex thereby facilitating transfer of said biologically-active molecule into the cells.
  • the cationic amphiphile(s) of the invention may be formulated with one or more additional cationic amphiphiles including those known in the art, or with neutral co-Iipids such as dioleoylphosphatidyl- ethanolamine, (" DOPE"), to facilitate delivery to cells of the biologically active molecules.
  • compositions that comprise one or more cationic amphiphiles of the invention can be used to introduce biologically active molecules into plant cells, such as plant cells in tissue culture.
  • the present application provides for novel plasmids suitable for complexing with the amphiphiles of the invention in order to treat patients by gene therapy, so that a high level of expression of the appropriate therapeutic transgene can be achieved.
  • Representative examples thereof include the plasmid pCMVHI and pCFI.
  • pCFl plasmid contains the enhancer/promoter region from the immediate early gene of cytomegalovirus.
  • the pla id also contains a hybrid intron located between the promoter and the transgene cDNA.
  • the polyadenylation signal of the bovine growth hormone gene was selected for placement downstream from the transgene.
  • plasmid performance is made possible by the provision of replicating episomal plasmids.
  • Additional therapeutic enhancements are made possible by providing plasmids in which expression of the therapeutic transgene is placed under the control of a transcriptional promoter that is sensitive to the concentration of inflammation-related substances in the target tissue.
  • Such plasmids are of particular use for the treatment of clinical cases in which inflammation is a major complication.
  • particular organs or tissues may be targeted for gene therapy, by intravenous administration of amphiphile/transgene complexes, by adjusting the ratio of amphiphile to DNA in such complexes, and by adjusting the apparent charge or zeta potential thereof.
  • FIGURE 1 depicts representative Group I cationic amphophiles.
  • FIGURE 2 depicts representative steroid lipophilic groups.
  • FIGURE 3 depicts representative steroid lipophilic groups.
  • FIGURE 4 depicts a transacylation reaction.
  • FIGURE 5 depicts represenative Group II cationic amphiphiles.
  • FIGURE 6 depicts represenative Group III cationic amphiphiles.
  • FIGURE 7 depicts representative Group IV cationic amphiphiles.
  • FIGURE 8 provides a route of synthesis for spermidine cholesterol carbamate.
  • FIGURE 9 provides a route of synthesis for spermine cholesterol carbamate
  • FIGURE 10 provides a comparison of in vivo transfection efficiency for certain cationic amphiphiles under particular conditions.
  • ITGURE 11 is a depiction of in vivo transfection effeciency as a function of
  • DNA concentration for a particular cationic amphiphile DNA concentration for a particular cationic amphiphile.
  • FIGURE 12 is a depiction of in vivo transfection effeciency as a function of concentration of a particular cationic amphiphile.
  • ITGURE 13 provides relative transfection efficiencies for Group I amphiphiles.
  • FIGURE 14 provides relative transfection efficiencies for Group II amphiphiles.
  • FIGURE 15 provides relative transfection efficiencies for Group IV amphiphiles.
  • FIGURE 16 provides a map of pCMVHI-CAT plasmid.
  • FIGURE 17 shows the hybrid intron of pCMVHI-CAT.
  • FIGURE 18 (panel A) provides a map of pCFl/CAT plasmid.
  • FIGURE 18 (panel B) provides a map of pCF2/CAT plasmid.
  • FIGURE 19 shows a plot of corrected chloride ion transport in nasal polyp epithelial cells from a cystic fibrosis patient.
  • FIGURE 20 provides a map of pMyc4-CFTR plasmid.
  • a FIGURE 21 demonstrates intravenous targeting of the heart and lung.
  • FIGURE 22 demonstrates the improved in vivo performance of amphiphile No. 37 when provided in less than fully protonated form.
  • This invention provides for cationic amphiphile compounds, and compositions containing them, that are useful to facilitate transport of biologically active molecules into cells.
  • the amphiphiles are particularly useful in facilitating the transport of biologically active polynucleotides into cells, and in particular to the cells of patients for the purpose of gene therapy.
  • cationic means that the R groups, as defined herein, tend to have one or more positive charges in a solution that is at or near physiological pH.
  • cationic amphiphiles that are capable of accepting additional protons are described.
  • Such cationic amphiphiles have one or more positive charges at pH 7, but have not been fully protonated ,as manipulated herein, and therefore have obtained less than their full cationic potential.
  • Such cationic character may enhance interaction of the amphiphile with therapeutic molecules (such as nucleic acids which have a negative charge) or with cell structures (such as plasma membrane glycoproteins) thereby contributing to successful entry of the therapeutic molecules into cells, or processing within subcompartments (such as the nucleus) thereof.
  • therapeutic molecules such as nucleic acids which have a negative charge
  • cell structures such as plasma membrane glycoproteins
  • a positively charged molecule such as a cationic amphiphile capable of accepting additional protons, may have the necessary positive charges to be able to transverse a cell membrane and also, given the lack of full protonation, may be able to disassociate from a biologically active molecule such as
  • Bio molecules for which transport into cells can be facilitated according to the practice of the invention include, for example, genomic DNA, cDNA, mRNA, antisense RNA or DNA, polypeptides and small molecular weight drugs or hormones. Representative examples thereof are mentioned below in connection with the description of therapeutic (pharmaceutical) compositions of the invention.
  • Cationic amphiphiles in Category A possess several novel features. These features may be seen in comparison with, for example, cationic amphiphile structures such as those disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5, 283,185 to Epand et al., a representative structure of which is is 3B [N-(N ,N - dimethylaminoethane)-carbamoyl] cholesterol, commonly known as "DC- chol", and to those disclosed by Behr et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA, 86, 6982- 6986 (1 89), a representative structure of which is dioctadecylamidolo- glycylspermine ("DOGS").
  • DOGS dioctadecylamidolo- glycylspermine
  • Cationic amphiphiles in Category A of the present invention contain distinctive structural features: (1) the presence of a lipophilic group which is connected directly, or through a linking group, to two cationic groups (see below) that themselves comprise amino, alkylamine or polyalkylamine groups, there resulting an overall and novel "T-shaped" structure; and (2) in many cases, and in comparison with numerous art-recognized amphiphiles, the use of a relatively short linking group to bring into close proximity the lipophilic and cationic regions of the amphiphile. Without being limited as to theory, it is believed that these features contribute substantially to the transfection- enhancing capability of these compounds.
  • Figure 10 ⁇ demonstrates the very substantial in vivo transfection-enhancing capability of spermidine cholesterol carbamate (a novel amphiphile of the invention) in comparision to DC- chol and DMRIE — two well recognized transfectants.
  • the biologically active molecule is an encoding polynucleotide that is expressed when placed in the cells of a patient leading to the correction of a metabolic defect.
  • the polynucleotide encodes for a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence sufficiently duplicalive of that of human cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator ("CFTR") to allow possession of the biological property of epithelial cell anion channel regulation.
  • CFTR cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator
  • characteristic and novel features of the amphiphiles of the invention include first, that the linking group that connects the two cationic amine groups to the lipophilic group is very short, or absent entirely, and second, that the resultant linking of the the two cationic R groups to the lipophilic group forms a T-shaped structure when viewed from the position of atom "X" (a carbon or nitrogen atom) as depicted, for example, in Structures (I), (II), (III) and (IV, see atom "E").
  • atom "X" a carbon or nitrogen atom
  • both spermidine cholesterol carbamate ( N 4 -spermidine cholesteryl carbamate) and spermine cholesterol carbamate ( N 4 -spermine cholesteryl carbamate) have been determined to be superior transfectants in vivo in comparison with non "T-shaped" amphiphiles having otherwise equivalent amounts of cationic alkylamine structure. Superior performance (see also Example 3) has thus been determined for:
  • T-shaped/steroid- based cationic amphiphiles of the invention have structural features in common with naturally occurring polyamines such as spermine and spermidine (including N-atom spacing).
  • the structures of Category "A" (T- shaped/steroid based) amphiphiles 53, 67, 78, 90, and 91 are representative.
  • the placement of the nitrogen atoms in the polar head groups of the amphiphiles such that they are separated by one or more combinations of 3 and 4 carbon atoms leads to high in vivo transfection efficiency for plasmid transgenes complexed therewith.
  • amphiphiles of Group I capable of facilitating transport of biologically active molecules into cells, said amphiphiles having the structure (I),
  • Z is a steroid
  • X is a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom
  • Y is a short linking group , or Y is absent;
  • R is H, or a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic group
  • R is — NH— , an alkylamine, or a polyalkylamine
  • R 4 is H, or a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic group
  • R 2 is — NH— , an alkylamine, or a polyalkylamine; and wherein R- is the same or is different from R 2 , except that both R' and
  • R- cannot be — NH— .
  • Additional linking groups useful in the practice of the invention are those patterned on small amino acids such as glycinyl, alanyl, beta-alanyl, serinyl, and the like.
  • Y is a linking group wherein no more than one atom of this group forms a bond with both "X"and "Z".
  • linking group "Y" may be absent entirely.
  • Cationic amphiphiles may include a variety of structures as lipophilic group. Steroids represent a preferred group of such structures.
  • Steroids are widely distributed in the animal, microbial and plant kingdoms. They may be defined as solid alcohols that typically contain, as their basic skeleton, 17 carbon atoms arranged in the form of a perhydrocyclopenteno-phenanthrene ring system. Accordingly, such compounds include bile acids, cholesterol and related substances, vitamin D, certain insect molting hormones, certain sex hormones, corticoid hormones, certain antibiotics, and derivatives of all of the above wherein additional rings are added or are deleted from the basic structure, [see Natural Products Chemistry, K. Nakanashi et al.
  • steroid is used broadly to include related molecules derived from multiple isoprenoid units, such as vitamin E. Steroids
  • certain preferred amphiphiles of the invention include a steroid component "Z" that is selected from the group consisting of 3-sterols, wherein said sterol molecule is linked by the 3-O- group thereof , or by N- in replacement thereof, to Y (see Figure I).
  • Such structures include, for example, spermidine cholesterol carbamate, spermine cholesterol carbamate, spermidine 7-dehydrocholesteryl carbamate, lysine 3-N-dihydrocholesteryl carbamate, spermidine cholestamine urea, and N-3-aminopropyl-N-4- aminobutylcholestamine.
