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Definitions

• the present invention relates to pyrrolobenzodiazepines (PBDs), in particular
• pyrrolobenzodiazepine dimers having a C2-C3 double bond and an aryl group at the C2 position on one monomer unit, and a C2-C3 double bond and either a conjugated double or triple bond at the C2 position or an alkyl group at the C2 position on the other monomer unit.
• PBDs pyrrolobenzodiazepines
• Family members include abbeymycin (Hochlowski, et al., J. Antibiotics, 40, 145- 148 (1987)), chicamycin (Konishi, et al., J. Antibiotics, 37, 200-206 (1984)), DC-81
• VanDevanter Acc. Chem. Res., 19, 230-237 (1986)
• Their ability to form an adduct in the minor groove enables them to interfere with DNA processing, hence their use as antitumour agents.
• the biological activity of this molecules can be potentiated by joining two PBD units together through their C8/C'-hydroxyl functionalities via a flexible alkylene linker (Bose, D.S., et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc, 114, 4939-4941 (1992); Thurston, D.E., et al., J. Org. Chem., 61 , 8141 -8147 (1996)).
• the PBD dimers are thought to form sequence-selective DNA lesions such as the palindromic 5'-Pu-GATC-Py-3' interstrand cross-link (Smellie, M., et al., Biochemistry, 42, 8232-8239 (2003); Martin, C, et al, Biochemistry, 44, 4135-4147) which is thought to be mainly responsible for their biological activity. -136):
• the present inventors have developed further unsymmetrical dimeric PBD compounds bearing an aryl group in the C2 position of one monomer, said aryl group bearing a substituent designed to provide an anchor for linking the compound to another moiety, and either a unsaturated bond conjugated to the C2-C3 double bond or an alkyl group in the other monomer unit.
• A is a C 5 - 7 aryl group
• X is selected from the roup comprising: OH, SH, C0 2 H,
• NHR wherein R is selected from the group comprising H and Ci -4 alkyl, and either:
• Q 1 is a single bond
• Q 2 is selected from a single bond and -Z-(CH 2 )n-, where Z is selected from a single bond, O, S and NH and n is from 1 to 3;
• R 12 is selected from:
• each of R 21 , R 22 and R 23 are independently selected from H, Ci -3 saturated alkyl, C2-3 alkenyl, C2-3 alkynyl and cyclopropyl, where the total number of carbon atoms in the R 12 group is no more than 5;
• phenyl which phenyl is optionally substituted by a group selected from halo, methyl, meth xy; pyridyl; and thiophenyl;and
• R 24 is selected from: H; C 1-3 saturated alkyl; C 2- 3 alkenyl; C 2- 3 alkynyl; cyclopropyl; phenyl, which phenyl is optionally substituted by a group selected from halo, methyl, methoxy; pyridyl; and thiophenyl;
• R 6 and R 9 are independently selected from H, R, OH, OR, SH, SR, NH 2 , NHR, NRR', nitro, Me 3 Sn and halo;
• R and R' are independently selected from optionally substituted C1-12 alkyl, C3-2 0 heterocyclyl and C5-2 0 aryl groups;
• R 7 is selected from H, R, OH, OR, SH, SR, NH 2 , NHR, NHRR', nitro, Me 3 Sn and halo; either:
• R 10 is H, and R 11 is OH, OR A , where R A is alkyl;
• R 10 and R 11 form a nitrogen-carbon double bond between the nitrogen and carbon atoms to which they are bound; or (c) R 10 is H and R 1 1 is SO z M, where z is 2 or 3 and M is a monovalent pharmaceutically acceptable cation;
• R" is a C3-12 alkylene group, which chain may be interrupted by one or more heteroatoms, e.g. O, S, NR N2 (where R N2 is H or Ci -4 alkyl), and/or aromatic rings, e.g. benzene or pyridine;
• Y and Y' are selected from O, S, or NH;
• R 6 , R 7 , R 9 are selected from the same groups as R 6 , R 7 and R 9 respectively and R 10 and R 11 are the same as R 10 and R 11 , wherein if R 11 and R 11 are SO z M, M may represent a divalent pharmaceutically acceptable cation.
• a second aspect of the present invention provides the use of a compound of the first aspect of the invention in the manufacture of a medicament for treating a proliferative disease.
• the second aspect also provides a compound of the first aspect of the invention for use in the treatment of a proliferative disease.
• a third aspect is a third aspect
• R 2 is of formula II:
• A is a C5-7 aryl group
• X is selected from the roup comprising: OH, SH, C0 2 H,
• R I is selected from the group comprising H and Ci -4 alkyl, and either:
• Q 1 is a single bond
• Q 2 is selected from a single bond and -Z-(CH where Z is selected from a single bond, O, S and NH and n is from 1 to 3; or
• R 12 is selected from:
• each of R 21 , R 22 and R 23 are independently selected from H, Ci -3 saturated alkyl, C2-3 alkenyl, C2-3 alkynyl and cyclopropyl, where the total number of carbon atoms in the R 12 group is no more than 5;
• phenyl which phenyl is optionally substituted by a group selected from halo, methyl, methoxy; pyridyl; and thiophenyl;and
• R is selected from: H; Ci -3 saturated alkyl; C2-3 alkenyl; C2-3 alkynyl: cyclopropyl; phenyl, which phenyl is optionally substituted by a group selected from halo, methyl, methoxy; pyridyl; and thiophenyl;
• R 6 and R 9 are independently selected from H, R, OH, OR, SH, SR, NH 2 , NHR, NRR', nitro, Me 3 Sn and halo;
• R and R' are independently selected from optionally substituted C1-12 alkyl, C3-2 0 heterocyclyl and C5-2 0 aryl groups;
• R 7 is selected from H, R, OH, OR, SH, SR, NH 2 , NHR, NHRR', nitro, Me 3 Sn and halo; either:
• R 10 is carbamate nitrogen protecting group, and R 11 is 0-Prot°, wherein Prot° is an oxygen protecting group;
• R 10 is a hemi-aminal nitrogen protecting group and R 11 is an oxo group
• R" is a C 3-12 alkylene group, which chain may be interrupted by one or more heteroatoms, e.g. O, S, NR N2 (where R N2 is H or C 1-4 alkyl), and/or aromatic rings, e.g. benzene or pyridine;
• Y and Y' are selected from O, S, or NH;
• a fourth aspect of the present invention comprises a method of making a compound of formula I from a compound of formula II by deprotection of the imine bond.
• the unsymmetrical dimeric PBD compounds of the present invention are made by different strategies to those previously employed in making symmetrical dimeric PBD compounds.
• the present inventors have developed a method which involves adding each each C2 substituent to a symmetrical PBD dimer core in separate method steps.
• a fifth aspect of the present invention provides a method of making a compound of the first or third aspect of the invention, comprising at least one of the method steps set out below.
• the present invention relates to Conjugates comprising dimers of PBDs linked to a targeting agent, wherein a PBD is a dimer of formula I (supra).
• the Conjugates have the following formula III:
• L is a Ligand unit (i.e., a targeting agent)
• LU is a Linker unit
• D is a Drug unit comprising a PBD dimer.
• the subscript p is an integer of from 1 to 20.
• the Conjugates comprise a Ligand unit covalently linked to at least one Drug unit by a Linker unit.
• the Ligand unit described more fully below, is a targeting agent that binds to a target moiety.
• the Ligand unit can, for example, specifically bind to a cell component (a Cell Binding Agent) or to other target molecules of interest. Accordingly, the present invention also provides methods for the treatment of, for example, various cancers and autoimmune disease.
• the Ligand unit is a targeting agent that specifically binds to a target molecule.
• the Ligand unit can be, for example, a protein, polypeptide or peptide, such as an antibody, an antigen-binding fragment of an antibody, or other binding agent, such as an Fc fusion protein.
• Figure 1 shows the effect of a conjugate of the invention on a tumour.
• the pharmaceutically acceptable cation may be inorganic or organic.
• Examples of pharmaceutically acceptable monovalent inorganic cations include, but are not limited to, alkali metal ions such as Na + and K + .
• Examples of pharmaceutically acceptable divalent inorganic cations include, but are not limited to, alkaline earth cations such as Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ .
• Examples of pharmaceutically acceptable organic cations include, but are not limited to, ammonium ion (i.e. NH 4 + ) and substituted ammonium ions (e.g. NH 3 R + , NH 2 R2 + , NHR 3 + , NR 4 + ).
• substituted ammonium ions examples include those derived from: ethylamine, diethylamine, dicyclohexylamine, triethylamine, butylamine, ethylenediamine, ethanolamine, diethanolamine, piperazine, benzylamine, phenylbenzylamine, choline, meglumine, and tromethamine, as well as amino acids, such as lysine and arginine.
• An example of a common quaternary ammonium ion is N(CH 3 ) 4 + .
• substituted refers to a parent group which bears one or more substituents.
• substituted is used herein in the conventional sense and refers to a chemical moiety which is covalently attached to, or if appropriate, fused to, a parent group.
• substituents are well known, and methods for their formation and introduction into a variety of parent groups are also well known.
• Ci-12 alkyl refers to a monovalent moiety obtained by removing a hydrogen atom from a carbon atom of a hydrocarbon compound having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, which may be aliphatic or alicyclic, and which may be saturated or unsaturated (e.g. partially unsaturated, fully unsaturated).
• alkyl includes the sub-classes alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, etc., discussed below.
• saturated alkyl groups include, but are not limited to, methyl (Ci), ethyl (C 2 ), propyl (C 3 ), butyl (C 4 ), pentyl (C 5 ), hexyl (C 6 ) and heptyl (C 7 ).
• saturated linear alkyl groups include, but are not limited to, methyl (C-i), ethyl (C 2 ), n-propyl (C 3 ), n-butyl (C 4 ), n-pentyl (amyl) (C 5 ), n-hexyl (C 6 ) and n-heptyl (C 7 ).
• saturated branched alkyl groups include iso-propyl (C 3 ), iso-butyl (C 4 ), sec-butyl (C 4 ), tert-butyl (C 4 ), iso-pentyl (C 5 ), and neo-pentyl (C 5 ).
• C 2 - 12 Alkenyl The term "C 2 - 12 alkenyl” as used herein, pertains to an alkyl group having one or more carbon-carbon double bonds.
• C 2 - 12 alkynyl The term "C 2 - 12 alkynyl" as used herein, pertains to an alkyl group having one or more carbon-carbon triple bonds.
• unsaturated alkynyl groups include, but are not limited to, ethynyl (-C ⁇ CH) and 2-propynyl (propargyl, -CH 2 -C ⁇ CH).
• C 3 - 12 cycloalkyl The term "C 3- i 2 cycloalkyl" as used herein, pertains to an alkyl group which is also a cyclyl group; that is, a monovalent moiety obtained by removing a hydrogen atom from an alicyclic ring atom of a cyclic hydrocarbon (carbocyclic) compound, which moiety has from 3 to 7 carbon atoms, including from 3 to 7 ring atoms.
• cycloalkyl groups include, but are not limited to, those derived from:
• C 3- 2o heterocyclyl refers to a monovalent moiety obtained by removing a hydrogen atom from a ring atom of a heterocyclic compound, which moiety has from 3 to 20 ring atoms, of which from 1 to 10 are ring heteroatoms.
• each ring has from 3 to 7 ring atoms, of which from 1 to 4 are ring heteroatoms.
• the prefixes e.g. C3-20, C 3-7 , C 5 - 6 , etc.
• the prefixes denote the number of ring atoms, or range of number of ring atoms, whether carbon atoms or heteroatoms.
• C 5-6 heterocyclyl as used herein, pertains to a heterocyclyl group having 5 or 6 ring atoms.