  • the steroid group is linked to Y (or directly to X if Y is absent) from ring position 17 of the steroid nucleus (see Figures 1 and 3), or from the arm that normally extends from position 17 in many steroids (see Figures 1 and 3), or from any shortened form of said arm.
  • the molecules have structures which can be metabolized by the body and are nontoxic at the doses thereof that are used.
  • steroids such as cholesterol and ergosterol that are substantially non toxic and which possess biologically normal stereospecificity in order to facilitate their safe metabolism in patients.
  • Additional steroids useful in the practice of the invention include, for example, ergosterol Bl, ergosterol B2, ergosterol B3, androsterone, cholic acid, desoxycholic acid, chenodesoxycholic acid, lithocholic acid and, for example, various derivatives thereof as are shown in the panels of Figures 2 and 3.
  • any ring position or substituent on the steroid can in general be used as point of attachment. It is preferred, however, to use a point of attachment that (1) as " mimimizes the complexity of chemical syntheses, and (2) is positioned near either "end" of the steroid molecule, for example , a position near ring position 3, or near ring position 17( or the arm that typically extends therefrom).
  • Such positions provide an orientation of the steroid with respect to the rest of the amphiphile structure that faciliates bilayer formation, and/or micelle formation, and/or stabilizes interaction with the biologically active molecules to be carried into the target cells.
  • Representative structures showing attachment of the cationic (alkyl) amine groups to the steroid lipophilic group through the arm extending from ring position 17 therof are shown in Figure 3 (panels A, B).
  • any polar groups on the steroid such as may be attached to ring position 3, be either removed or capped (for example, hydroxy as methoxy) to avoid potentially destabilizing bilayer or micelle structures.
  • Preferred steroids for use as group "Z" according to the practice of the invention include: 3- sterols (derived from cholesterol)
  • Representative species of steroid that are patterened on ergosterol and that may be used to define the structure of cationic amphiphiles of the invention include: ergosterol (double bonds as shown); ergosterol Bl ( ⁇ 8, 9; ⁇ 14, 15; ⁇ 22, 23); ergosterol Bl ( ⁇ 6, 7; ⁇ 8, 14; ⁇ 22, 23); ergosterol Bl ( ⁇ 7, 8; ⁇ 14, 15; ⁇ 22, 23); and lumisterol (the 9b-H isomer of ergosterol).
  • R 3 and R 4 are, independently, H, or saturated or unsaturated aliphatic groups.
  • the aliphatic groups can be branched or unbranched. Representative groups include alkyl, alkenyl, and cycloalkyl.
  • R 1 and R 2 are, independently, H, or saturated or unsaturated aliphatic groups.
  • the aliphatic groups can be branched or unbranched. Representative groups include alkyl, alkenyl, and cycloalkyl.
  • R- and R 2 represent structures recognized in the art as being amine; alkylamines (including primary, secondary, and tertiary amines), or extended versions thereof-herein termed "polyalkylamines". It is understood that both alkylamine and polyalkylamine groups as defined herein may include one or more carbon-carbon double bonds and the use of such alkenylamines is therefore within the practice of the invention.
  • Representative alkylamines include: (a) - NH-(CH ) Z — where z is other than 0; (b) - f[CH 3 (CH 2 ) y ]N] -(CH 2 ) Z - where z is other than 0; and
  • R* and R 2 are tertiary amines, such as is represented in Structure (c) above, it is understood that a hydrogen atom corresponding to either R 3 or R , as appropriate, may or may not be present since such hydrogen atoms correspond to the N:H(+) structure whose level of protonation will vary according to pH.
  • polyalkylamine as referred to herein defines a polymeric structure in which at least two alkylamines are joined.
  • the alkylamine units that are so joined may be primary or secondary, and the polyalkylamines that result may contain primary, secondary, or tertiary N-atoms.
  • the alkylamine as referred to herein defines a polymeric structure in which at least two alkylamines are joined.
  • the alkylamine units that are so joined may be primary or secondary, and the polyalkylamines that result may contain primary, secondary, or tertiary N-atoms.
  • (sub)units may be saturated or unsaturated, and therefore the term
  • alkylamine encompasses alkenylamines in the description of the invention.
  • Representative resultant polyalkylamines include: (d) — [NH- , where z is other than 0, and q is 2 or higher; (e) — [NH- — , where y and z are each other than 0, and p and q are each other than 0; (1) - [NH-(CH 2 )( x )] n -[NH-(CH 2 )( y )] p - [NH- ⁇ , where x, y, and z are each other than 0, and n, p and q are each other than 0; (g) - [NH-(CH 2 ) (w) ] m - [NH-(CH 2 ) ( ⁇ ) ] n ⁇ [NH-
  • R* and R 2 independently, can be — NH— , an alkylamine, or a polyalkylamine, and can be the same or different from each other, except that both R 1 and R 2 cannot be -Nil- in order to (1) preserve the "T- shape" of the resultant compound, and (2) to provide for the stability thereof. It is preferred that - in combination- the combined backbone length of R 3 R' (or of R 4 R 2 ) be less than about 40 atoms of nitrogen and carbon, more preferrably less than about 30 atoms of nitrogen and carbon.
  • R ⁇ group adjacent to R-' includes a terminal nitrogen atom that defines a tertiary center
  • a quaternary amine is formed (at that nitrogen atom of R' ) if R 3 is an aliphatic group, and a tertiary amine remains (at that nitrogen atom of R-) if R 3 is H.
  • R R' — (or R 4 R ⁇ — ) structures to atom "X" is through the right hand side (as depicted) of the R 3 R' — , that is, through a CH 2 — moiety.
  • the coefficents i.e. v, w, x, y, and z and 1, m, n, p, and q
  • whole numbers For the purposes of the invention, "whole number" means 0 and the natural numbers
  • amphiphiles of the invention including those represented by formulas (a) to (1), it is noted that there are certain preferences concerning the design of such groups depending on whether atom 'X" as it is shown according to structure (I) above, is a nitrogen atom or a carbon atom. If
  • a polyalkylamine may be represented, for example, by the formulas above, although many more structures (such structures being within the scope of the invention) can be depicted by extending the number of, or types or combinations of, alkylamine subunits within the amphiphile structure. That further such variations can be made is apparent to those skilled in the art.
  • a polyalkylamine group (or resultant R 3 R* group) that is very long may interfere, for example, with the solubility of the resultant amphiphile, or interfere with its ability to stably interact with the biologically active molecule selected for intracellular delivery.
  • polyalkylamines (or resultant R R' groups) having a backbone length of about 40 nitrogen and carbon atoms, or more may not be suitable for inclusion in amphiphiles.
  • its properties may be determined by experimentation, and its use is nonetheless within the practice of the invention.
  • amphiphiles of Group II capable of facilitating transport of biologically active molecules into cells said amphiphiles having the structure (II),
  • Z is a steroid
  • X is a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom
  • Y is a linking group or Y is absent
  • R 3 is an amino acid, a derivatized amino acid, H or alkyl
  • R- is —Nil- , an alkylamine, or a polyalkylamine
  • R 4 is an amino acid, a derivatized amino acid, H or alkyl
  • R 2 is — NH- , an alkylamine, or a polyalkylamine; and wherein R* is the same or is different from R 2 , except that both R ⁇ and
  • R 2 cannot be --NH-.
  • amphiphiles provided according to Group II include amphiphiles 87, 91, 93, 95, 97, 99, 100, and 103. With respect to the structural features of these amphiphiles, and the other amphiphiles of Group II, the following should be considered.
  • the steroid group may be selected according to the criteria defined above for the Category A/Group I amphiphiles. Accordingly, preferred amphiphiles include those selected from 3- sterols, wherein the sterol molecule is linked by the 3-O- group thereof, or by N in replacement thereof, to "Y".
  • group Y may be absent.
  • Representative N- acylamino groups include an N-Acyl serine ( No. 87), an N-Acyl glycine (No. 91), and an N-Acyl aspartic acid ( No. 103). With respect to the use of N- Acyl aspartic acid in amphiphile No. 103, it is noted that, as provided, the gamma carboxyl thereof is further derivatized to an additional alkylamine moiety.
  • R 3 and R 4 represent H or alkyl, or may be natural or artificial amino acids including derivatives of either.
  • Representative examples of R 3 or R 4 amino acid groups include those derived from tryptophan ( No. 97) and from arginine ( No. 95).
  • amphiphiles of Category B/ Group III capable of facilitating transport of biologically active molecules into cells said amphiphiles having the structure (III), wherein:
  • Z is an alkylamine or a dialkylamine, linked by the N-atom thereof, to Y, or directly to X if Y is absent, wherein if Z is a dialkylamine, the alkyl groups thereof can be the same or different;
  • X is a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom
  • Y is a short linking group , or Y is absent;
  • R 3 is H, or a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic group
  • R' is — NH- , an alkylamine, or a polyalkylamine
  • R 4 is II, or a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic group
  • R 2 is —NH— , an alkylamine, or a polyalkylamine; and wherein R is the same or is different from R 2 , except that both R and
  • R 2 cannot be -NH-.
  • Representative cationic amphiphiles according to the practice of the invention that contain an alkyl amine or dialkylamine as lipophilic group include, for example, N,N-dioctadecyllysineamide; N ' , N ' -dioctadecy l- 1 ,2,6- triaminohexane; N,N-didodecyllysineamide; N,N- didecyllysineamide; spermidine- N,N- dioctadecyl urea; N-myristyllysineamide; and N- (dioctyldecylaminoethyl)-lysineamide .
  • amphiphiles are depicted ( Figure 6) as amphiphiles 43, 47, 56, 60, and 73. With respect to the structural features of these amphiphiles, and the other amphiphiles of Group III, the following should be considered.
  • an alkyl chain(s) of the group should not be so large in molecular weight that it interferes with the solubility of the amphiphile, or interferes with its ability to interact with plasmid DNA.
  • an alkyl chain of an alkylamine or dialkylamine may include one or more points of unsaturation.
  • R groups R-* , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 follows that disclosed for the Group I amphiphiles, and these R groups may be selected, for example, from Table I.
  • amphiphiles of Group IV capable of facilitating transport of biologically active molecules into cells said amphiphiles having the structure (IV),
  • a and B are independently O, N or S;
  • R-> and R" are independently alkyl or acyl groups and may be saturated or contain sites of unsaturation;
  • E is a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom
  • R 3 is H, or a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic group
  • R' is — NH— , an alkylamine, or a polyalkylamine
  • R 4 is H, or a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic group
  • R 2 is — NH— , an alkylamine, or a polyalkylamine; and wherein R' is the same or is different from R 2 , except that both R and
  • R 2 cannot be -NH-.
  • amphiphiles of Group IV include Nos. 64, 76, 85, 89, 94, 98, 102, 105, 1 10, and 1 1 1. With respect to the structural features of these amphiphiles, and the other amphiphiles of Group IV, the following should be considered.
  • group "E” represents a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom.
  • R-- and R" are independently alkyl or acyl groups, preferrably containing about 8 to about 30 carbon atoms, and such groups may contain one or more points of unsaturation.
  • group D may be absent (amphiphile No.94). Additional linkers may be selected based on the teachings provided with respect to Groups I, II, and III above, and based upon the in vivo test date derived ( Figure 15), it is preferred that the linker D be short or absent.
  • the invention also provides for formulations of non T-shaped/steroid-based amphiphiles (Category C), and use thereof, such as
  • Additional Category C amphiphiles that may be used according to the practice of the invention include, for example, those described in U.S. Patent 5, 283,185 to Epand et al. including 3 ⁇ [N-Ol ⁇ N 1 - dimethylaminoethane)- carbamoylj cholesterol, termed "DC-chol"; cholestryl-3 ⁇ - carboxamidoethylene trimethylammonium iodide; cholestryl -3 ⁇ - oxysuccinamideoethylene trimethylammonium iodide, and the like including ⁇ - alanyl cholesterol.
  • amphiphiles include those that may be patterned upon DOTAP, ChoTB, and ChoSC (Leventis et al., Biochemica et Biophysica Acta, 1023, 1990, pp. 124-132) but not if provided in quaternary form.
  • amphiphiles An additional class of such amphiphiles is provided by the N ' - (alkylamine) linked cationic facial amphiphiles described in Walker et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA , 93, 1996, 1585-1590, including, for example, structures described in Table 1 thereof .
  • Category D - non T-shaped/ non steroid-based cationic amphiphiles
  • the invention also provides for diverse formulations of non T- shaped/non steroid-based amphiphiles (Category D),and use thereof, such as may be formulated with:
  • cationic amphiphiles patterned on N-[l(2,3-dioleyloxy)propylJ-N,N,N- trimethylammonium chloride ("DOTMA"), but being non-quaternary variants thereof, that can be further protonated ( see Feigner, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 84, 7413-7417, 1987, and U.S. Patent 4,897,355 to Eppstein et al. ;
  • DOTMA N-[l(2,3-dioleyloxy)propylJ-N,N,N- trimethylammonium chloride
  • DOPE dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine
  • lyso-phosphatidylethanolamines other phosphatidyl- ethanolamines phosphatidylcholines
  • lyso-phosphatidylcholines phosphatidylcholines
  • cholesterol Typically, a preferred molar ratio of cationic amphiphile to colipid is about 1 :1. However, it is within the practice of the invention to vary this ratio (see Example 3 below), including also over a considerable range.
  • amphiphiles of the invention are active as transfectants without co-lipid. Accordingly, the practice of the present invention is neither to be considered limited by theories as to co-lipid participation in intracellular delivery mechanisms, nor to require the involvement of co-lipids.
  • amphiphile No.67 it has been observed that a mixture of amphiphile and DOPE, in chloroform solvent, does not appear to participate in such reactions.
  • preparing the amphiphile and co-lipid in an aqueous solution where bilayer-containing structures such as liposomes can form will permit transacylation.
  • amphiphile and co-lipid are dried down to a thin film, such as from chloroform (thereby placing the 2 species in intimate contact), then transacylation also occurs, possibly as a result of entropic effects. It is expected that these phenomena would also apply to lyophilized amphiphile/DOPE preparations.
  • amphiphile /DOPE preparations at very cold temperatures, such as -70 degrees C.
  • Preparation of amphiphile No. 67 as a mono, di, or tri acetate salt has also been determined to slow transacylations.
  • compositions of the present invention may or may not contain such transacylation byproducts, or other byproducts, and that the presence of such byproducts does not prevent the therapeutic use of the compositions containing them. Rather use of such compositions is within the practice of the invention, and such compositions and the novel molecular species thereof are therefore specifically claimed.
  • Preparation of Pharmaceutical Compositions and Administration Thereof The present invention provides for pharmaceutical compositions that facilitate intracellular delivery of therapeutically effective amounts of biologically active molecules.
  • Pharmaceutical compositions of the invention facilitate entry of biologically active molecules into tissues and organs such as the gastric mucosa, heart, lung, and solid tumors.
  • compositions of the invention facilitate entry of biologically active molecules into cells that are maintained in vitro , such as in tissue culture.
  • the amphiphilic nature of the compounds of the invention enables them to associate with the lipids of cell membranes, other cell surface molecules, and tissue surfaces, and to fuse or to attach thereto.
  • One type of structure that can be formed by amphiphiles is the liposome, a vesicle formed into a more or less spherical bilayer, that is stable in biological fluids and can entrap biological molecules targeted for intracellular delivery.
  • liposomal compositions permit biologically active molecules carried therewith to gain access to the interior of a cell through one or more cell processes including endocytosis and pinocytosis.
  • the cationic amphiphiles of the invention need not form highly organized vesicles in order to be effective, and in fact can assume (with the biologically active molecules to which they bind) a wide variety of loosely organized structures. Any of such structures can be present in pharmaceutical preparations of the invention and can contribute to the effectivenesss thereof.
  • Biologically active molecules that can be provided intracellularly in therapeutic amounts using the amphiphiles of the invention include:
  • vesicles or other structures formed from numerous of the cationic amphiphiles are not preferred by those skilled in the art in order to deliver low molecular weight biologically active molecules. Although not a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is nonetheless within the practice of the invention to deliver such low molecular weight molecules intracellularly.
  • Representative of the types of low molecular weight biologically active molecules that can be delivered include hormones and antibiotics.
  • Cationic amphiphile species of the invention may be blended so that two or more species thereof are used, in combination, to facilitate entry of biologically active molecules into target cells and/or into subcellular compartments thereof.
  • Cationic amphiphiles of the invention can also be blended for such use with amphiphiles that are known in the art.
  • Dosages of the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention will vary, depending on factors such as half-life of the biologically-active molecule, potency of the biologically-active molecule, half-life of the amphiphile(s), any potential adverse effects of the amphiphile(s) or of degradation products thereof, the route of administration, the condition of the patient, and the like. Such factors are capable of determination by those skilled in the art.
  • compositions of the invention A variety of methods of administration may be used to provide highly accurate dosages of the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention.
  • Such preparations can be administered orally, parenterally, topically, transmucosally, or by injection of a preparation into a body cavity of the patient, or by using a sustained-release formulation containing a biodegradable material, or by onsite delivery using additional micelles, gels and liposomes.
  • Nebulizing devices, powder inhalers, and aerosolized solutions are representative of methods that may be used to administer such preparations to the respiratory tract.
  • the therapeutic compositions of the invention can in general be formulated with excipients (such as the carbohydrates lactose, trehalose, sucrose, mannitol, maltose or galactose) and may also be lyophilized (and then rehydrated) in the presence of such excipients prior to use.
  • excipients such as the carbohydrates lactose, trehalose, sucrose, mannitol, maltose or galactose
  • Conditions of optimized formulation for each amphiphile of the invention are capable of determination by those skilled in the pharmaceutical art.
  • sucrose is preferred over mannitol in order to prevent formation of amphiphile/DNA aggregates, particularly as the concentration of DNA is increased therein. Addition of such excipients maintains the consistency of lyophilized pharmaceutical compositions during storage, and prevent difficulties such as aggregation, or insolubity, that may likely occur upon rehydration from the lyophilized state.
  • a principal aspect of the invention involves providing a composition that comprises a biologically active molecule (for example, a polynucleotide) and one or more cationic amphiphiles (including optionally one or more co-lipids), and then maintaining said composition in the presence of one ore more excipients as aforementioned, said resultant composition being in liquid or solid (preferably lyophilized) form, so that: (1) the therapeutic activity of the biologically active molecules is substantially preserved; (2) the transfection-enhancing nature of the amphiphile( or of amphiphile/ DNA complex) is maintained.
  • the excipients stabilize the interaction (complexes)of the amphiphile and biologically active molecule through one or more effects including:
  • an additional and valuable characteristic of the amphiphiles of the invention is that any such potentially adverse effect can be minimized owing to the greatly enhanced in vivo activity of the amphiphiles of the invention in comparison with amphiphilic compounds known in the art. Without being limited as to theory, it is believed that osmotic stress ( at low total solute concentration) may contribute positively to the successful transfection of polynucleotides into cells in vivo .
  • Such a stress may occur when the pharmaceutical composition, provided in unbuffered water, contacts the target cells.
  • Use of such otherwise preferred compositions may therefore be incompatible with treating target tissues that already are stressed, such as has damaged lung tissue of a cystic fibrosis patient. Accordingly, and using sucrose as an example, selection of concentrations of this excipient that range from about 15 mM to about 200 mM provide a compromise betweeen the goals of (1) stabilizing the pharmaceutical composition to storage and (2) mimizing any effects that high concentrations of solutes in the composition may have on transfection performance.
  • An additional aspect of the invention concerns the protonation state of the cationic amphiphiles of the invention prior to their contacting a biological molecule such as plasmid DNA in order to form a therapeutic composition. It is within the practice of the invention to utilize fully protonated, partially protonated, or free base forms of the amphiphiles in order to form such therapeutic compositions. However, for purposes of this invention, the use of a partially protonated cationic amphiphile, or free based form, is preferred. The preparation of the cationic amphiphile in a non-salt form, i.e., in the absence of a source of protons during preparation, is desired.
  • amphiphile may be subjected to various protonation states during preparation, however, a non-fully protonated state is desired at the time of its combination with a neutral co-lipid (such as DOPE), or with an active biological molecule, for example a DNA plasmid.
  • a neutral co-lipid such as DOPE
  • an active biological molecule for example a DNA plasmid.
  • co-lipid itself may provide a source of protons to the cationic amphilphile. However, the contribution of such protons , under the conditions of manipulation used herein, is not expected to fully protonate the cationic amphiphile.
  • amphiphile No. 67 spermine cholesterol carbamate
  • amphiphile No. 37 Similar results were observed for amphiphile No. 37 (see Example 11) where provision of the amphiphile in free base form, prior to its contacting co- lipid and plasmid DNA, resulted in an approximate 50-fold improvement in reporter gene expression.