• monocyclic heterocyclyl groups include, but are not limited to, those derived from:
• N-i aziridine (C 3 ), azetidine (C 4 ), pyrrolidine (tetrahydropyrrole) (C 5 ), pyrroline (e.g., 3-pyrroline, 2,5-dihydropyrrole) (C 5 ), 2H-pyrrole or 3H-pyrrole (isopyrrole, isoazole) (C 5 ), piperidine (C 6 ), dihydropyridine (C 6 ), tetrahydropyridine (C 6 ), azepine (C 7 );
• O-i oxirane (C 3 ), oxetane (C 4 ), oxolane (tetrahydrofuran) (C 5 ), oxole (dihydrofuran) (C 5 ), oxane (tetrahydropyran) (C 6 ), dihydropyran (C 6 ), pyran (C 6 ), oxepin (C 7 );
• N 2 imidazolidine (C 5 ), pyrazolidine (diazolidine) (C 5 ), imidazoline (C 5 ), pyrazoline
• OiSi oxathiole (C 5 ) and oxathiane (thioxane) (C 6 ); and,
• N-IO-IS-I oxathiazine (C 6 ).
• substituted monocyclic heterocyclyl groups include those derived from saccharides, in cyclic form, for example, furanoses (C 5 ), such as arabinofuranose, lyxofuranose, ribofuranose, and xylofuranse, and pyranoses (C 6 ), such as allopyranose, altropyranose, glucopyranose, mannopyranose, gulopyranose, idopyranose,
• C5-2 0 aryl The term "C5-2 0 aryl", as used herein, pertains to a monovalent moiety obtained by removing a hydrogen atom from an aromatic ring atom of an aromatic compound, which moiety has from 3 to 20 ring atoms. Preferably, each ring has from 5 to 7 ring atoms.
• the prefixes e.g. C3-2 0 , C5-7, C 5 - 6 , etc.
• the prefixes denote the number of ring atoms, or range of number of ring atoms, whether carbon atoms or heteroatoms.
• the term "C 5-6 aryl” as used herein, pertains to an aryl group having 5 or 6 ring atoms.
• the ring atoms may be all carbon atoms, as in "carboaryl groups".
• carboaryl groups include, but are not limited to, those derived from benzene (i.e. phenyl) (C 6 ), naphthalene (C 10 ), azulene (C 10 ), anthracene (C 14 ), phenanthrene (C 14 ), naphthacene (C 18 ), and pyrene (C 16 ).
• benzene i.e. phenyl
• C 10 naphthalene
• azulene C 10
• anthracene C 14
• phenanthrene C 14
• naphthacene C 18
• pyrene C 16
• aryl groups which comprise fused rings include, but are not limited to, groups derived from indane (e.g. 2,3-dihydro-1 H- indene) (Cg), indene (Cg), isoindene (Cg), tetraline (1 ,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene (C1 0 ), acenaphthene (C12), fluorene (C13), phenalene (C13), acephenanthrene (C15), and aceanthrene (Ci 6 ).
• the ring atoms may include one or more heteroatoms, as in "heteroaryl groups".
• monocyclic heteroaryl groups include, but are not limited to, those derived from:
• Ni pyrrole (azole) (C 5 ), pyridine (azine) (C 6 );
• NiSi thiazole (C 5 ), isothiazole (C 5 );
• N 2 imidazole (1 ,3-diazole) (C 5 ), pyrazole (1 ,2-diazole) (C 5 ), pyridazine (1 ,2-diazine) (C 6 ), pyrimidine (1 ,3-diazine) (C 6 ) (e.g., cytosine, thymine, uracil), pyrazine (1 ,4-diazine) (C 6 ); N 3 : triazole (C 5 ), triazine (C 6 ); and,
• heteroaryl which comprise fused rings, include, but are not limited to:
• Cg (with 2 fused rings) derived from benzofuran (Oi), isobenzofuran (Oi), indole (N-i), isoindole (N-i), indolizine (N-i), indoline (N-i), isoindoline (N-i), purine (N 4 ) (e.g., adenine, guanine), benzimidazole (N 2 ), indazole (N 2 ), benzoxazole (N- ⁇ - ⁇ ), benzisoxazole (N-I O-I ), benzodioxole (0 2 ), benzofurazan (N 2 Oi), benzotriazole (N 3 ), benzothiofuran (Si), benzothiazole (N-IS-I), benzothiadiazole (N 2 S);
• Cio (with 2 fused rings) derived from chromene (Oi), isochromene (Oi), chroman (Oi), isochroman (Oi), benzodioxan (0 2 ), quinoline (N-i), isoquinoline (N-i), quinolizine (N-i), benzoxazine (N- ⁇ - ⁇ ), benzodiazine (N 2 ), pyridopyridine (N 2 ), quinoxaline (N 2 ), quinazoline (N 2 ), cinnoline (N 2 ), phthalazine (N 2 ), naphthyridine (N 2 ), pteridine (N 4 );
• C 14 (with 3 fused rings) derived from acridine (N-i), xanthene (O-i), thioxanthene (S-i), oxanthrene (0 2 ), phenoxathiin (O1 S1 ), phenazine (N 2 ), phenoxazine (N- ⁇ - ⁇ ), phenothiazine (N-I S-I), thianthrene (S 2 ), phenanthridine (N-i), phenanthroline (N 2 ), phenazine (N 2 ).
• Ether -OR, wherein R is an ether substituent, for example, a Ci_ 7 alkyl group (also referred to as a C 1-7 alkoxy group, discussed below), a C 3-2 o heterocyclyl group (also referred to as a C 3- 2o heterocyclyloxy group), or a C 5-2 o aryl group (also referred to as a C 5-2 o aryloxy group), preferably a C 1-7 alkyl group.
• R is an ether substituent, for example, a Ci_ 7 alkyl group (also referred to as a C 1-7 alkoxy group, discussed below), a C 3-2 o heterocyclyl group (also referred to as a C 3- 2o heterocyclyloxy group), or a C 5-2 o aryl group (also referred to as a C 5-2 o aryloxy group), preferably a C 1-7 alkyl group.
• Alkoxy -OR, wherein R is an alkyl group, for example, a C 1-7 alkyl group.
• C 1-7 alkoxy groups include, but are not limited to, -OMe (methoxy), -OEt (ethoxy), -O(nPr) (n- propoxy), -O(iPr) (isopropoxy), -O(nBu) (n-butoxy), -O(sBu) (sec-butoxy), -O(iBu)
• Acetal -CH(OR 1 )(OR 2 ), wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently acetal substituents, for example, a Ci -7 alkyl group, a C 3 - 2 o heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 -2o aryl group, preferably a Ci_7 alkyl group, or, in the case of a "cyclic" acetal group, R 1 and R 2 , taken together with the two oxygen atoms to which they are attached, and the carbon atoms to which they are attached, form a heterocyclic ring having from 4 to 8 ring atoms.
• acetal groups include, but are not limited to, -CH(OMe) 2 , -CH(OEt) 2 , and -CH(OMe)(OEt).
• Hemiacetal -CH(OH)(OR 1 ), wherein R 1 is a hemiacetal substituent, for example, a Ci -7 alkyl group, a C 3 - 20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 - 2 o aryl group, preferably a Ci -7 alkyl group.
• R 1 is a hemiacetal substituent, for example, a Ci -7 alkyl group, a C 3 - 20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 - 2 o aryl group, preferably a Ci -7 alkyl group.
• hemiacetal groups include, but are not limited to, -CH(OH)(OMe) and - CH(OH)(OEt).
• Ketal -CR(OR 1 )(OR 2 ), where R 1 and R 2 are as defined for acetals, and R is a ketal substituent other than hydrogen, for example, a C 1 -7 alkyl group, a C 3-20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 - 20 aryl group, preferably a Ci -7 alkyl group.
• ketal groups include, but are not limited to, -C(Me)(OMe) 2 , -C(Me)(OEt) 2 , -C(Me)(OMe)(OEt), -C(Et)(OMe) 2 , - C(Et)(OEt) 2 , and -C(Et)(OMe)(OEt).
• hemiacetal groups include, but are not limited to, -C(Me)(OH)(OMe), -C(Et)(OH)(OMe), -C(Me)(OH)(OEt), and -C(Et)(OH)(OEt).
• Oxo (keto, -one): 0.
• Imino (imine): NR, wherein R is an imino substituent, for example, hydrogen, C 1-7 alkyl group, a C 3-2 o heterocyclyl group, or a C 5-2 o aryl group, preferably hydrogen or a C 1-7 alkyl group.
• Carboxy (carboxylic acid): -C( 0)OH.
• Thiocarboxy (thiocarboxylic acid): -C( S)SH.
• Ester (carboxylate, carboxylic acid ester, oxycarbonyl): -C( 0)OR, wherein R is an ester substituent, for example, a Ci -7 alkyl group, a C3-20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 - 2 o aryl group, preferably a Ci -7 alkyl group.
• Acyloxy (reverse ester): -OC( 0)R, wherein R is an acyloxy substituent, for example, a Ci -7 alkyl group, a C 3-2 o heterocyclyl group, or a C 5-20 aryl group, preferably a C 1-7 alkyl group.
• R is an acyloxy substituent, for example, a Ci -7 alkyl group, a C 3-2 o heterocyclyl group, or a C 5-20 aryl group, preferably a C 1-7 alkyl group.
• Oxycarboyloxy: -OC( 0)OR, wherein R is an ester substituent, for example, a C 1-7 alkyl group, a C 3-20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 - 20 aryl group, preferably a Ci -7 alkyl group.
• R 1 and R 2 are independently amino substituents, for example, hydrogen, a Ci -7 alkyl group (also referred to as Ci -7 alkylamino or di-Ci -7 alkylamino), a C 3-20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 - 20 aryl group, preferably H or a Ci -7 alkyl group, or, in the case of a "cyclic" amino group, R 1 and R 2 , taken together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, form a heterocyclic ring having from 4 to 8 ring atoms.
• a Ci -7 alkyl group also referred to as Ci -7 alkylamino or di-Ci -7 alkylamino
• C 3-20 heterocyclyl group or a C 5 - 20 aryl group, preferably H or a Ci -7 alkyl group
• R 1 and R 2 taken together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, form a heterocyclic ring having from 4 to 8 ring atom
• Amino groups may be primary (-NH 2 ), secondary (-NHR 1 ), or tertiary (-NHR 1 R 2 ), and in cationic form, may be quaternary (- + NR 1 R 2 R 3 ).
• Examples of amino groups include, but are not limited to, -NH 2 , -N HCH 3 , -NHC(CH 3 ) 2 , -N(CH 3 ) 2 , -N(CH 2 CH 3 ) 2 , and -NHPh.
• Examples of cyclic amino groups include, but are not limited to, aziridino, azetidino, pyrrolidino, piperidino, piperazino, morpholino, and thiomorpholino.
• Acylamido (acylamino): -NR 1 C( 0)R 2 , wherein R 1 is an amide substituent, for example, hydrogen, a Ci_ 7 alkyl group, a C 3 -2 0 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 - 2 o aryl group, preferably hydrogen or a C 1-7 alkyl group, and R 2 is an acyl substituent, for example, a C 1-7 alkyl group, a C 3-20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5-20 aryl group, preferably hydrogen or a C 1-7 alkyl group.
• R 1 and R 2 may together form a cyclic structure, as in for example, succinimidyl, maleimidyl, and phthalimidyl:
• R 2 and R 3 are independently amino substituents, as defined for amino groups, and R 1 is a ureido substituent, for example, hydrogen, a Ci -7 alkyl group, a C 3-20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 - 20 aryl group, preferably hydrogen or a Ci -7 alkyl group.
• ureido groups include, but are not limited to, -NHCONH 2 , - NHCONHMe, -NHCONHEt, -NHCONMe 2 , -NHCONEt 2 , -NMeCONH 2 , -NMeCONHMe, -NMeCONHEt, -NMeCONMe 2 , and -NMeCONEt 2 .
• R is an amidine substituent, for example, hydrogen, a C 1-7 alkyl group, a C 3-2 o heterocyclyl group, or a C 5-2 o aryl group, preferably H or a C 1 -7 alkyl group.
• amidine groups include, but are not limited to,
• Ci -7 alkylthio groups include, but are not limited to, -SCH 3 and -SCH 2 CH 3 .
• Disulfide -SS-R, wherein R is a disulfide substituent, for example, a Ci -7 alkyl group, a C 3- 20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 - 2 o aryl group, preferably a Ci -7 alkyl group (also referred to herein as Ci -7 alkyl disulfide).