  • N , N - dicarbobenzoxyspermidine (61% yield, m.p. 104 - 105° C) was prepared according to the procedure of S. K. Sharma, M. J. Miller, and S. M. Payne, J. Med. Chem., 1989, 32, 357-367.
  • the N 1 , N 8 - dicarbobenzoxyspermidine (25 g , 60.5 mmol) and triethylamine (25 ml, 178 mmol) were dissolved in 625 ml of anhydrous methylene chloride, cooled to 0
  • Benzylchloroformate (1.76g, 1.5 ml, 10.36 mmol) was dissolved in methylene chloride (5 ml) and placed in a three neck flask under a nitrogen atmosphere.
  • Imidazole (11.4 g, 20.6 mmol) was dissolved in methylene chloride (20 ml) and placed in an addition funnel. The three neck flask was cooled to
  • Cholesteryl chloroformate (964 mg, 2.15 mmol) was dissolved in chloroform (10 ml) and added dropwise to a cooled (0°C) solution of N ⁇ ,N ⁇ 2 - diCBZ spermine (l .Olg, 2.15 mmol), triethylamine (1 ml) in chloroform (10 ml). The reaction was allowed to warm to room temperature and stirred for 2 hours. To the reaction solution was added water (25 ml) and chloroform (25 ml). The layers were separated and the organic fraction dried over magnesium sulfate.
  • the hydrogenolysis should be carried out under acidic conditions, in order to minimize the poisoning of the catalyst.
  • Urea analogs - such as spermine or spermidine cholestamine urea - can be prepared by a sequence of reactions well known to those versed in the art of organic synthesis. For example an amine can be treated with an equal molar amount of carbonyldiimidazole followed by the addition of a second amine to give the desired urea.
  • C N,N Bis (3-aminopropyl)-O-cholesteryl -3-carbamate
  • Bis (3-CBZ aminopropyl) amine was prepared using the method described above for N ,N 1 -diCBZ-spermine, except that N-(3-aminopropyl)l,3- propanediamine was substituted for spermine as reactant.
  • the pure product was isolated in 34 % yield by silica gel flash chromatography using as solvent CHC1 3 / MeOH/ NH 4 OH 80/20/0.5.
  • the Bis (3-CBZ aminopropyl) amine so prepared was then reacted with cholesteryl chloroformate according to the method described above for the synthesis of N*, N -DiCBZ -N 4 -spermidine cholesteryl carbamate.
  • the pure product (N,N Bis ( 3-CBZ aminopropyl)-O-cholesteryl-3-carbamate) was obtained in 73% yield.
  • N,N Bis (6-aminohexyl)-O-cholesteryl-3-carbamate ( Figure 1 , No. 70) was prepared according to the following procedure.
  • Bis (6-CBZ aminohexyl) amine was prepared using the method described above for N ,N ⁇ 2 -diCBZ-spermine, except that Bis(hexamethylene)triamine was substituted for spermine as reactant. Pure product was isolated in 24% yield by recrystallization from toluene.
  • Lysine 3-N- dihydrocholesteryl carbamate ( Figure 1 , panel C) was prepared according to the following procedure.
  • the 3-phthalimidochoIestane (5.40 g, 9.75 mmol) was dissolved in 60 mL of methanol and anhydrous hydrazine (3.1 ml, 99 mmol) was added. The reaction mixture was stirred and heated at reflux under a nitrogen atmosphere for 4 hr. This mixture was then cooled to room temperature, 3.1 mL of concentrated HC1 was added and the resulting mixture was heated at reflux overnight. Upon cooling to ambient temperature, 100 ml of diethyl ether and 50 ml of 1 N NaOH were added (final pH of 10.1) and the layers were separated. The aqueous layer was extracted with 50 ml of diethyl ether and the combined organic fractions were filtered. The filtrate was concentrated in vacuo and the residue was purified by silica gel chromatography (chloroform / methanol 90 / 10) to give 2.24 g of 3-aminocholestane in 59 % yield.
  • Raney Nickel 50% slurry (1.2 g, Aldrich) was placed in a Parr Bomb with 1M
  • the vesicle was evacuated and placed under Argon pressure (80-100 psi), three times and then evacuated and placed under Hydrogen pressure (100 psi), three times.
  • the reaction was stirred under hydrogen pressure (100 psi) at room temperature for 72h.
  • the vesicle was evacuated and placed under argon pressure.
  • the catalyst was removed by filtration.
  • the filtrate was concentrated in vacuo .
  • the resulting oil was dissolved in 2:1 CH 2 C1 2 : MeOH
  • Nl ,N8-Bis(3-aminopropyl)-N 4 -spermidine cholesteryl carbamate (G) N(N 4 -3-aminopropyl-spermidine) cholesteryl carbamate
  • N(N 4 -3-aminopropyl-spermidine) cholesteryl carbamate ( Figure 1 , No. 78) was prepared as follows:
  • N°-dicarbobenzoxyspermidine (1.0 g, 2.4 mmol) was dissolved in
  • N 8 - dicarbobenzoxyspermidine 300 mg, 0.66 mmol
  • CH C1 2 Et 3 N under N 2
  • Cholesteryl chloro formate 326 mg, 0.726 mmol, Aldrich
  • CH2C1 2 was added to the reaction dropwise.
  • the mixture was stirred for 2h at room temperature.
  • CH 2 C1 25 mL
  • H O 10 mL
  • the layers were separated.
  • the organic layer was dried with MgSO 4 and filtered. The filtrate was concentrated in vacuo to give 640 mg of crude product.
  • N-[N ,N ,N " Tris (3-aminopropyl) spermidine] cholesteryl carbamate ( Figure 1 , No. 96) was prepared by reacting N-(N 4 -3-aminopropylspermidine) cholesteryl carbamate with acrylonitrile (90% yield) and subsequent reduction of the di adduct with Raney nickel (75 % yield) as described for the preparation of N',N 8 Bis(3-aminopropyl)-N4-spermidine cholesteryl carbamate.
  • N,N-Bis(4-aminobutyl) cholesteryl carbamate ( Figure 1 , No. 82) was prepared as follows.
  • N,N-Bis (3-cyanopropyl) benzylamine (3.7 g, 17.8 mmol) was dissolved in EtOH (150 mL) and Acetic acid (4 mL) was added. This solution was added to 10% Pd on carbon (400 mg) under N2. The mixture was placed under H2 and the reaction stirred for 18 h at room temperature. The reaction was placed under N2. The catalyst was filtered off and washed with EtOH
  • N,N-Bis(N'-3-aminopropyl-4-aminobutyl) cholesteryl carbamate ( Figure 1, No. 83) was prepared by reacting N,N " Bis(4-aminobutyl) cholesteryl carbamate with acrylonitrile (82% yield) and subsequent reduction of the di acrylonitrile adduct with Raney nickel (81 % yield) as described for the preparation of N ⁇ N 8 -Bis(3-aminopropyl)-N 4 -spermidine cholesteryl carbamate.
  • K N 4spermidine cholesteryl carboxamide
  • N( a ),N( e ),N( e ) (alpha, epsilon, epsilon) -tricarbobenzoxyArginine in CH 2 C1 2 (25 mL) was added N-hydroxysuccinimide (100 mg, 0.89 mmol) and dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (240 mg, 0.89 mmol). The mixture was stirred under N 2 at room temperature for 2.5 hours.
  • N,N- dioctadecy llysineamide ( Figure 6, No.73) was prepared according to the following procedure. N,N-dioctadecylamine (1.35 g, 2.58 mmol, Fluka) and L-Na,Ne-diBOClysine N-hydroxysuccinimide ester ( 1.00 g, 2.58 mmol, Sigma) were combined in 15 ml of methylene chloride and 2 ml triethylamine was added. The reaction mixture was heated briefly to effect complete dissolution and then stirred at ambient temperature overnight. Water (20 ml)
  • N,N-dioctadecyl-Na,Ne-diBOC lysineamide(l .59 g) was dissolved in 25 ml of chloroform and stirred for 2 hr. while FIC1 gas was bubbled through the solution. This solution was purged with N2 gas and concentrated in vacuo. N,N -dioctadecyllysineamide (1.34 g) was obtained in
  • N ,N -Dioctadecy l-L2,6-triaminohexane (Figure 6, No. 47) was prepared as follows. To N,N-Dioctadecyl-Na,Ne-diBOClysineamide (760 mg,
  • the resulting reaction mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for 2 hr and concentrated in vacuo .
  • the residue was dissolved in 25 ml of water and 25 mL of methylene chloride and adjusted to pH 10 with approximately 2 ml of concentrated ammonium hydroxide.
  • the layers were separated and the aqueous layer was extracted a second time with
  • the crude material was purified by flash column chromatography (300 g silica gel) eluting with 3% ethyl acetate/ hexanes.
  • the desired product was isolated as a pale yellow oil and characterized by * H NMR as 3-OBn-l,2-dilaurylglycerol (1.70 g, 60%).
  • 3-OBn-l,2- dilaurylglycerol (1.70 g, 3.28 mmol) in ethanol (100 mL) was stirred with 10% Pd/C (250 mg, 15 wt%) under a hydrogen atmosphere for 24 hours.
  • the reaction was flushed with nitrogen and filtered through Celite, rinsing with ethanol, to remove the catalyst.
  • the filtrate was reduced in vacuo to a solid.
  • the crude material was purified by flash column chromatography (140 g silica gel) eluting with 10% ethyl acetate/ hexanes.
  • the desired product was isolated as a white solid and characterized by 'H NMR as 1,2-dilaurylglycerol (1.23g, 88%).
  • the desired product was isolated as an oil and characterized by - ⁇ NMR as l-(N -(N ⁇ ,N ⁇ 2 -di-CBz- spermine))-2,3-dilaurylglycerol carbamate (188 mg, 15%).
  • the 1-(N 4 -(N ,N ⁇ 2 -di-CBz-spermine))-2,3-dilaurylglycerol carbamate (188 mg, 0.203 mmol) was dissolved in glacial acetic acid (10 mL) and stirred with 10% Pd/C (45 mg, 24 wt %) under a hydrogen atmosphere for 5 hours.
  • the catalyst was removed by vacuum filtration rinsing with 10% acetic acid/ ethyl acetate (10 mL)
  • the filtrate was reduced to an oil by rotary evaporation.
  • the resulting oil was dissolved in 10% methanol/ chloroform (85 mL) and was washed with 1M NaOH (15 mL) and dH2O (10 mL).
  • the organic layer was separated, dried over magnesium sulfate, filtered and reduced in vacuo to an oil.
  • the product was characterized by ⁇ NMR as l-(N -spermine)-2,3- dilaurylglycerol carbamate (125 mg, 94%).
  • amphiphiles of the invention may be prepared according to procedures that are within the knowledge of those skilled in art.
  • Example 1 Cell Transfection Assay
  • amphiphile/co-lipid compositions were stored at low temperature, such as - 70 degrees C, until use.
  • the lipid film was then hydrated with sterile deionized water (1 ml) for 10 minutes, and then vortexed for 1 minute ( sonication for 10 to 20 seconds in a bath sonicator may also be used, and sonication has proved useful for other amphiphiles such as DC-chol).
  • the resulting suspension was then diluted with 4 ml of water to yield a solution that is 670 ⁇ M in cationic amphiphile and 670 ⁇ M in neutral colipid.
  • DNA solutions (165 ⁇ l, 960 ⁇ M) were pipetted into 8 wells containing OptiMEM (165 ⁇ l), and the resulting 480 ⁇ M solutions were then serially diluted 7 times to generate 8 separate 165 ⁇ l solutions from each well, with the concentrations of DNA in the wells ranging from 480 ⁇ M to 3.75 ⁇ M.
  • the 64 test solutions (cationic amphiphile: neutral lipid) were then combined with the 64 DNA solutions to give separate mixtures in 64 wells, each having a volume of 330 ⁇ l, with DNA concentrations ranging from 240 ⁇ M to 1.875 ⁇ M along one axis, and lipid concentrations ranging from 167 ⁇ M to 1.32 ⁇ M along the other axis.
  • 64 solutions were prepared in all, each having a different amphiphile: DNA ratio and/or concentration.
  • the solutions of DNA and amphiphile were allowed to stand for 15 to 30 minutes in order to allow complex formation.
  • -1 A CFT-1 cell line (human cystic fibrosis bronchial epithelial cells immortalized with papillomavirus) provided by Dr.
  • CFTR cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator
  • the ⁇ F508 mutation is the most common mutation associated with cystic fibrosis disease.
  • the properties of the ⁇ F508 mutation and the genetics of cystic fibrosis disease see, in particular, Cheng et al., Cell, 63, 827-834 (1990). See also Riordan et al., Science, 245, 1066-1073 (1989); published European Patent Application No. 91301819.8 of Gregory et al., bearing publication number 0 446 017 Al ; and Gregory et al., Nature, 347, 382-385 (1990).
  • the cells were cultured in Hams Fl 2 nutrient media (Gibco/ BRL No. 31765-027) supplemented with 2% fetal bovine serum ("FBS", Irvine Scientific, No. 3000) and 7 additional supplements. Cells were then plated into 96-well tissue culture plates at a density of approximately 7,500 cells/well. Before being used in the assay, cells were allowed to grow for periods of 5-7 days until a confluent pattern had been achieved.
  • Hams Fl 2 nutrient media Gibco/ BRL No. 31765-027
  • FBS Irvine Scientific, No. 3000
  • the resultant medium was removed from the plates and the cells washed with phosphate buffered saline. Lysis buffer (50 ⁇ l, 250 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0, 0.15% Triton X-100) was then added, and the cells were lysed for 30 minutes. The 96-well plates were carefully vortexed for 10 seconds to dislodge the cells and cell debris, and 5 ⁇ l volumes of lysate from each well were transferred to a plate containing lOO ⁇ l volumes of Coomassie Plus® protein assay reagent (Pierce Company, No. 23236). The protein assay plates were read by a Bio-Rad Model 450 plate-reader containing a 595nm filter, with a protein standard curve included in every assay.
  • Lysis buffer 50 ⁇ l, 250 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0, 0.15% Triton X-100
  • the level of ⁇ -galactosidase activity in each well was measured by adding phosphate buffered saline (50 ⁇ l) to the remaining lysates, followed by addition of a buffered solution consisting of chlorophenol red galactopyranoside (100 ⁇ l, 1 mg per ml, Calbiochem No. 220588), 60 mM disodium hydrogen phosphate pH 8.0, 1 mM magnesium sulfate, 10 mM potassium chloride, and 50 mM 2-mercaptoethanol.
  • the chlorophenol red galactopyranoside following enzymatic ( ⁇ -galactosidase) hydrolysis, gave a red color which was detected by a plate-reader containing a 570 nm filter.
  • a ⁇ - galactosidase (Sigma No. G6512) standard curve was included to calibrate every assay.
  • optical data determined by the plate-reader allowed determination of ⁇ -galactosidase activity and protein content.
  • DMRIE l,2-dimyristyloxypropyl-3-
  • compounds of the invention are particularly effective in transfecting airway epithelial cells and inducing therein ⁇ -galactosidase expression.
  • DMRIE DMRIE
  • DOPE spermidine cholesterol carbamate
  • DOPE mixture also 1 :1
  • transfection efficiency improved by a factor of about 5 see, for example, Figures 13, 14 and 15).
  • CFT- 1 Immortalized human cystic fibrosis airway cells
  • pCMV-CFTR plasmid is a construct containing the encoding sequence for CFTR and the following regulatory elements, a CMV promoter and enhancer, and an SV40 polyadenylation signal. Additional constructs suitable for the practice of this example include pMT-CFTR, Cheng et al.. Cell, 63, 827-834 (1990).
  • the complex used was 10.5 ⁇ molar of spermidine cholesterol carbamate (also of DOPE) and 30 ⁇ molar of pCMV-CFTR based on nucleotide.
  • Fluorescence of the SPQ molecule in individual cells was measured using an inverted microscope, Nikon, , a digital imaging system from Universal Imaging, and an ICCD camera, Hamamatsu, Inc.. Cells were selected for analysis without prior knowledge of their expected rate-of-change- in- fluorescence characteristics.
  • This assay was used to assess the ability of the cationic amphiphiles of the invention to transfect cells in vivo from live specimens.
  • the lungs of balb/c mice were instilled intra-nasally (the procedure can also be performed trans-tracheally) with 100 ⁇ l of cationic amphiphile: DNA complex, which was allowed to form during a 15-minute period prior to administration according to the following procedure.
  • the amphiphile (premixed with co-lipid, see below) was hydrated in water for 10 minutes, a period sufficient to yield a suspension at twice the final concentration required. This was vortexed for two minutes and aliquoted to provide 55 microliter quantities for each mouse to be instilled.
  • DNA encoding the reporter (CAT) gene was diluted with water to a concentration twice the required final concentration, and then aliquoted at 55 microliters for each mouse to be instilled. The lipid was gently combined with the DNA (in a polystyrene tube), and the complex allowed to form for 15 minutes before the mice were instilled therewith.
  • the plasmid used (pCMVHI-CAT, see Example 4) provides an encoding DNA for chloramphenicol transfcrase enzyme. Specifics on the amphiphile:DNA complexes are provided below.
  • mice Two days following transfection, mice were sacrificed, and the lungs and trachea removed, weighed, and homogenized in a buffer solution (250 mM Tris, pH 7.8, 5mM EDTA). The homogenate was clarified by centrifugation, and the deacetylases therein were inactivated by heat treatment at 70 °C for 10 minutes. Lysate was incubated overnight with acelyl coenzyme A and C' 4 — chloramphenicol. CAT enzyme activity was then visualized by thin layer chromatography ("TLC") following an ethyl acetate extraction. Enzyme activity was quantitated by comparison with a CAT standard curve.
  • TLC thin layer chromatography
  • the presence of the enzyme CAT will cause an acetyl group to be transferred from acetylcoenzyme A to C 14 —chloramphenicol.
  • the acetylated radiolabeled chloramphenicol migrates faster on a TLC plate and thus its presence can be detected.
  • the amount of CAT that had been necessary to generate the determined amount of acetylated chloramphenicol can then be calculated from standards.
  • the activity of spermidine cholesterol carbamate (amphiphile No.53) was determined in the CAT assay in relation to the recognized transfection reagents DMRIE and DC-Choi.
  • Figure 10 demonstrates dramatically (as ng CAT activity per 100 mg tissue) the enhanced ability of spermidine cholesterol carbamate (amphiphile No. 53) to transfect cells in vivo, which enhancement is about 20-fold, or greater, in this assay.
  • activity was measured as ng CAT enzyme per 100 mg lung tissue.
  • DMRIE a well known transfectant
  • plasmid DNA 1.7 mM DMRIE, 1.7 mM DOPE, 1.2 mM plasmid DNA measured as nucleotide
  • the transfection solution for spermidine cholesterol carbamate contained 6mM DNA measured as concentration of nucleotide, and 1.5 mM of cationic amphiphile.
  • each amphiphile had also been premixed with DOPE, in this case at 1 : 1 molar ratio.
  • the molar ratio of DC-chol to DOPE was 3:2, and the concentrations of cationic amphiphile and of DNA (as nucleotide) were 1.3 mM and 0.9 mM, respectively.
  • the molar ratio of DMRIE to DOPE was 1 : 1 and the concentrations of cationic amphiphile and of DNA were 1.7 mM and 1.2 mM, respectively. These concentrations (and concentration ratios) for each amphiphile, and colipid and DNA, had been determined to be optimal for transfection for that respective amphiphile, and accordingly were used as the basis for the comparison presented herein.
  • spermidine cholesterol carbamate (amphiphile No. 53)
  • optimization experiments were also performed to determine preferred concentrations of plasmid for a particular amphiphile concentration (see Figure 1 1), and also to determine preferred concentrations of the same amphiphile in relation to a particular plasmid concentration (see Figure 12).
  • Transfection efficiency was optimal at an amphiphile concentration of 1.5 mM (DOPE also being present at 1.5 mM), and about 6 mM (by nucleotide) of plasmid, or about at a ratio of 1 :4. It was noted, however, that concentrations of about 0.75 mM of amphiphile, and 3.0 mM of plasmid were less toxic to the target cells.
  • Intra-nasal transfection with pCMVHI-CAT vector was also performed in mice using spermidine cholesterol carbamate as cationic amphiphile but with cholesterol as co-lipid.