• R is a disulfide substituent, for example, a Ci -7 alkyl group, a C 3- 20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 - 2 o aryl group, preferably a Ci -7 alkyl group (also referred to herein as Ci -7 alkyl disulfide).
• Ci -7 alkyl disulfide groups include, but are not limited to, -SSCH 3 and -SSCH 2 CH 3 .
• Sulfine (sulfinyl, sulfoxide): -S( 0)R, wherein R is a sulfine substituent, for example, a Ci -7 alkyl group, a C 3-2 o heterocyclyl group, or a C 5-2 o aryl group, preferably a C 1-7 alkyl group.
• R is a sulfine substituent, for example, a Ci -7 alkyl group, a C 3-2 o heterocyclyl group, or a C 5-2 o aryl group, preferably a C 1-7 alkyl group.
• R is a sulfinate substituent, for example, a C 1 -7 alkyl group, a C 3-2 o heterocyclyl group, or a C 5-2 o aryl group, preferably a C 1-7 alkyl group.
• Sulfonate (sulfonic acid ester): -S( 0) 2 OR, wherein R is a sulfonate substituent, for example, a Ci -7 alkyl group, a C 3-2 o heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 - 2 o aryl group, preferably a
• R is a sulfinyloxy substituent, for example, a Ci -7 alkyl group, a C 3-2 o heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 - 2 o aryl group, preferably a Ci -7 alkyl group.
• R is a sulfonyloxy substituent, for example, a Ci_ 7 alkyl group, a C 3 - 2 o heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 - 2 o aryl group, preferably a Ci -7 alkyl group.
• R is a sulfate substituent, for example, a C 1-7 alkyl group, a C 3-20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5-20 aryl group, preferably a C 1 -7 alkyl group.
• R 1 and R 2 are independently amino substituents, as defined for amino groups.
• R 1 and R 2 are independently amino substituents, as defined for amino groups.
• R 1 is an amino substituent, as defined for amino groups.
• R 1 is an amino substituent, as defined for amino groups
• R is a sulfonamino substituent, for example, a C 1-7 alkyl group, a C 3-20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5-20 aryl group, preferably a C 1-7 alkyl group.
• R 1 is an amino substituent, as defined for amino groups
• R is a sulfinamino substituent, for example, a Ci -7 alkyl group, a C 3-20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 - 2 o aryl group, preferably a Ci -7 alkyl group.
• R is a phosphino substituent, for example, -H, a Ci -7 alkyl group, a C3-20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 -2o aryl group, preferably -H, a Ci -7 alkyl group, or a C5-20 aryl group.
• Examples of phosphino groups include, but are not limited to, -PH 2 , -P(CH 3 ) 2 , -P(CH 2 CH 3 )2, -P(t-Bu) 2 , and -P(Ph) 2 .
• R is a phosphinyl substituent, for example, a C 1-7 alkyl group, a C 3-20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5-20 aryl group, preferably a C 1-7 alkyl group or a C 5-20 aryl group.
• R is a phosphonate substituent, for example, -H, a Ci -7 alkyl group, a C 3-20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 - 2 o aryl group, preferably -H, a Ci -7 alkyl group, or a C 5 - 20 aryl group.
• Phosphate (phosphonooxy ester): -OP( 0)(OR) 2 , where R is a phosphate substituent, for example, -H, a Ci -7 alkyl group, a C 3-20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 - 2 o aryl group, preferably - H, a C 1-7 alkyl group, or a C 5-20 aryl group.
• R is a phosphate substituent, for example, -H, a Ci -7 alkyl group, a C 3-20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 - 2 o aryl group, preferably - H, a C 1-7 alkyl group, or a C 5-20 aryl group.
• Phosphorous acid -OP(OH) 2 .
• Phosphite -OP(OR) 2 , where R is a phosphite substituent, for example, -H, a Ci -7 alkyl group, a C 3-20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5 - 20 aryl group, preferably -H, a Ci -7 alkyl group, or a C 5 - 20 aryl group.
• phosphite groups include, but are not limited to, -OP(OCH 3 ) 2 , -OP(OCH 2 CH 3 ) 2 , -OP(0-t-Bu) 2 , and -OP(OPh) 2 .
• Phosphoramidite -OP(OR 1 )-NR 2 2 , where R 1 and R 2 are phosphoramidite substituents, for example, -H , a (optionally substituted) Ci -7 alkyl group, a C3-2 0 heterocyclyl group, or a C5-2 0 aryl group, preferably -H, a Ci -7 alkyl group, or a C 5 -2o aryl group.
• R 1 and R 2 are phosphoramidite substituents, for example, -H , a (optionally substituted) Ci -7 alkyl group, a C3-2 0 heterocyclyl group, or a C5-2 0 aryl group, preferably -H, a Ci -7 alkyl group, or a C 5 -2o aryl group.
• phosphoramidite groups include, but are not limited to, -OP(OCH 2 CH 3 )-N(CI-l3)2,
• substituents for example, -H, a (optionally substituted) C 1-7 alkyl group, a C 3-20 heterocyclyl group, or a C 5-20 aryl group, preferably -H, a C 1-7 alkyl group, or a C 5-20 aryl group.
• C 3- i 2 alkylene refers to a bidentate moiety obtained by removing two hydrogen atoms, either both from the same carbon atom, or one from each of two different carbon atoms, of a hydrocarbon compound having from 3 to 12 carbon atoms (unless otherwise specified), which may be aliphatic or alicyclic, and which may be saturated, partially unsaturated, or fully unsaturated.
• alkylene includes the sub-classes alkenylene, alkynylene, cycloalkylene, etc., discussed below.
• linear saturated C 3- i 2 alkylene groups include, but are not limited to, -(CH 2 ) n - where n is an integer from 3 to 12, for example, -CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 - (propylene),
• branched saturated C 3-12 alkylene groups include, but are not limited to, -CH(CH 3 )CH 2 -, -CH(CH 3 )CH 2 CH 2 -, -CH(CH 3 )CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 -, -CH 2 CH(CH 3 )CH 2 -,
• C 3- i 2 cycloalkylenes examples include, but are not limited to, cyclopentylene (e.g. cyclopent-1 ,3-ylene), and cyclohexylene
• C 3-12 cycloalkylenes examples include, but are not limited to, cyclopentenylene (e.g. 4-cyclopenten-1 ,3-ylene), cyclohexenylene (e.g. 2-cyclohexen-1 ,4-ylene; 3-cyclohexen-1 ,2-ylene; 2,5-cyclohexadien- 1 ,4-ylene).
• cyclopentenylene e.g. 4-cyclopenten-1 ,3-ylene
• cyclohexenylene e.g. 2-cyclohexen-1 ,4-ylene; 3-cyclohexen-1 ,2-ylene; 2,5-cyclohexadien- 1 ,4-ylene.
• Oxygen protecting group refers to a moiety which masks a hydroxy group, and these are well known in the art. A large number of suitable groups are described on pages 23 to 200 of Greene, T.W. and Wuts, G.M., Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis, 3 rd Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference. Classes of particular interest include silyl ethers (e.g. TMS, TBDMS), substituted methyl ethers (e.g. THP) and esters (e.g. acetate).
• silyl ethers e.g. TMS, TBDMS
• substituted methyl ethers e.g. THP
• esters e.g. acetate
• Carbamate nitrogen protecting group pertains to a moiety which masks the nitrogen in the imine bond, and these are well known in the art. These groups have the following structure:
• R' 10 is R as defined above.
• R' 10 is R as defined above.
• suitable groups are described on pages 503 to 549 of Greene, T.W. and Wuts, G.M., Protective Groups in Organic
• Hemi-aminal nitrogen protecting group pertains to a group having the following structure: wherein R' 10 is R as defined above.
• R' 10 is R as defined above.
• suitable groups are described on pages 633 to 647 as amide protecting groups of Greene, T.W. and Wuts, G.M., Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis, 3 rd Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference.
• the present invention provides Conjugates comprising a PBD dimer connected to a Ligand unit via a Linker Unit.
• the Linker unit includes a Stretcher unit (A), a Specificity unit (L 1 ), and a Spacer unit (L 2 ).
• the Linker unit is connected at one end to the Ligand unit and at the other end to the PBD dimer compound.
• L is the Ligand unit
• a 1 or 2
• L 1 - is a Specificity unit
• s is an integer ranging from 1 to 12,
• y 0, 1 or 2;
• -D is an PBD dimer
• p is from 1 to 20.
• L is the Ligand unit
• -A 1 - is a Stretcher unit linked to a Stretcher unit (L 2 ),
• a 1 or 2
• L 1 - is a Specificity unit linked to a Stretcher unit (L 2 ),
• s is an integer ranging from 0 to 12,
• y 0, 1 or 2;
• -D is a PBD dimer
• p is from 1 to 20.
• the Conjugate has the formula: wherein L, A 1 , a, L 1 , s, L 2 , D and p are as described above.
• the Ligand unit (L) is a Cell Binding Agent (CBA) that specifically binds to a target molecule on the surface of a target cell.
• CBA Cell Binding Agent
• CBA is the
• L 1 is a Specificity unit
• a 1 is a Stretcher unit connecting L 1 to the Cell Binding Agent
• L 2 optional.
• the Ligand unit (L) is a Cell Binding Agent (CBA) that specifically binds to a target molecule on the surface of a target cell.
• CBA Cell Binding Agent
• CBA is the Cell Binding Agent
• L 1 is a Specificity unit
• a 1 is a Stretcher unit connecting L 1 to the Cell Binding Agent
• L 2 is a Spacer unit which is a covalent bond or a self-immolative group
• a is 1 or 2
• s is 0, 1 or 2
• y is 0 or 1 or 2.
• L 1 can be a cleavable Specificity unit, and may be referred to as a "trigger" that when cleaved activates a self-immolative group (or self- immolative groups) L 2 , when a self-immolative group(s) is present.
• the Specificity unit L 1 is cleaved, or the linkage (i.e., the covalent bond) between L 1 and L 2 is cleaved, the self-immolative group releases the Drug unit (D).
• the Ligand unit (L) is a Cell Binding Agent (CBA) that specifically binds to a target molecule on the surface of a target cell.
• CBA Cell Binding Agent
• CBA is the Cell Binding Agent
• L 1 is a Specificity unit connected to L 2
• a 1 is a Stretcher unit connecting L 2 to the Cell Binding Agent
• L 2 is a self-immolative group
• a is 1 or 2
• s is 1 or 2
• y is 1 or 2.
• L 1 and L 2 can vary widely. These groups are chosen on the basis of their characteristics, which may be dictated in part, by the conditions at the site to which the conjugate is delivered.
• the Specificity unit L 1 is cleavable, the structure and/or sequence of L 1 is selected such that it is cleaved by the action of enzymes present at the target site (e.g., the target cell).
• L 1 units that are cleavable by changes in pH (e.g. acid or base labile), temperature or upon irradiation (e.g. photolabile) may also be used.
• L 1 units that are cleavable under reducing or oxidising conditions may also find use in the Conjugates.
• L 1 may comprise one amino acid or a contiguous sequence of amino acids.
• the amino acid sequence may be the target substrate for an enzyme.
• L 1 is cleavable by the action of an enzyme.
• the enzyme is an esterase or a peptidase.
• L 1 may be cleaved by a lysosomal protease, such as a cathepsin.
• the enzyme cleaves the bond between L 1 and L 2 , whereby the self-immolative group(s) release the Drug unit.
• L 1 and L 2 where present, may be connected by a bond selected from:
• An amino group of L 1 that connects to L 2 may be the N-terminus of an amino acid or may be derived from an amino group of an amino acid side chain, for example a lysine amino acid side chain.
• a carboxyl group of L 1 that connects to L 2 may be the C-terminus of an amino acid or may be derived from a carboxyl group of an amino acid side chain, for example a glutamic acid amino acid side chain.
• a hydroxy group of L 1 that connects to L 2 may be derived from a hydroxy group of an amino acid side chain, for example a serine amino acid side chain.
• the phenylene ring is optionally substituted with one, two or three substituents as described herein.
• Y is NH
• n is 0 or 1 .
• n is 0.
• the self-immolative group may be referred to as a
• PABC p-aminobenzylcarbonyl linker
• the Drug unit i.e., the asymmetric PBD
• L * is the activated form of the remaining portion of the linker and the released Drug unit is not shown.
• Each phenylene ring is optionally substituted with one, two or three substituents as described herein.
• the phenylene ring having the Y substituent is optionally substituted phenylene ring not having the Y substituent is unsubstituted.
• -C 0)0- and L 2 together form a group selected from:
• E is O, S or NR
• D is N, CH, or CR
• F is N, CH, or CR.
• D is N.
• D is CH.
• E is O or S.
• F is CH.
• the covalent bond between L 1 and L 2 is a cathepsin labile (e.g., cleavable) bond.
• L 1 comprises a dipeptide.
• the amino acids in the dipeptide may be any combination of natural amino acids and non-natural amino acids.
• the dipeptide comprises natural amino acids.
• the linker is a cathepsin labile linker
• the dipeptide is the site of action for cathepsin-mediated cleavage.
• the dipeptide then is a recognition site for cathepsin.
• the group -X X 2 - in dipeptide is selected from:
• Cit is citrulline.
• -NH- is the amino group of Xi
• CO is the carbonyl group of X 2 .
• the group -XrX 2 - in dipeptide, -NH-X X 2 -CO-, is selected from: -Phe-Lys-,
• the group -X ! -X 2 - in dipeptide, -NH-XrX 2 -CO-, is -Phe-Lys-, Val-Cit or -Val-Ala-.
• Other dipeptide combinations of interest include:
• the amino acid side chain is chemically protected, where appropriate.
• the side chain protecting group may be a group as discussed below.
• Protected amino acid sequences are cleavable by enzymes. For example, a dipeptide sequence comprising a Boc side chain-protected Lys residue is cleavable by cathepsin.
• Lys Boc, Z-CI, Fmoc, Z;
• -X 2 - is connected indirectly to the Drug unit.
• the Spacer unit L 2 is present.
• the dipeptide is used in combination with a self-immolative group(s) (the Spacer unit).
• the self-immolative group(s) may be connected to -X 2 -.
• -X 2 - is connected directly to the self-immolative group.
• -X 2 - is connected to the group Y of the self-immolative group.
• the group -X 2 -CO- is connected to Y, where Y is NH.
• -X is connected directly to A 1 .
• -X-p is connected directly to A 1 .
• the group NH-X (the amino terminus of Xi) is connected to A 1 .
• a 1 may comprise the functionality -CO- thereby to form an amide link with -X .
• the PABC group is connected directly to the Drug unit.
• the self- immolative group and the dipeptide together form the group -Phe-Lys-PABC-, which is illustrated below:
• the asterisk indicates the point of attachment to the Drug unit
• the wavy line indicates the point of attachment to the remaining portion of L 1 or the point of attachment to A 1 .
• the wavy line indicates the point of attachment to A 1 .
• the self-immolative group and the dipeptide together form the group -Val-Ala- PABC-, which is illustrated below:
• the asterisk indicates the point of attachment to the Drug unit
• the wavy line indicates the point of attachment to A 1
• Y is a covalent bond or a functional group
• E is a group that is susceptible to cleavage thereby to activate a self-immolative group.
• E is selected such that the group is susceptible to cleavage, e.g., by light or by the action of an enzyme.
• E may be -N0 2 or glucuronic acid (e.g., ⁇ -glucuronic acid).
• the former may be susceptible to the action of a nitroreductase, the latter to the action of a
• the group Y may be a covalent bond.
• the group Y may be a functional group selected from:
• the group Y is preferably -NH-, -CH 2 -, -0-, and -S-
• Y is a covalent bond or a functional group and E is glucuronic acid (e.g., ⁇ -glucuronic acid).
• Y is preferably a functional group selected from -NH-.
• Y is a covalent bond or a functional group and E is glucuronic acid (e.g., ⁇ -glucuronic acid).
• Y is preferably a functional group selected from -NH-, -CH 2 -, -0-, and -S-.
• Y is a functional group as set forth above, the functional group is linked to an amino acid, and the amino acid is linked to the Stretcher unit A 1 .
• amino acid is ⁇ -alanine. In such an embodiment, the amino acid is equivalently considered part of the Stretcher unit.
• the Specificity unit L 1 and the Ligand unit are indirectly connected via the Stretcher unit.
• L 1 and A 1 may be connected by a bond selected from:
• the group A 1 is:
• n is 0 to 6. In one embodiment, n is 5.
• n is 0 to 6. In one embodiment, n is 5.
• the group A 1 is:
• n is 0 or 1
• m is 0 to 30.
• n is 1 and m is 0 to 10, 1 to 8, preferably 4 to 8, most preferably 4 or 8.
• the group A 1 is:
• n 0 or 1
• m 0 to 30.
• the group 1 is:
• n is 0 to 6. In one embodiment, n is 5.
• the group A 1 is:
• n is 0 to 6. In one embodiment, n is 5.
• the group A 1 is:
• n is 0 or 1
• m is 0 to 30.
• n is 1 and m is 0 to 10, 1 to 8, preferably 4 to 8, most preferably 4 or 8.
• the group A 1 is:
• n is 0 or 1
• m is 0 to 30.
• n is 1 and m is 0 to 10, 1 to 8, preferably 4 to 8, most preferably 4 or 8.
• connection between the Ligand unit and A 1 is through a thiol residue of the Ligand unit and a maleimide group of A 1 . In one embodiment, the connection between the Ligand unit and A 1 is:
• the S atom is typically derived from the Ligand unit.
• the maleimide-derived group is replaced with the group:
• the maleimide-derived group is replaced with a group, which optionally together with a Ligand unit (e.g., a Cell Binding Agent), is selected from:
• a Ligand unit e.g., a Cell Binding Agent
• the maleimide-derived group is replaced with a group, which optionally together with the Ligand unit, is s
• the wavy line indicates either the point of attachment to the Ligand unit or the bond to the remaining portion of the A 1 group
• the asterisk indicates the other of the point of attachment to the Ligand unit or the bond to the remaining portion of the A 1 group.
• the Stretcher unit A 1 is present, the Specificity unit L 1 is present and Spacer unit L 2 is absent.
• L 1 and the Drug unit are directly connected via a bond.
• L 2 is a bond.
• L 1 and D may be connected by a bond selected from:
• L 1 and D are preferably connected by a bond selected from:
• L 1 comprises a dipeptide and one end of the dipeptide is linked to D.
• the amino acids in the dipeptide may be any combination of natural amino acids and non-natural amino acids.
• the dipeptide comprises natural amino acids.
• the linker is a cathepsin labile linker
• the dipeptide is the site of action for cathepsin-mediated cleavage. The dipeptide then is a recognition site for cathepsin.
• the group -X X 2 - in dipeptide, - ⁇ -XrX ⁇ CO- is selected from:
• Cit is citrulline.
• -NH- is the amino group of Xi
• CO is the carbonyl group of X 2 .
• the group -XrX 2 - in dipeptide, -NH-XrX 2 -CO-, is selected from:
• the group -Xi-X 2 - in dipeptide, - ⁇ -X X ⁇ CO-, is -Phe-Lys- or -Val-Ala-.
• dipeptide combinations of interest include:
• dipeptide combinations may be used, including those described above.
• L 1 -D is:
• the wavy line indicates the point of attachment to the remaining portion of L 1 or the point of attachment to A 1 .
• the wavy line indicates the point of attachment to A 1 .
• the dipeptide is valine-alanine and L 1 -D is:
• the dipeptide is phenylalnine-lysine and L 1 -D is:
• the dipeptide is valine-citrulline.
• the groups A 1 -L 1 are:
• n 0 to 6. In one embodiment, n is 5. In one embodiment, the groups A 1 -L 1 are:
• n is 0 to 6. In one embodiment, n is 5.
• the groups A 1 -L 1 are:
• n is 0 or 1
• m is 0 to 30.
• n is 1 and m is 0 to 10, 1 to 8, preferably 4 to 8, most preferably 4 or 8.
• the groups A 1 -L 1 are:
• n is 0 or 1
• m is 0 to 30.
• n is 1 and m is 0 to 10, 1 to 7, preferably 3 to 7, most preferably 3 or 7.
• the groups A 1 are identical to each other. In one embodiment, the groups A 1
• n is 0 to 6. In one embodiment, n is 5. In one embodiment, the groups A
• n is 0 to 6. In one embodiment, n is 5.
• n is 0 or 1
• m is 0 to 30.
• n is 1 and m is 0 to 10, 1 to 8, preferably 4 to 8, most preferably 4 or 8.
• n is 0 or 1
• m is 0 to 30.
• n is 1 and m is 0 to 10, 1 to 8, preferably 4 to 8, most preferably 4 or 8.
• n 0 to 6. In one embodiment, n is 5.
• the group L-A 1 -L 1 are:
• n 0 to 6. In one embodiment, n is 5.
• the groups L-A 1 -L 1 are:
• n is 0 or 1
• m is 0 to 30.
• n is 1 and m is 0 to 10, 1 to 8, preferably 4 to 8, most preferably 4 or 8.
• the groups L-A 1 -L 1 are:
• n is 0 to 6. In one embodiment, n is 5.
• n is 0 to 6. In one embodiment, n is 5.
• the groups L-A 1 are identical to the groups L-A 1
• n is 0 or 1
• m is 0 to 30.
• n is 1 and m is 0 to 10, 1 to 8, preferably 4 to 8, most preferably 4 or 8.
• n is 0 or 1
• m is 0 to 30.
• n is 1 and m is 0 to 10, 1 to 8, preferably 4 to 8, most preferably 4 or 8.
• the Stretcher unit is an acetamide unit, having the formula:
• Stretcher unit, L 1 or D, and the wavy line indicates the point of attachment to the Ligand unit.
• Linker-Drug compounds are provided for conjugation to a Ligand unit.
• the Linker-Drug compounds are designed for connection to a Cell Binding Agent.
• G 1 is a Stretcher group (A 1 ) to form a connection to a Ligand unit
• L 1 is a Specificity unit
• the Drug Linker compound has the formula:
• G 1 -L 1 -L 2 - where the asterisk indicates the point of attachment to the Drug unit, G 1 is a Stretcher unit (A 1 ) to form a connection to a Ligand unit, L 1 is a Specificity unit, L 2 (a Spacer unit) is a covalent bond or a self-immolative group(s).
• L 1 and L 2 are as defined above. References to connection to A 1 can be construed here as referring to a connection to G 1 .
• L 1 comprises an amino acid
• the side chain of that amino acid may be protected. Any suitable protecting group may be used.
• the side chain protecting groups are removable with other protecting groups in the compound, where present.
• the protecting groups may be orthogonal to other protecting groups in the molecule, where present.
• Suitable protecting groups for amino acid side chains include those groups described in the Novabiochem Catalog 2006/2007. Protecting groups for use in a cathepsin labile linker are also discussed in Dubowchik et al.
• the group L 1 includes a Lys amino acid residue.
• the side chain of this amino acid may be protected with a Boc or Alloc protected group. A Boc protecting group is most preferred.
• the functional group G 1 forms a connecting group upon reaction with a Ligand unit (e.g., a cell binding agent.
• a Ligand unit e.g., a cell binding agent.
• the functional group G 1 is or comprises an amino, carboxylic acid, hydroxy, thiol, or maleimide group for reaction with an appropriate group on the Ligand unit.
• G 1 comprises a maleimide group.
• the group G 1 is an alkyl maleimide group. This group is suitable for reaction with thiol groups, particularly cysteine thiol groups, present in the cell binding agent, for example present in an antibody. In one embodiment, the group G 1 is:
• n is 0 to 6. In one embodiment, n is 5.
• the group G 1 is:
• n 0 to 6. In one embodiment, n is 5. In one embodiment, the grou G 1 is:
• n is 0 or 1
• m is 0 to 30.
• n is 1 and m is 0 to 10, 1 to 2, preferably 4 to 8, and most preferably 4 or 8.