  • concentrations of spermidine cholesterol carbamate tested were between 1.0 and 1.5 mM (cholesterol being present at a 1 :1 molar ratio in each case, with the mixing of amphiphile and co-lipid being performed as above).
  • the DNA concentration measured as nucleotide concentration
  • Transfection efficiency was less effective than with DOPE as co-lipid; however, the transfections were substantially more effective than those achieved using DC-Chol/DOPE. part B
  • the ratio, for in vivo testing, of amphiphile concentration to DOPE concentration was taken from the in vitro experiments, as was the optimized ratio of amphiphile concentration to DNA concentration (see Example 1 ). Accordingly, for such amphiphiles the in vivo test concentration was fixed at ImM, thereby fixing also the co-lipid concentration.
  • the molar ratio of the amphiphile to co-lipid DOPE ranged from 1 :2 (for example, spermine cholesterol carbamate, No. 67) through 1 :1 (for example, spermidine cholesterol carbamate, No. 53) to about 2: 1 (for example, amphiphile No. 75)].
  • the concentration of plasmid DNA varied for each amphiphile species tested in order to duplicate the optimized amphiphile/DNA ratio that had been determined in vitro. part C
  • novel amphiphiles of the invention are an important contribution to the art is immediately seen by comparing their performance - as in vivo transfection enhancers - to that of closely related cationic amphiphiles that lack the novel T-shape. It has been determined that spermidine cholesterol carbamate provides a much greater level of enhancement than N -spermidine cholesteryl carbamate which contains the same number of carbon and nitrogen atoms in its cationic alkylamine component but which is linear and not "T-shaped".
  • Example 3 Following generally the procedures of Example 3, part B, and using respectively 6mM (as nucleotide), 1.5 mM, and 1.5 mM concentrations of DNA, amphiphile and of co-lipid, the transfection enhancement provided by spermidine cholesterol carbamate (amphiphile No.53) , in relation to N -spermidine cholesteryl carbamate, was determined to be about 30 fold.
  • the biologically active macromolecule is an encoding DNA.
  • plasmids novel vectors
  • part A pCMVHI-CAT
  • pCMVHI-CAT is representative of plasmid constructs useful in the practice of the invention.
  • the plasmid is provided in a form carrying a reporter gene (see Example 3), transgenes having therapeutic utility may also be included therein.
  • the pCMVHI-CAT vector is based on the commercially available vector pCMV ⁇ (Clontech).
  • the pCMV ⁇ construct has a pUC19 backbone (J. Vieira, et al., Gene , 19, 259-268, 1982) that includes a procaryotic origin of replication derived originally from pBR322.
  • Basic features of the pCMVHI- CAT plasmid (as constructed to include a nucleotide sequence coding for CAT) are as follows. Proceeding clockwise — the human cytomegalovirus immediate early gene promoter and enhancer, a fused tripartite leader from
  • adenovirus and a hybrid intron 1 adenovirus and a hybrid intron, a linker sequence, the CAT cDNA, an additional linker sequence, the late SV40 polyadenylation signal, and the pUC origin of replication and backbone that includes the gene for ampicillin resistance.
  • the human cytomegalovirus immediate early gene promoter and enhancer spans the region from nucleotides 1-639. This corresponds to the region from -522 to +72 relative to the transcriptional start site (+1) and includes almost the entire enhancer region from -524 to -118 as originally defined by Boshart et al, Cell 41 :521 -530, 1985.
  • the CAAT box is located at nucleotides 487-491 and the TATA box is at nucleotides 522-526 in pCMVHI-CAT.
  • the CAT transcript is predicted to initiate at nucleotide 549, which is the transcriptional start site of the CMV promoter.
  • the tripartite leader-hybrid intron is composed of a fused tri-partite leader from adenovirus containing a 5' splice donor signal, and a 3' splice acceptor signal derived from an IgG gene.
  • the elements in the intron are as follows: the first leader, the second leader , part of the third leader, the splice donor sequence and intron region from the first leader, and the mouse immunoglobulin gene splice donor sequence.
  • the length of the intron is 230 nucleotides.
  • the CAT coding region comprises nucleotides 1257-1913.
  • the SV40 poly A signal extends from nucleotide 2020 to 2249.
  • construction of the pCMVHI-CAT plasmid proceeded as follows.
  • the vector pCMV ⁇ (Clontech, Palo Alto, CA) was digested with Not I to excise the ⁇ -galactosidase gene.
  • the vector fragment lacking the ⁇ - galactosidase gene was isolated and ligated to form pCMV.
  • the hybrid intron ( Figure 17) was obtained from the plasmid pAD ⁇ (Clontech). The hybrid intron had been isolated from a 695 base pair Xhol- EcoRI fragment of p91023(B), see Wong et al., Science, 228, 810-815 (1985). The hybrid intron contains the fused tripartite leader from adenovirus, the
  • pAD ⁇ was digested with Pml I and Not I, and the -500 base-pair (bp) fragment was isolated, and then ligated into the Not I site of pBluescriptll KS(-) (Stratagene, La Jolla, CA) to form pBluell-HI.
  • pBluell-HI was digested with Xhol and NotI to excise the hybrid intron fragment. This fragment was ligated into the Xhol and NotI sites of pCMV, replacing the SV40 intron to form pCMVHI.
  • the CAT gene was obtained from the Chloramphenicol Acetyltransferasc GenBlock (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.T). This 792 bp Hind III fragment was blunted with the Klenow fragment of DNA Polymerase I, then Not I linkers (New England Biolabs) were ligated to each end. After digestion with Not I to expose the Not I sticky ends, the fragment was subcloned into the Not 1 site of pCMV to form pCMV-CAT. pCMV-CAT was digested with Not I to excise the CAT fragment. The CAT fragment was ligated into pCMVHI to form pCMVHI-CAT which is depicted in Figure 16.
  • pCMVHI is suitable for therapeutic transfections
  • further performance enhancements including increased expression of transgenes
  • pCFI and pCF2 plasmids A map of pCFl/CAT is shown in Figure 18, panel A, and a map of pCF2/CAT is shown in panel B.
  • pCFI contains the enhancer/promoter region from the immediate early gene of cytomegalovirus (CMV) .
  • CMV cytomegalovirus
  • a hybrid intron is located between the promoter and the transgene cDNA.
  • the polyadenylation signal of the bovine growth hormone gene was selected for placement downstream from the transgene.
  • the vector also contains a drug-resistance marker that encodes the aminoglycosidase 3'-phosphotransferase gene (derived from the transposon Tn903, A. Oka et al., Journal of Molecular Biology , 147, 217-226, 1981) thereby conferring resistance to kanamycin.
  • Further details of pCF 1 structure are provided directly below, including description of placement therein of a cDNA sequence encoding for cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein.
  • CFTR cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator
  • the pCFI vector is based on the commercially available vector pCMV ⁇ (Clontech).
  • the pCMV ⁇ construct has a pUC19 backbone (J. Vieira, et al., Gene , 19, 259-268, 1982) that includes a procaryotic origin of replication derived originally from pBR322.
  • pCFI -plasmid (as constructed to include a nucleotide sequence coding for CFTR) are as follows. Proceeding clockwise — the human cytomegalovirus immediate early gene promoter and enhancer, a fused tripartite leader from adenovirus and a hybrid intron, a linker sequence, the CFTR cDNA, an additional linker sequence, the bovine growth hormone polyadenylation signal, pUC origin of replication and backbone, and the kanamycin resistance gene. The pCFI -CFTR plasmid has been completely sequenced on both strands.
  • the human cytomegalovirus immediate early gene promoter and enhancer spans the region from nucleotides 1 -639. This corresponds to the region from -522 to +72 relative to the transcriptional start site (+1) and includes almost the entire enhancer region from -524 to -1 18 as originally defined by Boshart et al., Cell, 41 , 521-530 (1985).
  • the CAAT box is located at nucleotides 486-490 and the TATA box is at nucleotides 521-525 in pCFl- CFTR.
  • the CFTR transcript is predicted to initiate at nucleotide 548, which is the transcriptional start site of the CMV promoter.
  • the hybrid intron is composed of a fused tri-partite leader from adenovirus containing a 5' splice donor signal, and a 3' splice acceptor signal derived from an IgG gene.
  • the elements in the intron are as follows: the first leader (nucleotides 705-745), the second leader (nucleotides 746-816), the third leader (partial, nucleotides 817-877), the splice donor sequence and intron region from the first leader (nucleotides 878-1042), and the mouse immunoglobulin gene splice donor sequence (nucleotides 1043-1 138).
  • the donor site (G
  • the CFTR coding region comprises nucleotides 1183-5622.
  • the 3' untranslated region of the predicted CFTR transcript comprises 51 nucleotides of the 3' untranslated region of the CFTR cDNA, 21 nucleotides of linker sequence and 114 nucleotides of the BGH poly A signal.
  • the BGH poly A signal contains 90 nucleotides of flanking sequence 5' to the conserved AAUAAA and 129 nucleotides of flanking sequence 3' to the AAUAAA motif.
  • the primary CFTR transcript is predicted to be cleaved downstream of the BGH polyadenylation signal at nucleotide 5808.
  • pCF2 plasmid Figure 18 (B) contains a second CMV enhancer, in tandem with the first.
  • Enhanced expression of transgenes from pCFI or pCF2 results from the combination of a strong promoter, the presence of a highly efficient polyadenylation signal, a leader sequence that enhances translation, and an intron to increase message stability.
  • Example 5 Correction of Chloride Ion Transport Defect in Nasal Polyp Epithelial Cells of a Cystic Fibrosis Patient by Cationic Amphiphile-Mediated Gene Transfer
  • amphiphile spermidine cholesterol carbamate
  • pCMV-CFTR plasmid vector a construct encoding wild type human cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator protein, see above. Concentrations in the final mixture were 42 ⁇ molar of spermidine cholesterol carbamate(and also of DOPE) and 60 ⁇ molar (based on molarity in nucleotides) of the plasmid expression vector.
  • the composition of the submucosal solution was similar to the mucosal solution with the exception that sodium gluconate replaced sodium chloride. Transepithelial voltage was clamped to 0 mV and short circuit current was recorded. Amiloride (10 ⁇ M) was applied into the apical bath, followed by the mucosal addition of forskolin and IBMX (at 100 ⁇ M each). 5-nitro-2-(3- phenylpropylamino) benzoic acid (“NPPB”) , an inhibitor of CFTR chloride channels, was then added to the mucosal solution at 10 to 30 ⁇ M.