• the group G 1 is:
• n is 0 or 1
• m is 0 to 30.
• n is 1 and m is 0 to 10, 1 to 8, preferably 4 to 8, and most preferably 4 or 8.
• the group G 1 is the group G 1
• n is 0 to 6. In one embodiment, n is 5.
• the group G 1 is:
• n is 0 to 6. In one embodiment, n is 5.
• the group G 1 is:
• n is 0 or 1
• m is 0 to 30.
• n is 1 and m is 0 to 10, 1 to 2, preferably 4 to 8, and most preferably 4 or 8.
• the group G 1 is:
• n is 0 or 1
• m is 0 to 30.
• n is 1 and m is 0 to 10, 1 to 8, preferably 4 to 8, and most preferably 4 or 8.
• the maleimide-derived group is replaced with the group:
• the maleimide group is replaced with a group selected from:
• L 1 is present, and G 1 is -NH 2 , -NHMe, -COOH, -OH or -SH. In one embodiment, where L 1 is present, G 1 is -NH 2 or -NHMe. Either group may be the N-terminal of an L 1 amino acid sequence.
• L 1 is present and G 1 is -NH 2 , and L 1 is an amino acid sequence -X X 2 - , as defined above.
• L 1 is present and G 1 is COOH. This group may be the C-terminal of an L 1 amino acid sequence. In one embodiment, L 1 is present and G 1 is OH.
• L 1 is present and G 1 is SH.
• the group G 1 may be convertible from one functional group to another. In one
• L 1 is present and G 1 is -NH 2 .
• This group is convertable to another group G 1 comprising a maleimide group.
• the group -NH 2 may be reacted with an acids or an activated acid (e.g., N-succinimide forms) of those G 1 groups comprising maleimide shown above.
• the group G 1 may therefore be converted to a functional group that is more appropriate for reaction with a Ligand unit.
• L 1 is present and G 1 is -NH 2 , -NHMe, -COOH, -OH or -SH.
• these groups are provided in a chemically protected form.
• the chemically protected form is therefore a precursor to the linker that is provided with a functional group.
• G 1 is -NH 2 in a chemically protected form.
• the group may be protected with a carbamate protecting group.
• the carbamate protecting group may be selected from the group consisting of:
• G 1 is -NH 2 , it is protected with an Alloc or Fmoc group.
• G 1 is -NH 2
• it is protected with an Fmoc group.
• the protecting group is the same as the carbamate protecting group of the capping group.
• the protecting group is not the same as the carbamate protecting group of the capping group. In this embodiment, it is preferred that the protecting group is removable under conditions that do not remove the carbamate protecting group of the capping group.
• the chemical protecting group may be removed to provide a functional group to form a connection to a Ligand unit. Optionally, this functional group may then be converted to another functional group as described above.
• the active group is an amine.
• This amine is preferably the N-terminal amine of a peptide, and may be the N-terminal amine of the preferred dipeptides of the invention.
• the active group may be reacted to yield the functional group that is intended to form a connection to a Ligand unit.
• the Linker unit is a precursor to the Linker uit having an active group.
• the Linker unit comprises the active group, which is protected by way of a protecting group. The protecting group may be removed to provide the Linker unit having an active group.
• the protecting group may be an amine protecting group, such as those described in Green and Wuts.
• the protecting group is preferably orthogonal to other protecting groups, where present, in the Linker unit.
• the protecting group is orthogonal to the capping group.
• the active group protecting group is removable whilst retaining the capping group.
• the protecting group and the capping group is removable under the same conditions as those used to remove the capping group.
• the Linker unit is:
• the asterisk indicates the point of attachment to the Drug unit
• the wavy line indicates the point of attachment to the remaining portion of the Linker unit, as applicable or the point of attachment to G 1 .
• the wavy line indicates the point of attachment to G 1 .
• the Linker unit is:
• the Ligand Unit may be of any kind, and include a protein, polypeptide, peptide and a non- peptidic agent that specifically binds to a target molecule.
• the Ligand unit may be a protein, polypeptide or peptide.
• the Ligand unit may be a cyclic polypeptide.
• These Ligand units can include antibodies or a fragment of an antibody that contains at least one target molecule-binding site, lymphokines, hormones, growth factors, or any other cell binding molecule or substance that can specifically bind to a target.
• the terms "specifically binds" and “specific binding” refer to the binding of an antibody or other protein, polypeptide or peptide to a predetermined molecule (e.g., an antigen).
• the antibody or other molecule binds with an affinity of at least about 1x10 7 M "1 , and binds to the predetermined molecule with an affinity that is at least two-fold greater than its affinity for binding to a non-specific molecule (e.g., BSA, casein) other than the predetermined molecule or a closely-related molecule.
• a non-specific molecule e.g., BSA, casein
• Ligand units include those agents described for use in WO 2007/085930, which is incorporated herein.
• the Ligand unit is a Cell Binding Agent that binds to an extracellular target on a cell.
• a Cell Binding Agent can be a protein, polypeptide, peptide or a non- peptidic agent.
• the Cell Binding Agent may be a protein, polypeptide or peptide.
• the Cell Binding Agent may be a cyclic polypeptide.
• the Cell Binding Agent also may be antibody or an antigen-binding fragment of an antibody.
• the present invention provides an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC).
• ADC antibody-drug conjugate
• the antibody is a monoclonal antibody; chimeric antibody; humanized antibody; fully human antibody; or a single chain antibody.
• the antibody is a fragment of one of these antibodies having biological activity. Examples of such fragments include Fab, Fab', F(ab') 2 and Fv fragments.
• the antibody may be a diabody, a domain antibody (DAB) or a single chain antibody.
• DAB domain antibody
• the antibody is a monoclonal antibody.
• Antibodies for use in the present invention include those antibodies described in
• WO 2005/082023 which is incorporated herein.
• Particularly preferred are those antibodies for tumour-associated antigens.
• those antigens known in the art include, but are not limited to, those tumour-associated antigens set out in WO 2005/082023. See, for instance, pages 41 -55.
• the conjugates are designed to target tumour cells via their cell surface antigens.
• the antigens may be cell surface antigens which are either over- expressed or expressed at abnormal times or cell types.
• the target antigen is expressed only on proliferative cells (preferably tumour cells); however this is rarely observed in practice.
• target antigens are usually selected on the basis of differential expression between proliferative and healthy tissue.
• Antibodies have been raised to target specific tumour related antigens including:
• the Ligand unit is connected to the Linker unit. In one embodiment, the Ligand unit is connected to A, where present, of the Linker unit.
• connection between the Ligand unit and the Linker unit is through a thioether bond.
• connection between the Ligand unit and the Linker unit is through a disulfide bond.
• connection between the Ligand unit and the Linker unit is through an amide bond.
• connection between the Ligand unit and the Linker unit is through an ester bond. In one embodiment, the connection between the Ligand unit and the Linker is formed between a thiol group of a cysteine residue of the Ligand unit and a maleimide group of the Linker unit.
• the cysteine residues of the Ligand unit may be available for reaction with the functional group of the Linker unit to form a connection.
• the thiol groups of the antibody may participate in interchain disulfide bonds. These interchain bonds may be converted to free thiol groups by e.g. treatment of the antibody with DTT prior to reaction with the functional group of the Linker unit.
• the cysteine residue is an introduced into the heavy or light chain of an antibody.
• Positions for cysteine insertion by substitution in antibody heavy or light chains include those described in Published U.S. Application No. 2007-0092940 and International Patent Publication WO2008070593, which are incorporated herein.
• the compounds of the present invention may be used in a method of therapy. Also provided is a method of treatment, comprising administering to a subject in need of treatment a therapeutically-effective amount of a compound of formula I.
• a method of treatment comprising administering to a subject in need of treatment a therapeutically-effective amount of a compound of formula I.
• terapéuticaally effective amount is an amount sufficient to show benefit to a patient. Such benefit may be at least amelioration of at least one symptom.
• the actual amount administered, and rate and time-course of administration, will depend on the nature and severity of what is being treated. Prescription of treatment, e.g. decisions on dosage, is within the responsibility of general practitioners and other medical doctors.
• a compound may be administered alone or in combination with other treatments, either simultaneously or sequentially dependent upon the condition to be treated.
• treatments and therapies include, but are not limited to, chemotherapy (the administration of active agents, including, e.g. drugs; surgery; and radiation therapy.
• compositions according to the present invention may comprise, in addition to the active ingredient, i.e. a compound of formula I, a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, carrier, buffer, stabiliser or other materials well known to those skilled in the art. Such materials should be non-toxic and should not interfere with the efficacy of the active ingredient.
• a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient e.g. cutaneous, subcutaneous, or intravenous.
• compositions for oral administration may be in tablet, capsule, powder or liquid form.
• a tablet may comprise a solid carrier or an adjuvant.
• Liquid pharmaceutical compositions generally comprise a liquid carrier such as water, petroleum, animal or vegetable oils, mineral oil or synthetic oil. Physiological saline solution, dextrose or other saccharide solution or glycols such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycol or polyethylene glycol may be included.
• a capsule may comprise a solid carrier such a gelatin.
• the active ingredient will be in the form of a parenterally acceptable aqueous solution which is pyrogen-free and has suitable pH, isotonicity and stability.
• a parenterally acceptable aqueous solution which is pyrogen-free and has suitable pH, isotonicity and stability.
• isotonic vehicles such as Sodium Chloride Injection, Ringer's Injection, Lactated Ringer's Injection.
• Preservatives, stabilisers, buffers, antioxidants and/or other additives may be included, as required.
• the Compounds and Conjugates can be used to treat proliferative disease and
• autoimmune disease pertains to an unwanted or uncontrolled cellular proliferation of excessive or abnormal cells which is undesired, such as, neoplastic or hyperplastic growth, whether in vitro or in vivo.
• proliferative conditions include, but are not limited to, benign, pre-malignant, and malignant cellular proliferation, including but not limited to, neoplasms and tumours (e.g., histocytoma, glioma, astrocyoma, osteoma), cancers (e.g. lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, bowel cancer, colon cancer, breast carinoma, ovarian carcinoma, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, liver cancer, kidney cancer, bladder cancer, pancreatic cancer, brain cancer, sarcoma, osteosarcoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, melanoma), leukemias, psoriasis, bone diseases, fibroproliferative disorders (e.g.
• cancers of interest include, but are not limited to, haematological; malignancies such as leukemias and lymphomas, such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and subtypes such as DLBCL, marginal zone, mantle zone, and follicular, Hodgkin lymphoma, AML, and other cancers of B or T cell origin.
• autoimmune disease examples include the following: rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune demyelinative diseases (e.g., multiple sclerosis, allergic encephalomyelitis), psoriatic arthritis, endocrine ophthalmopathy, uveoretinitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, myasthenia gravis, Graves' disease, glomerulonephritis, autoimmune hepatological disorder, inflammatory bowel disease (e.g., Crohn's disease), anaphylaxis, allergic reaction, Sjogren's syndrome, type I diabetes mellitus, primary biliary cirrhosis, Wegener's granulomatosis, fibromyalgia, polymyositis, dermatomyositis, multiple endocrine failure, Schmidt's syndrome, autoimmune uveitis, Addison's disease, adrenalitis, thyroiditis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, autoimmune thyroid disease,
• erythematosus hypoparathyroidism, Dressler's syndrome, autoimmune thrombocytopenia, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, hemolytic anemia, pemphigus vulgaris, pemphigus, dermatitis herpetiformis, alopecia areata, pemphigoid, scleroderma, progressive systemic sclerosis, CREST syndrome (calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, esophageal dysmotility, sclerodactyly, and telangiectasia), male and female autoimmune infertility, ankylosing spondolytis, ulcerative colitis, mixed connective tissue disease, polyarteritis nedosa, systemic necrotizing vasculitis, atopic dermatitis, atopic rhinitis, Goodpasture's syndrome, Chagas' disease, sarcoidosis, rheumatic fever, asthma, recurrent abortion, anti
• granulomatosis granulomatosis, Behcet's disease, Caplan's syndrome, Kawasaki's disease, dengue, encephalomyelitis, endocarditis, endomyocardial fibrosis, endophthalmitis, erythema elevatum et diutinum, psoriasis, erythroblastosis fetalis, eosinophilic faciitis, Shulman's syndrome, Felty's syndrome, filariasis, cyclitis, chronic cyclitis, heterochronic cyclitis, Fuch's cyclitis, IgA nephropathy, Henoch-Schonlein purpura, graft versus host disease, transplantation rejection, cardiomyopathy, Eaton-Lambert syndrome, relapsing
• the autoimmune disease is a disorder of B lymphocytes (e.g., systemic lupus erythematosus, Goodpasture's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and type I diabetes), Th1 -lymphocytes (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, Sjogren's syndrome, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Graves' disease, primary biliary cirrhosis, Wegener's granulomatosis, tuberculosis, or graft versus host disease), or Th2-lymphocyt.es (e.g., atopic dermatitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, atopic asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, allergic rhinitis, Omenn's syndrome, systemic sclerosis, or chronic graft versus host disease).