  • NPPB 5-nitro-2-(3- phenylpropylamino) benzoic acid
  • SI Chloride secretion i.e. movement of chloride from the epithelial cells to the mucosal solution
  • a cAMP-stimulated current (0.5 to 2.5 ⁇ ampere/cm * -) was observed in monolayers transfected with wild type CFTR gene. Current was not detected with the pCMV - ⁇ -galactosidase control.
  • a recommended procedure for formulating and using the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention to treat cystic fibrosis in human patients is as follows.
  • spermine cholesterol carbamate amphiphile No. 67
  • DOPE DOPE
  • amphiphile-containing film is rehydated in water-for -injection with gentle vortexing to a resultant amphiphile concentration of about 3mM.
  • amphiphile/DNA complex that may be stably delivered by aerosol as a homogeneous phase (for example, using a Puritan Bennett Raindrop nebulizer from Lenexa Medical Division,
  • amphiphile-containing film it may be advantageous to prepare the amphiphile-containing film to include also one or more further ingredients that act to stablize the final amphiphile/DNA composition. Accordingly, it is presently preferred to prepare the amphiphile-containing film as a 1 : 2 : 0.05 molar mixture of amphiphile No. 67, DOPE, and PEG( 5 QOO)-DMPE.
  • PEG-DMPE polyethylene glycol 5000 - dimyristoylphoshatidyl ethanolamine, is Catalog No. 880210 from Avanti
  • DMPE DMPE was found to be less effective in the practice of the invention.
  • pCFl-CFTR plasmid (containing an encoding sequence for human cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, see Example 4) is provided in water-for-injection at a concentration, measured as nucleotide, of 4 mM. Complexing of the plasmid and amphiphile is then allowed to proceed by gentle contacting of the two solutions for a period of 10 minutes.
  • aerosolized DNA it is presently preferred to deliver aerosolized DNA to the lung at a concentration thereof of between about 2 and about 12 mM (as nucleotide).
  • a sample of about 10 to about 40 ml is generally sufficient for one aerosol administration to the lung of an adult patient who is homozygous for the ⁇ F508 mutation in the CFTR-encoding gene.
  • cationic amphiphiles of the present invention are substantially more effective — in vivo — than other presently available amphiphiles, and thus may be used at substantially lower concentrations than known cationic amphiphiles. There results the opportunity to substantially minimize side effects (such as amphiphile toxicity, inflammatory response) that would otherwise affect adversely the success of the gene therapy.
  • side effects such as amphiphile toxicity, inflammatory response
  • amphiphiles of the invention $3 use of many of the amphiphiles of the invention should again be mentioned. Many of the amphiphiles of the invention were designed so that the metabolism thereof would rapidly proceed toward relatively harmless biologically-compatible components. In this regard, highly active amphiphiles 53, 67, and 75 are of particular note.
  • plasmids for gene therapy also be able to replicate in the cells of patients, since continued presence of the plasmid will provide correction of the genetic defect (in the case of cystic fibrosis, lack of functioning CFTR protein in the cell membrane of lung epithelial cells or other cells) over an extended period of time.
  • plasmids representative of the current art that is, those that cannot replicate in the targeted cells of a patient
  • plasmids gene therapy vectors
  • ⁇ sf separately in the nucleus of a target cell, and that is also able to replicate there (i.e. an episome).
  • Plasmids provided according to this aspect of the invention can be constructed as follows. It has been determined (C. McWhinney et al., Nucleic Acids Research, 18, 1233-1242, 1990) that the 2.4 kb Hindlll-Xhol fragment that is present immediately 5' to exon 1 of the human c-myc gene contains an origin of replication. The fragment was then cloned into a plasmid that if transfected into HeLa cells was shown to persist therein for more than 300 generations under drug selection. Replication was shown to be semiconservative (C. McWhinney et al.). Although approximately 5% of the plasmid population was lost per cell generation without drug selection in those experiments, this result nonetheless demonstrates substantial stabilization would be of benefit with respect to the design of therapeutic plasmids for gene therapy.
  • a variant of pCFl-CFTR (or pCFl-CAT) can be constructed in which a copy of the 2.4 kb Hindlll-Xhol fragment is placed just 5' to the CMV enhancer/promoter region of the pCFI backbone.
  • pCFl-CFTR or pCFl-CAT
  • a copy of the 2.4 kb Hindlll-Xhol fragment is placed just 5' to the CMV enhancer/promoter region of the pCFI backbone.
  • between 2 and about 4 - in tandem - copies of the 2.4 kb fragment may be similarly positioned.
  • the increase in plasmid size that results from insertion of the 2.4 kb fragment (or multiple copies thereof) is predicted to provide an additional benefit, that is, to facilitate plasmid unwinding, thus facilitating the activity of DNA polymerase.
  • origin of replication allows the resultant plasmid to replicate efficiently in human cells.
  • Other DNA sequences containing other origins of replication may also be used (for example, as found in the human ⁇ -globin gene, or the mouse DHFR gene.
  • a plasmid that can be constructed according to this aspect of the invention and containing the cytomegalovirus promoter and enhancer, an intron, the CFTR cDNA, the bovine growth hormone polyadenylation signal, the kanamycin resistance transposon Tn903, and 4 copies of the 2.4 kb 5' flanking region of the human c-myc gene is shown in Figure 20.
  • Example 8-Further Enhancements in Plasmid Design for Gene Therapy Use of Cytokine Promoters to Modulate Expression of Transgenes in Gene Therapy
  • Chronic inflammation is associated with numerous of the disease states that can be treated by gene therapy.
  • Representative of such disease states are cystic fibrosis (using CFTR), bronchitis, adult respiratory distress syndrome (using alpha- 1 antitrypsin), and metastatic cancers (through upregulation of p53, TIMP-1 , and TIMP-2).
  • Inflammatory conditions typically involve many interrelated processes (for example, involvement by many types of immune system cells and liver proteins), whereby the body attempts to heal a damaged or infected tissue.
  • chronic inflammation which persists as a result of an unresolved condition may lead to permanent tissue damage, as is the case with respect to lung tissue affected by cystic fibrosis and associated and unresolved lung infections.
  • permanent damage to the lung tissue of cystic fibrosis patients is a leading cause of their mortality. It would be desirable to provide gene therapy in such a manner as to treat inflammatory conditions associated with the targeted disease state.
  • a further aspect of the present invention involves construction of gene therapy vectors in which the therapeutic transgene is placed under control of an RNA polymerase promoter from a cytokine gene (or a gene that encodes another similar regulatory protein) such as, for example, the promoter for any of interleukin 2, interleukin 8, interleukin 1, interleukin 11, interleukin 6, endothelin -1, monocyte chemoattractant protein -1 , IL-lra (receptor agonist), or for GM-CSF.
  • a cytokine gene or a gene that encodes another similar regulatory protein
  • the promoter for any of interleukin 2, interleukin 8, interleukin 1, interleukin 11, interleukin 6, endothelin -1, monocyte chemoattractant protein -1 , IL-lra (receptor agonist), or for GM-CSF RNA polymerase promoter from a cytokine gene (or a gene that encodes another similar
  • Cytokines may be defined as hormone-like intercellular signal proteins that are involved in regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, and function, such as concerning haematopoiesis and lymphopoiesis.
  • the interleukins are a particular group of cytokines having promoters that are useful in the practice of the invention.
  • the interleukins are proteins, typically of unrelated origin, which act as intercellular signals mediating reactions between immunoreactive cells. However, it is understood that many "interleukins" have effects upon additional cell types including endothelial cells, epithelial cells, and fibroblasts.
  • gene therapy vectors can be designed wherein the level of therapeutic transgene expressed therefrom is determined, in part, by the level of inflammation present. There follows hereafter description of how such vectors are designed using primarily properties of the interleukin 8 gene as an example.
  • TNF tumor necrosis factor
  • transcription factors such as NF-kB, AP-1, NF-IL6 and octamer binding protein
  • interleukin 8 a polypeptide of 8,500 MW, is upregulated by inflammation and acts as a potent chemoattractant for T lymphocytes and neutrophil cells that are themselves involved in the inflammation response.
  • the interleukin 8 gene is regulated primarily at the transcriptional level, and it has also been determined (H. Nakamura et al., Journal of Biological Chemistry , 266, 19611-19617, 1991 ) that TNF can increase interleukin 8 transcription by more than 30 -fold in vitro in bronchial epithelial cells. Accordingly, there follows description of gene therapy vectors which take advantage of the above.
  • a plasmid can be constructed that is substantially similar to pCFI, that is, derived from a pUC plasmid containing a bacterial-derived origin of replication and a gene conferring resistance to kanamycin.
  • the resultant plasmid contains also, in sequence, a CMV enhancer, a promoter, a hybrid intron, a cDNA sequence encoding CFTR, and the bovine growth hormone polyadenylation signal.
  • RNA polymerase promoter there is selected the - 335 to +54 region of the interleukin 8 promoter. This region gave the highest ratio in terms of promoter activity plus TNF over minus TNF (Nakamura, 1991)
  • Such a plasmid has particularly valuable performance attributes. As inflammation increases in a cystic fibrosis-affected lung (and therefore the need to treat the lung with gene therapy also increases), the concentration of various inflammation-related molecules (such as TNF) will increase.
  • a transcriptional promoter that of interleukin 8, for example
  • the promoter will function as a natural gene switch such that the amount of beneficial CFTR transcription will be tailored to the amount of inflammation.
  • RNA polymerase promoter sequences derived from the other aforementioned genes are also useful in the practice of the invention.
  • the reporter plasmid pCF-1 CAT (Example 4) was used and was purified to minimize endotoxin ( ⁇ 1 EU/mg pDNA), and also chromosomal DNA contamination ( ⁇ 2%).
  • Amphiphile No. 53 (1 : 1 with DOPE) / DNA complex was prepared according to the procedures of Example 3. The amphiphile was provided as the free base, the plasmid was prepared as a sodium salt in water, and the DOPE was provided in zwitterionic form.
  • the animal model was the BALB/c mouse. Females 6-8 weeks old weighing 16-18 g were injected intravenously using the tail vein, using 5 animals per group. The volume of lipid:pDNA complex used was 100 ⁇ l in all experiments. Unless noted otherwise, mice were sacrificed 48 h following adminstration of the complex. Organs were frozen immediately on dry ice to store for subsequent analysis.