• B lymphocytes e.g., systemic lupus ery
• disorders involving dendritic cells involve disorders of Th1- lymphocytes or Th2-lymphocytes.
• the autoimmunie disorder is a T cell-mediated immunological disorder.
• the amount of the Conjugate administered ranges from about 0.01 to about 10 mg/kg per dose. In some embodiments, the amount of the Conjugate administered ranges from about 0.01 to about 5 mg/kg per dose. In some embodiments, the amount of the Conjugate administerd ranges from about 0.05 to about 5 mg/kg per dose. In some embodiments, the amount of the Conjugate administerd ranges from about 0.1 to about 5 mg/kg per dose. In some embodiments, the amount of the Conjugate administered ranges from about 0.1 to about 4 mg/kg per dose.
• the amount of the Conjugate administered ranges from about 0.05 to about 3 mg/kg per dose. In some embodiments, the amount of the Conjugate administered ranges from about 0.1 to about 3 mg/kg per dose. In some embodiments, the amount of the Conjugate administered ranges from about 0.1 to about 2 mg/kg per dose.
• a reference to carboxylic acid (-COOH) also includes the anionic (carboxylate) form (-COO " ), a salt or solvate thereof, as well as conventional protected forms.
• a reference to an amino group includes the protonated form (-N + HR 1 R 2 ), a salt or solvate of the amino group, for example, a hydrochloride salt, as well as conventional protected forms of an amino group.
• a reference to a hydroxyl group also includes the anionic form (-0 " ), a salt or solvate thereof, as well as conventional protected forms.
• a corresponding salt of the active compound for example, a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt.
• a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt examples are discussed in Berge, et ai, J. Pharm. Sci., 66, 1-19 (1977).
• a salt may be formed with a suitable cation.
• suitable inorganic cations include, but are not limited to, alkali metal ions such as Na + and K + , alkaline earth cations such as Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ , and other cations such as ⁇ 3 .
• Suitable organic cations include, but are not limited to, ammonium ion (i.e. NH 4 + ) and substituted ammonium ions (e.g. NH 3 R + , NH 2 R2 + , NHR 3 + , NR 4 + ).
• suitable substituted ammonium ions are those derived from: ethylamine,
• ethanolamine diethanolamine, piperazine, benzylamine, phenylbenzylamine, choline, meglumine, and tromethamine, as well as amino acids, such as lysine and arginine.
• amino acids such as lysine and arginine.
• An example of a common quaternary ammonium ion is N(CH 3 ) 4 + .
• a salt may be formed with a suitable anion.
• suitable inorganic anions include, but are not limited to, those derived from the following inorganic acids: hydrochloric, hydrobromic, hydroiodic, sulfuric, sulfurous, nitric, nitrous, phosphoric, and phosphorous.
• Suitable organic anions include, but are not limited to, those derived from the following organic acids: 2-acetyoxybenzoic, acetic, ascorbic, aspartic, benzoic,
• suitable polymeric organic anions include, but are not limited to, those derived from the following polymeric acids: tannic acid, carboxymethyl cellulose.
• solvate is used herein in the conventional sense to refer to a complex of solute (e.g. active compound, salt of active compound) and solvent. If the solvent is water, the solvate may be conveniently referred to as a hydrate, for example, a mono-hydrate, a di-hydrate, a tri-hydrate, etc.
• the invention includes compounds where a solvent adds across the imine bond of the PBD moiety, which is illustrated below where the solvent is water or an alcohol (R A OH, where R A is C-i-4 alkyl):
• carbinolamine and carbinolamine ether forms of the PBD can be called the carbinolamine and carbinolamine ether forms of the PBD.
• the balance of these equilibria depend on the conditions in which the compounds are found, as well as the nature of the moiety itself.
• Certain compounds may exist in one or more particular geometric, optical, enantiomeric, diasteriomeric, epimeric, atropic, stereoisomeric, tautomeric, conformational, or anomeric forms, including but not limited to, cis- and trans-forms; E- and Z-forms; c-, t-, and r- forms; endo- and exo-forms; R-, S-, and meso-forms; D- and L-forms; d- and l-forms; (+) and (-) forms; keto-, enol-, and enolate-forms; syn- and anti-forms; synclinal- and anticlinal-forms; a- and ⁇ -forms; axial and equatorial forms; boat-, chair-, twist-, envelope-, and halfchair- forms; and combinations thereof, hereinafter collectively referred to as "isomers” (or "isomeric forms").
• isomers are structural (or constitutional) isomers (i.e. isomers which differ in the connections between atoms rather than merely by the position of atoms in space).
• a reference to a methoxy group, -OCH 3 is not to be construed as a reference to its structural isomer, a hydroxymethyl group, -CH 2 OH .
• a reference to ortho-chlorophenyl is not to be construed as a reference to its structural isomer, meta- chlorophenyl.
• Ci -7 alkyl includes n-propyl and iso-propyl; butyl includes ⁇ -, iso-, sec-, and tert-butyl; methoxyphenyl includes ortho-, meta-, and para- methoxyphenyl).
• keto/enol (illustrated below), imine/enamine, amide/imino alcohol, amidine/amidine, nitroso/oxime,
• keto enol enolate Note that specifically included in the term "isomer" are compounds with one or more isotopic substitutions.
• H may be in any isotopic form, including 1 H, 2 H (D), and 3 H (T);
• C may be in any isotopic form, including 12 C, 13 C, and 14 C;
• O may be in any isotopic form, including 16 0 and 18 0; and the like.
• a reference to a particular compound includes all such isomeric forms, including (wholly or partially) racemic and other mixtures thereof.
• Methods for the preparation (e.g. asymmetric synthesis) and separation (e.g. fractional crystallisation and chromatographic means) of such isomeric forms are either known in the art or are readily obtained by adapting the methods taught herein, or known methods, in a known manner.
• R 2 , R 6 , R 7 , R 9 , R 6' , R 7' , R 9' , R 12 , X, X' and R" are as defined for compounds of formula I
• Prot N is a nitrogen protecting group for synthesis
• Prot° is a protected oxygen group for synthesis or an oxo group, by deprotecting the imine bond by standard methods.
• the compound produced may be in its carbinolamine or carbinolamine ether form depending on the solvents used. For example if Prot N is Alloc and Prot° is an oxygen protecting group for synthesis, then the deprotection is carried using palladium to remove the N10 protecting group, followed by the elimination of the oxygen protecting group for synthesis. If Prot N is Troc and Prot° is an oxygen protecting group for synthesis, then the deprotection is carried out using a Cd/Pb couple to yield the compound of formula (I).
• Prot N is SEM, or an analogous group, and Prot° is an an oxo group
• the oxo group can be removed by reduction, which leads to a protected carbinolamine intermediate, which can then be treated to remove the SEM protecting group, followed by the elimination of water.
• the reduction of the compound of Formula 2 can be accomplished by, for example, lithium tetraborohydride, whilst a suitable means for removing the SEM protecting group is treatment with silica gel.
• R 2 , R 6 , R 7 , R 9 , R 6' , R 7' , R 9' , X, X' and R" are as defined for compounds of formula 2, by coupling an organometallic derivative comprising R 12 , such as an organoboron derivative.
• the organoboron derivative may be a boronate or boronic acid.
• R 12 , R 6 , R 7 , R 9 , R 6' , R 7' , R 9' , X, X' and R" are as defined for compounds of formula 2, by coupling an organometallic derivative comprising R 2 , such as an organoboron derivative.
• the organoboron derivative may be a boronate or boronic acid.
• R 2 , R 6 , R 7 , R 9 , R 6' , R 7' , R 9' , X, X' and R" are as defined for compounds of formula 2, by coupling about a single equivalent (e.g. 0.9 or 1 to 1.1 or 1.2) of an organometallic derivative, such as an organoboron derivative, comprising R 2 or R 12 .
• an organometallic derivative such as an organoboron derivative
• the couplings described above are usually carried out in the presence of a palladium catalyst, for example Pd(PPh 3 ) 4 , Pd(OCOCH 3 ) 2 , PdCI 2 , Pd 2 (dba) 3 .
• a palladium catalyst for example Pd(PPh 3 ) 4 , Pd(OCOCH 3 ) 2 , PdCI 2 , Pd 2 (dba) 3 .
• the coupling may be carried out under standard conditions, or may also be carried out under microwave conditions.
• the two coupling steps are usually carried out sequentially. They may be carried out with or without purification between the two steps. If no purification is carried out, then the two steps may be carried out in the same reaction vessel. Purification is usually required after the second coupling step. Purification of the compound from the undesired by-products may be carried out by column chromatography or ion-exchange separation.
• Nitrogen protecting groups for synthesis are well known in the art.
• the protecting groups of particular interest are carbamate nitrogen protecting groups and hemi-aminal nitrogen protecting groups.
• R' 10 is R as defined above.
• R' 10 is R as defined above.
• suitable groups are described on pages 503 to 549 of Greene, T.W. and Wuts, G.M., Protective Groups in Organic
• Particularly preferred protecting groups include Troc, Teoc, Fmoc, BOC, Doc, Hoc, TcBOC, 1 -Adoc and 2-Adoc.
• nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl e.g. 4- nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl
• 2- (phenylsulphonyl)ethoxycarbonyl e.g. 4- nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl
• nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl e.g. 4- nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl
• 2- (phenylsulphonyl)ethoxycarbonyl e.g. 4- nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl
• 2- (phenylsulphonyl)ethoxycarbonyl e.g. 4- nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl
• protecting groups which can be removed with palladium catalysis are not preferred, e.g. Alloc. aminal nitrogen protecting groups llowing structure wherein R' 10 is R as defined above.
• a large number of suitable groups are described on pages 633 to 647 as amide protecting groups of Greene, T.W. and Wuts, G.M., Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis, 3 rd Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference.
• the groups disclosed herein can be applied to compounds of the present invention. Such groups include, but are not limited to, SEM, MOM, MTM, MEM, BOM, nitro or methoxy substituted BOM, CI 3 CCH2OCH2-.
• Protected oxygen group for synthesis include, but are not limited to, SEM, MOM, MTM, MEM, BOM, nitro or methoxy substituted BOM, CI 3 CCH2OCH2-.
• Classes of particular interest include silyl ethers, methyl ethers, alkyl ethers, benzyl ethers, esters, acetates, benzoates, carbonates, and sulfonates.
• Preferred oxygen protecting groups include acetates, TBS and THP.
• Conjugates can be prepared as previously described.
• Linkers having a maleimidyl group (A), a peptide group (L 1 ) and self-immolative group (L 2 ) can be prepared as described in U.S. Patent No. 6,214,345.
• Linkers having a maleimidyl group (A) and a peptide group (L 1 ) can be prepared as described in WO 2009-01 17531 .
• Other linkers can be prepared according to the references cited herein or as known to the skilled artisan.
• Linker-Drug compounds can be prepared according to methods known in the art. Linkage of amine-based X substituents (of the PDB dimer Drug unit) to active groups of the Linker units can be performed according to methods generally described in U.S. Patent Nos.