  • CAT chloramphenicol acetyl transferase
  • Zeta potentials of the samples can be measured (using typically 5 measurements per sample) employing a Malvern Zetasizer 4 (Malvern
  • Dried lipid films containing the cationic lipid and DOPE are hydrated in distilled water (dI I 2 O).
  • DNA typically should be diluted to a concentration of about 300 ⁇ M in dH 2 O.
  • the DNA solution (1.5 mL) can then be added to an equal volume of cationic lipid vesicles and incubated at room temperature for 10 min. Enough NaCl (for example, 4 mM stock) may be added to result in a final concentration of 1 mM NaCl. If necessary, the sample can be diluted further with 1 mM NaCl (to maintain a photomultiplier signal below 4000 counts per second), and distilled water can be used in place of the NaCl solutions.
  • amphiphiles No. 53 and No. 67 are among those preferred for use in intravenous targeting of the heart, as are many other amphiphiles selected from Groups I and II.
  • the mixture was cooled to 0-2 °C and kept under a nitrogen atmosphere.
  • a solution of spermine (lOg, 49 mmol) in methylene chloride (250 mL) was added gradually over 15 minutes, maintaining a reaction temperature of 0-2 °C.
  • the reaction mixture was stirred overnight at ambient temperature and then concentrated in vacuo.
  • To the resulting material was added IM hydrochloric acid (67 mL) and methanol (400 mL). The solution was cooled overnight at 4 °C yielding a white precipitate. The precipitate was isolated by vacuum filtration using Whatman #1 filter paper.
  • N ⁇ N ⁇ -diCbz-spermine di HC1 salt (13.38g, 24.7 mmol) was dissolved in a chloroform, methanol and water mixture in the ratio 65:25:4 (940 mL). The solution was stirred at room temperature and cholesteryl chloroformate (1 lg, 24.5 mmol) was added. The solution was stirred at ambient temperature for 1.5 hours and then diluted with IM sodium hydroxide solution (165 mL). The organic and aqueous layers were separated and the organic layer containing the product was washed with water (1 10 mL). The organic fraction was dried over sodium sulfate, concentrated in vacuo and vacuum dried.
  • the crude oil was purified by chromatography using silica gel c ⁇ (60A, 1 Kg) .
  • the silica was packed in 10% MeOH / CI1C1 3 and the column was eluted with 25% MeOH / CHC1 3 .
  • Fractions of 900 mL were collected and analyzed by thin layer chromatography.
  • the resulting oil was dried under vacuum for 17 hours to give 8.5g (9.67 mmol, 39% yield) of product.
  • N ⁇ ,N ⁇ 2 -diCbz-N 4 -spermine cholesteryl carbamate (8.5g, 9.67 mmol) was dissolved in 200 mL of acetic acid and 1.66 g of 10% Pd on carbon was added. The solution was purged with nitrogen and stirred under hydrogen at atmospheric pressure. The hydrogen was supplied to the reaction flask using a balloon filled with hydrogen gas. The hydrogenolysis was allowed to proceed for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was filtered through Whatman #1 filter paper and the catalyst was washed with 250 mL of 10% acetic acid in ethyl acetate. The filtrate was concentrated in vacuo to give a residue, coevaporation with chloroform aids removal of the acetic acid.
  • N-t-BOC-glycine-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (0.5 g, 1.83 mmol) was added to a solution of diCbz-spermine'2HCl (1.0 g, 1.94 mmol) and N,N- diisopropylethylamine (0.3 mL, 1.72 mmol) in 65/ 25/ 4 chloroform/ methanol/ water (50 mL). The solution was stirred overnight at room temperature 3 Analysis of the reaction by TLC (20% methanol/ chloroform) indicated the presence of a new spot. The reaction was washed first with IM NaOH (10 mL) then with H O (10 mL).
  • N 1 ,N 12 -diCbz-N 4 -(N'-t-BOC-glycineamide)-spermine (220 mg, 0.354 mmol) and triethylamine (4 drops) in methylene chloride (20 mL). The reaction was stirred overnight at room temperature. Analysis of the reaction by TLC (20% methanol/ chloroform) indicated the presence of a new, higher running spot.
  • Cholesteryl chloroformate (148 mg, 0.33 mmol) was added to a solution of N N 9 ,N ⁇ 2 -triCbz-N 4 -glycineamide-spermine (219 mg, 0.33 mmol) and triethylamine (0.3 mL, 2.15 mmol) in methylene chloride (30 mL).
  • the reaction was stirred at room temperature for 3 hours.
  • the reaction was washed with H 2 O (10 mL).
  • the organic layer was separated, dried over sodium sulfate, filtered, and reduced in vacuo .
  • the crude material was purified by flash column chromatography (30 g silica gel) eluting with 65% ethyl acetate/ hexanes.
  • the desired product was isolated and characterized by
  • N ,N ⁇ ,N ⁇ 2 -tri-Cbz-N 4 -(N'-cholesteryl carbamate glycineamide)- spermine (221 mg, 0.2 mmol) was stirred with 10% Pd/C (50 mg) in glacial acetic acid (10 mL) under a hydrogen atmosphere for 2.5 hours. Analysis of the reaction by TLC (65% ethyl acetate/ hexanes) indicated the complete disappearance of the starting material. The flask was purged with nitrogen and the catalyst was removed by vacuum filtration through filter paper rinsing with 10% acetic acid/ ethyl acetate (20 mL).
  • 2,3 Dimyristoylglycerol (600 mg, 1.4 mmol) was dissolved in pyridine and the solution cooled to 0°C. The solution was stirred under a nitrogen atmosphere and p-toluenesulfonyl chloride (300 mg, 1.57 mmol) was added. The solution was allowed to warm to room temperature and was then stirred overnight at ambient temperature. To the solution was added hydrochloric acid (2.5M, 20 mL) and the solution was extracted three times with methylene chloride (25 mL). The combined organic extracts were dried over sodium sulfate, filtered and concentrated in vacuo to give a crude oil.
  • p-toluenesulfonyl chloride 300 mg, 1.57 mmol
  • the oil was purified by flash chromatography (50g of silica gel, 60A) eluting with 5% ethyl acetate / hexane.
  • the oil obtained by flash chromatography was dried under high vacuum at ambient temperature to give 2,3-Dimyristoylglycerol- tosylate(630 mg, 77% yield).
  • the crude material was purified by flash chromatography (30g silica gel, 60A) eluting with 5% methanol / chloroform. The product containing fractions were concentrated in vacuo. The material was purified by a second flash chromatography column (20 g silica, 6 ⁇ A) eluting with 50% ethyl acetate / hexane. Chromatography gave, after drying the product under high vacuum at ambient temperature, N 4 -(N ] ,N -diCbz- spermidine-2,3-dilauryloxypropylamine, as an oil (142 mg, 35% yield).
  • N - N *,N 8 -diCbz-spermidine-2,3-dilauryloxypropylamine (142 mg, 0.18 mmol) in glacial acetic acid (5 L) was stirred with 10% Pd C (50 mg) under a hydrogen atmosphere, for 2 hours.
  • the catalyst was removed by vacuum filtration through Whatman #1 filter paper. The catalyst was washed with ethyl / acetate hexane (10%, 10 mL). The filtrate was concentrated in vacuo and dried for 2 hours under high vacuum. To the residue was added sodium hydroxide solution (1 M, 8 mL) and the solution was extracted three times with methanol / chloroform (10%, 20 mL).
  • N- ⁇ N 12 -diCbz-spermine (0.87g, 1.85 mmol) and 2,3- dimyristoylglycerol-tosylate (280mg, 0.48 mmol) were dissolved in toluene (25 mL) and heated at reflux temperature (110°C) for 3 days.
  • the solution was concentrated in vacuo and the resulting material was purified by flash chromatography (30g silica gel, 6 ⁇ A) eluting with 10% methanol /chloroform.
  • the material isolated was dissolved in methanol / chloroform (10%, 85 mL) and washed twice with sodium hydroxide solution (1 M, 15 mL) and water (10 mL).
  • N 4 -(N ,N* 2 -diCbz-spermine)-2,3-dilauryloxypropylmine (180 mg, 0.2 mmol) in glacial acetic acid (10 mL) was stirred with 10% Pd/C (50 mg) under a hydrogen atmosphere, for 3 hours.
  • the catalyst was removed by vacuum filtration through Whatman #1 filter paper. The catalyst was washed with ethyl / acetate hexane (10%, 30 mL). The filtrate was concentrated in vacuo and dried for 2 hours under high vacuum.
  • Example 1 1 - CAT Assay of N '-spermine Cholestryl Carbamate (No. 37) N *1 - spermine cholesteryl carbamate (see above, amphiphile No. 37) was evaluated in the in vivo CAT assay following generally the procedure of Example 3. Preparation of stock solutions of the N 1 - spermine cholesteryl carbamate, and the neutral co-lipid DOPE (dioleoyl [18:1] phosphatidyl- ethanolamine) was as described in Example 1 , except that for certain preparations (see below) the amphiphile was provided(from chloroform) as a fully protonated hydrochloride salt.
  • DOPE dioleoyl [18:1] phosphatidyl- ethanolamine
  • amphiphile was tested at a 1 :1 or 1 :2 molar ratio to DOPE, at the final concentrations of 3.6 mM reporter plasmid DNA (as nucleotide), 0.6 mM cationic amphiphile, and either 0.6 or 1.2 mM of DOPE.

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Abstract

L'invention concerne de nouveaux amphiphiles cationiques facilitant le transport de molécules (thérapeutiques) biologiquement actives dans des cellules. Selon cette invention, un tel amphiphile cationique est utilisé dans un état dans lequel il est capable d'accepter des protons supplémentaires, c'est-à-dire qu'il n'est pas entièrement saturé en protons. Dans le cadre de cette invention, les amphiphiles cationiques peuvent être regroupés en quatre catégories générales: (A) amphiphiles en T/stéroïdiens; (B) amphiphiles en T/ non stéroïdiens; (C) amphiphiles n'étant pas en T/ stéroïdiens, et (D) amphiphiles n'étant pas en T/ non stéroïdiens.
EP97927989A 1997-06-10 1997-06-10 Compositions amphiphiles cationiques destinees a un apport intracellulaire de molecules therapeutiques Withdrawn EP1007003A1 (fr)

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US6583301B1 (en) 1998-04-08 2003-06-24 Celltech R & D Limited Lipids
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