• Antibodies can be conjugated to Linker-Drug compounds as described in Doronina et al., Nature Biotechnology, 2003, 21 , 778-784). Briefly, antibodies (4-5 mg/mL) in PBS containing 50 mM sodium borate at pH 7.4 are reduced with tris(carboxyethyl)phosphine hydrochloride (TCEP) at 37 °C. The progress of the reaction, which reduces interchain disulfides, is monitored by reaction with 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) and allowed to proceed until the desired level of thiols/mAb is achieved.
• TCEP tris(carboxyethyl)phosphine hydrochloride
• the reduced antibody is then cooled to 0°C and alkylated with 1 .5 equivalents of maleimide drug-linker per antibody thiol. After 1 hour, the reaction is quenched by the addition of 5 equivalents of N-acetyl cysteine. Quenched drug-linker is removed by gel filtration over a PD-10 column. The ADC is then sterile-filtered through a 0.22 ⁇ syringe filter. Protein concentration can be determined by spectral analysis at 280 nm and 329 nm, respectively, with correction for the contribution of drug absorbance at 280 nm. Size exclusion chromatography can be used to determine the extent of antibody aggregation, and RP-HPLC can be used to determine the levels of remaining NAC-quenched drug-linker.
• R 6' , R 7' , R 9' , R 10' , R 11' and Y' are preferably the same as R 6 , R 7 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 and Y respectively.
• Y and Y' are preferably O.
• R" is preferably a C 3 - 7 alkylene group with no substituents. More preferably R" is a C 3 , C 5 or C 7 alkylene. Most preferably, R" is a C 3 or C 5 alkylene. R 6 to R 9
• R 9 is preferably H.
• R 6 is preferably selected from H, OH, OR, SH, NH 2 , nitro and halo, and is more preferably H or halo, and most preferably is H.
• R 7 is preferably selected from H, OH, OR, SH, SR, NH 2 , NHR, NRR', and halo, and more preferably independently selected from H, OH and OR, where R is preferably selected from optionally substituted Ci -7 alkyl, C 3- io heterocyclyl and C 5- io aryl groups.
• R may be more preferably a Ci -4 alkyl group, which may or may not be substituted.
• a substituent of interest is a C 5 - 6 aryl group (e.g. phenyl). Particularly preferred substituents at the 7- positions are OMe and OCH 2 Ph. Other substituents of particular interest are
• dimethylamino i.e. -NMe 2
• -(OC 2 H 4 ) q OMe where q is from 0 to 2
• nitrogen-containing C 6 heterocyclyls including morpholino, piperidinyl and N-methyl-piperazinyl.
• a in R 2 may be phenyl group or a C 5-7 heteroaryl group, for example furanyl, thiophenyl and pyridyl. In some embodiments, A is preferably phenyl.
• Particularly preferred groups include: OH, SH and NH 2 , with NH 2 being the most preferred group.
• Q 2 -X may be on any of the available ring atoms of the C 5-7 aryl group, but is preferably on a ring atom that is not adjacent the bond to the remainder of the compound, i.e. it is preferably ⁇ or ⁇ to the bond to the remainder of the compound. Therefore, where the C 5-7 aryl group (A) is phenyl, the substituent (Q 2 -X) is preferably in the meta- or para- positions, and more preferably is in the para- position.
• Q 1 is a single bond.
• Q 2 is selected from a single bond and -Z-(CH 2 ) n -, where Z is selected from a single bond, O, S and NH and is from 1 to 3.
• Q 2 is a single bond.
• Q 2 is -Z-(CH 2 ) n -.
• Z may be O or S and n may be 1 or n may be 2.
• Z may be a single bond and n may be 1.
• R 2 may be -A-CH 2 -X and -A-X.
• X may be OH, SH, C0 2 H, COH and NH 2 .
• X may be NH 2 .
• R 12 is selected from:
• each of R 21 , R 22 and R 23 are independently selected from H, Ci -3 saturated alkyl, C 2-3 alkenyl, C 2-3 alkynyl and cyclopropyl, where the total number of carbon atoms in the R 12 group is no more than 5;
• R 25a and R 25b are H and the other is selected from: phenyl, which phenyl is optionally substituted by a group selected from halo methyl, methoxy; pyridyl; and thiophenyl; and
• R 24 is selected from: H; Ci -3 saturated alkyl; C 2-3 alkenyl; C 2-3 alkynyl; cyclopropyl; phenyl, which phenyl is optionally substituted by a group selected from halo methyl, methoxy; pyridyl; and thiophenyl.
• R 12 When R 12 is Ci -5 saturated aliphatic alkyl, it may be methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl or pentyl. In some embodiments, it may be methyl, ethyl or propyl (n-pentyl or isopropyl). In some of these embodiments, it may be methyl. In other embodiments, it may be butyl or pentyl, which may be linear or branched.
• R 12 When R 12 is C 3-6 saturated cycloalkyl, it may be cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl or cyclohexyl. In some embodiments, it may be cyclopropyl.
• each of R , R and R are independently selected from H, Ci -3 saturated alkyl, C 2-3 alkenyl, C 2- 3 alkynyl and cyclopropyl, where the total number of carbon atoms in the R 12 group is no more than 5. In some embodiments, the total number of carbon atoms in the R 12 group is no more than 4 or no more than 3.
• one of R 21 , R 22 and R 23 is H, with the other two groups being selected from H, Ci -3 saturated alkyl, C 2- 3 alkenyl, C 2- 3 alkynyl and cyclopropyl.
• two of R 21 , R 22 and R 23 are H, with the other group being selected from H, Ci -3 saturated alkyl, C 2-3 alkenyl, C 2-3 alkynyl and cyclopropyl.
• the groups that are not H are selected from methyl and ethyl. In some of these embodiments, the groups that re not H are methyl. In some embodiments, R 21 is H.
• R 22 is H.
• R 23 is H.
• R 21 and R 22 are H. In some embodiments, R 21 and R 23 are H. In some embodiments, R 22 and R 23 are H.
• R 25a and R 25b are H and the other is selected from: phenyl, which phenyl is optionally substituted by a group selected from halo, methyl, methoxy; pyridyl; and thiophenyl.
• the group which is not H is optionally substituted phenyl.
• the phenyl optional substituent is halo, it is preferably fluoro.
• the phenyl group is unsubstituted.
• R 24 is selected from: H; Ci -3 saturated alkyl; C2-3 alkenyl; C2-3 alkynyl; cyclopropyl; phenyl, which phenyl is optionally substituted by a group selected from halo methyl, methoxy; pyridyl; and thiophenyl. If the phenyl optional substituent is halo, it is preferably fluoro. In some embodiment, the phenyl group is unsubstituted.
• R 24 is selected from H, methyl, ethyl, ethenyl and ethynyl. In some of these embodiments, R 24 is selected from H and methyl.
• M and M' are monovalent pharmaceutically acceptable cations, and are more preferably Na + .
• z is preferably 3.
• Particularly preferred compounds of the present invention are of formula la:
• R 12a is selected from:
• the amino group is at either the meta or para positions of the phenyl group.
• R 10 is carbamate nitrogen protecting group, it may preferably be Teoc, Fmoc and Troc, and may more preferably be Troc.
• Prot° may preferably be TBS or THP, and may more preferably be TBS.
• R 10 is a hemi-aminal nitrogen protecting group, it may preferably be MOM, BOM or SEM, and may more preferably be SEM.
• Optical rotations were measured on an ADP 220 polarimeter (Bellingham Stanley Ltd.) and concentrations (c) are given in g/100ml_. Melting points were measured using a digital melting point apparatus (Electrothermal). IR spectra were recorded on a Perkin-Elmer Spectrum 1000 FT IR Spectrometer. 1 H and 13 C NMR spectra were acquired at 300 K using a Bruker Avance NMR spectrometer at 400 and 100 MHz, respectively.
• Waters Micromass ZQ parameters used were: Capillary (kV), 3.38; Cone (V), 35; Extractor (V), 3.0; Source temperature (°C), 100; Desolvation Temperature (°C), 200; Cone flow rate (L/h), 50; De-solvation flow rate (L/h), 250.
• HRMS High-resolution mass spectroscopy
• HRMS High-resolution mass spectroscopy
• TLC Thin Layer Chromatography
• Compound 1 b was synthesised as described in WO 00/012508 (compound 210), which is herein incorporated by reference.
• General LC/MS conditions The HPLC (Waters Alliance 2695) was run using a mobile phase of water (A) (formic acid 0.1 %) and acetonitrile (B) (formic acid 0.1 %). Gradient: initial composition 5% B over 1 .0 min then 5% B to 95% B within 3 min. The composition was held for 0.5 min at 95% B, and then returned to 5% B in 0.3 minutes. Total gradient run time equals 5 min. Flow rate 3.0 mL/min, 400 ⁇ _ was split via a zero dead volume tee piece which passes into the mass spectrometer. Wavelength detection range: 220 to 400 nm. Function type: diode array (535 scans). Column: Phenomenex ® Onyx Monolithic C18 50 x 4.60 mm
• LC/MS conditions specific for compounds protected by both a Troc and a TBDMs group Chromatographic separation of Troc and TBDMS protected compounds was performed on a Waters Alliance 2695 HPLC system utilizing a Onyx Monolitic reversed-phase column (3 ⁇ particles, 50 x 4.6 mm) from Phenomenex Corp.
• Mobile-phase A consisted of 5% acetonitrile - 95 % water containing 0.1 % formic acid
• mobile phase B consisted of 95% acetonitrile - 5% water containing 0.1 % formic acid.
• Example 4 The HPLC (Waters Alliance 2695) was run using a mobile phase of water (A) (formic acid 0.1 %) and acetonitrile (B) (formic acid 0.1 %).
• Method B Oxalyl chloride (9.75 mL, 14.2 g, 1 1 1 mmol) was added to a stirred suspension of the nitro-acid 1 a (17.3 g, 37.1 mmol) and DMF (2 mL) in anhydrous DCM (200 mL). Following initial effervescence the reaction suspension became a solution and the mixture was allowed to stir at room temperature for 16 hours. Conversion to the acid chloride was confirmed by treating a sample of the reaction mixture with MeOH and the resulting bis- methyl ester was observed by LC/MS. The majority of solvent was removed by
• Method A A suspension of 10% Pd/C (7.5 g, 10% w/w) in DMF (40 mL) was added to a solution of the nitro-ester 2a (75 g, 104 mmol) in DMF (360 mL). The suspension was hydrogenated in a Parr hydrogenation apparatus over 8 hours. Progress of the reaction was monitored by LC/MS (2.12 min (ES+) m/z (relative intensity) 597 ([M + H] + , 100), (ES-) m/z (relative intensity) 595 ([M + H] + , 100) after the hydrogen uptake had stopped.
• Solid Pd/C was removed by filtration and the filtrate was concentrated by rotary evaporation under vacuum (below 10 mbar) at 40°C to afford a dark oil containing traces of DMF and residual charcoal.
• the residue was digested in EtOH (500 mL) at 40°C on a water bath (rotary evaporator bath) and the resulting suspension was filtered through celite and washed with ethanol (500 mL) to give a clear filtrate.
• Hydrazine hydrate (10 mL, 321 mmol) was added to the solution and the reaction mixture was heated at reflux. After 20 minutes the formation of a white precipitate was observed and reflux was allowed to continue for a further 30 minutes. The mixture was allowed to cool down to room temperature and the precipitate was retrieved by filtration, washed with diethyl ether (2 * 1 volume of precipitate) and dried in a vacuum desiccator to provide 3a (50 g, 81 %).
• Method B A solution of the nitro-ester 2a (6.80 g, 9.44 mmol) in MeOH (300 mL) was added to RaneyTM nickel (4 large spatula ends of a ⁇ 50% slurry in H 2 0) and anti-bumping granules in a 3-neck round bottomed flask. The mixture was heated at reflux and then treated dropwise with a solution of hydrazine hydrate (5.88 mL, 6.05 g, 188 mmol) in MeOH (50 mL) at which point vigorous effervescence was observed. When the addition was complete ( ⁇ 30 minutes) additional RaneyTM nickel was added carefully until effervescence had ceased and the initial yellow colour of the reaction mixture was discharged.
• Method A A 0.37 M sodium hypochlorite solution (142.5 mL, 52.71 mmol, 2.4 eq) was added dropwise to a vigorously stirred mixture of the diol 6a (18.8 g, 21.96 mmol, 1 eq), TEMPO (0.069 g, 0.44 mmol, 0.02 eq) and 0.5 M potassium bromide solution (8.9 mL, 4.4 mmol, 0.2 eq) in DCM (1 15 mL) at 0°C. The temperature was maintained between 0°C and 5°C by adjusting the rate of addition. The resultant yellow emulsion was stirred at 0°C to 5°C for 1 hour.
• Sodium hypochlorite solution reagent grade, available at chlorine 10-13%, was used. This was assumed to be 10% (10 g NaCIO in 100 g) and calculated to be 1.34 M in NaCIO. A stock solution was prepared from this by diluting it to 0.37 M with water. This gave a solution of approximately pH 14. The pH was adjusted to 9.3 to 9.4 by the addition of solid NaHC0 3 . An aliquot of this stock was then used so as to give 2.4 mol eq. for the reaction. On addition of the bleach solution an initial increase in temperature was observed. The rate of addition was controlled, to maintain the temperature between 0°C to 5°C. The reaction mixture formed a thick, lemon yellow coloured, emulsion.
• Method B Solid TCCA (10.6 g, 45.6 mmol) was added portionwise to a stirred solution of the alcohol 6a (18.05 g, 21 .1 mmol) and TEMPO (123 mg, 0.78 mmol) in anhydrous DCM (700 mL) at 0°C (ice/acetone). The reaction mixture was stirred at 0°C under a nitrogen atmosphere for 15 minutes after which time TLC (EtOAc) and LC/MS [3.57 min (ES+) m/z (relative intensity) 875 ([M + Na] + , 50)] revealed completion of reaction.
• Method C A solution of anhydrous DMSO (0.72 mL, 0.84 g, 10.5 mmol) in dry DCM (18 mL) was added dropwise over a period of 25 min to a stirred solution of oxalyl chloride
• Anhydrous 2,6-lutidine (5.15 mL, 4.74 g, 44.2 mmol) was injected in one portion to a vigorously stirred solution of bis-ketone 7a (6.08 g, 7.1 mmol) in dry DCM (180 mL) at - 45°C (dry ice/acetonitrile cooling bath) under a nitrogen atmosphere.
• Anhydrous triflic anhydride taken from a freshly opened ampoule (7.2 mL, 12.08 g, 42.8 mmol), was injected rapidly dropwise, while maintaining the temperature at -40°C or below.
• reaction mixture was allowed to stir at -45°C for 1 hour at which point TLC (50/50 v/v n- hexane/EtOAc) revealed the complete consumption of starting material.
• the cold reaction mixture was immediately diluted with DCM (200 mL) and, with vigorous shaking, washed with water (1 x 100 mL), 5% citric acid solution (1 x 200 mL) saturated NaHC0 3 (200 mL), brine (100 mL) and dried (MgS0 4 ).
• Solid Pd(PPh 3 ) 4 (20.18 mg, 17.46 ⁇ ) was added to a stirred solution of the triflate 8a (975 mg, 0.87 mmol), 4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1 ,3,2-dioxaborolane-2-yl)aniiine (172 mg, 0.79 mmol) and Na 2 C0 3 (138 mg, 1 .30 mmol) in toluene (13 mL) EtOH (6.5 mL) and H 2 0 (6.5 mL).
• the dark solution was allowed to stir under a nitrogen atmosphere for 24 hours, after which time analysis by TLC (EtOAc) and LC/MS revealed the formation of the desired mono-coupled product and as well as the presence of unreacted starting material.
• reaction mixture was filtered through cotton-wool and the filter pad rinsed with ethylacetate and the filtrate was evaporated under reduced pressure.
• the residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel with 80% EtOAc: 20% Hexane. Removal of excess eluent by rotary evaporation under reduced pressure gave the product as an off-white foam (100 mg, 0.1 1 mmol, 54% yield).
• the viscous mixture was allowed to stir at room temperature for 5 days.
• the mixture was filtered slowly through a sinter funnel and the silica residue washed with 90% CHCI 3 : 10% MeOH (-250 mL) until UV activity faded completely from the eluent.
• the organic phase was washed with H 2 0 (50 mL), brine 60 mL), dried (MgS0 4 ), filtered and evaporated in vacuo to provide the crude material.
• the crude product was purified by flash chromatography (gradient from 100% CHCI 3 : 0% MeOH to 96% CHCI 3 : 4% MeOH) to provide the PBD dimer (5 mg 8 % yield).
• Solid 3-aminobenzeneboronic acid (60.3 mg) was added to a solution of the Troc protected b/s inflate 12(Compound 44, WO 2006/1 1 1759) (600 mg, 0.41 mmol), sodium carbonate (65 mg, 0.61 mmoml) and palladium tetrakis triphenylphosphine (0.012 mmol) in toluene (10.8 mL), ethanol (5.4 mL) and water (5.4 mL). The reaction mixture was allowed to stir at room temperature overnight. The reaction mixture was then partitioned between ethylacetate and water. The organic layer was washed with water and brine and dried over magnesium sulphate.
• Cadmium/lead couple (100 mg, Q Dong et al. Tetrahedron Letters vol 36, issue 32, 5681 - 5682, 1995) was added to a solution of the Suzuki product 14 (40 mg, 0.029 mmol) in THF (1 mL) and ammonium acetate (1 N, 1 mL) and the reaction mixture was allowed to stir for 1 hour. The reaction was filtered through cotton wool to remove particulates and break-up the emulsion. The reaction mixture was partitioned between chloroform and water, the phases separated and the aqueous phase extracted with chloroform. The combined organic layers were washed with brine and dried over magnesium sulphate.
• Solid Pd(PPh 3 ) 4 (20 mg, 17.8 ⁇ ) was added to a stirred solution of the triflate 8a (2.5 g, 2.24 mmol), 3-aminobenzeneboronic acid (291 mg, 2.12 mmol) and Na 2 C0 3 (356 mg, 3.35 mmol) in toluene (20 mL), EtOH (10 mL) and H 2 0 (10 mL).
• the solution was allowed to stir under a nitrogen atmosphere for 3 hours at room temperature, after which time analysis by TLC (EtOAc) and LC/MS revealed the formation of the desired mono-coupled product and as well as the presence of unreacted starting material.
• Fresh LiBH 4 (20.6 mg, 0.95 mmol, 3.5 eq.) was added to a stirred solution of the SEM- dilactam (250 mg, 0.27 mmol) in THF (4 mL) at room temperature. The reaction mixture was allowed to stir for 1.0 hr, at which time LC-MS revealed complete reaction. Excess LiBH 4 was quenched with acetone (c. 1 mL) at 0°C (ice bath). The reaction mixture was partitioned between water (50 mL) and 10% methanol in chloroform (100 mL). The organic phase was washed with brine (50 mL), dried over magnesium sulphate and concentrated in vacuo.
• Tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) (208 mg) was added to triflate (8a)(5 g), 4- anilineboronic acid (0.93 g) and sodium carbonate (0.62 g) in a mixture of toluene (60 ml_), ethanol (30 mL) and water (10 ml_). The reaction mixture was allowed to stir for 3 days at room temperature. The reaction mixture was washed with water, brine and dried over magnesium sulphate. After filtration excess solvent was removed by rotary evaporation under reduced pressure. The crude coupling product was purified by flash column chromatography (silica gel; gradient: 100% hexane to 100% ethyl acetate). Pure fractions were combined and removal of excess eluent afforded the pure product as a solid (2.2 g, 93 % yield, LC/MS 8.05 mins, m/z ES + 1060).
• the unsymmetrical PBD dimer (21 ) (0.019 g, 26 ⁇ , 1 eq.) was added to a solution of the linker (23) (0.0121 g, 31 .6 ⁇ , 1 .2 eq.) and EEDQ (0.0098 g, 39.6 ⁇ , 1 .5 eq.) in a mixture of anhydrous DCM/MeOH (3 mL/0.5 mL) under an argon atmosphere.
• the resultant solution was stirred at room temperature for 5 hours at which time LCMS indicated 50% conversion to a new product.
• the reaction mixture was diluted with anhydrous DCM (2 mL) and the reaction was allowed to continue for a further 18 hours.
• Antibody-drug conjugates were prepared as previously described (see Doronina et al., Nature Biotechnology, 21 , 778-784 (2003)) or as described below.
• Engineered hlgG1 antibodies with introduced cysteines CD70 antibodies containing a cysteine residue at position 239 of the heavy chain (hi F6d) were fully reduced by adding 10 equivalents of TCEP and 1 mM EDTA and adjusting the pH to 7.4 with 1 M Tris buffer (pH 9.0). Following a 1 hour incubation at 37 °C, the reaction was cooled to 22 °C and 30 equivalents of dehydroascorbic acid were added to selectively reoxidize the native disulfides, while leaving cysteine 239 in the reduced state. The pH was adjusted to 6.5 with 1 M Tris buffer (pH 3.7) and the reaction was allowed to proceed for 1 hour at 22 °C.
• the pH of the solution was then raised again to 7.4 by addition of 1 M Tris buffer (pH 9.0).
• 3.5 equivalents of the PBD drug linker in DMSO were placed in a suitable container for dilution with propylene glycol prior to addition to the reaction.
• the antibody itself was first diluted with propylene glycol to a final concentration of 33% (e.g., if the antibody solution was in a 60 mL reaction volume, 30 mL of propylene glycol was added). This same volume of propylene glycol (30 mL in this example) was then added to the PBD drug linker as a diluent.
• the solution of PBD drug linker in propylene glycol was added to the antibody solution to effect the conjugation; the final concentration of propylene glycol is 50%.
• the reaction was allowed to proceed for 30 minutes and then quenched by addition of 5 equivalents of N-acetyl cysteine.
• the ADC was then purified by ultrafiltration through a 30 kD membrane. (Note that the concentration of propylene glycol used in the reaction can be reduced for any particular PBD, as its sole purpose is to maintain solubility of the drug linker in the aqueous media.)
• the plates were read on a Fusion HT microplate reader (Packard, Meriden, CT) using an excitation wavelength of 525 nm and an emission wavelength of 590 nm. Data from all assays were reduced using GraphPad Prism Version 4 for Windows (GraphPad Software, San Diego, CA). The IC 50 concentrations compared to untreated control cells were determined using a 4 parameter curve fits.
• the antibody used was a CD70 antibody (humanized 1 F6; see Published U.S. Application No. 2009-148942) having introduced cysteine residues at amino acid heavy chain position 239 (according to the EU numbering system) (indicated as h1 F6d).
• IC 50 (nM) values for ADCs of compound 31 are:
• the antibodies used were an antibody having introduced cysteine residues at position 239 (S239C) in the heavy chains and conjugated to compound 31 , and a nonbinding control conjugated to the same compound 31.
• the ADC-compound 31 or control ADCs were dosed ip according to a q4dx4 schedule (as shown by the triangles on the x axis). Tumor volume as a function of time was determined using the formula (L x W2)/2. Animals were euthanized when tumor volumes reached 1000 mm 3 .
• the ADC of compound 31 was dosed at 0.1 ( ⁇ ), 0.3 (ss) and 1 ( ⁇ ) mg/kg.
• a nonbinding control, conjugated to compound 31 was administered at the same doses (0.1 ( ⁇ ), 0.3 (A) and 1 (A) mg/kg). All three doses of the Ab-compound 31

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• 2011
  • 2011-04-15 ES ES14173641.3T patent/ES2623057T3/es active Active
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  • 2011-04-15 BR BR112012026410A patent/BR112012026410B8/pt active IP Right Grant
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  • 2011-04-15 JP JP2013505172A patent/JP5875083B2/ja active Active
  • 2011-04-15 WO PCT/US2011/032668 patent/WO2011130616A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2011-04-15 EP EP14173641.3A patent/EP2789622B1/en active Active
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  • 2011-04-15 EP EP11716755A patent/EP2558475A1/en not_active Withdrawn
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