Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
  • A61K39/39—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies characterised by the immunostimulating additives, e.g. chemical adjuvants
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K31/00—Medicinal preparations containing organic active ingredients
  • A61K31/33—Heterocyclic compounds
  • A61K31/395—Heterocyclic compounds having nitrogen as a ring hetero atom, e.g. guanethidine or rifamycins
  • A61K31/495—Heterocyclic compounds having nitrogen as a ring hetero atom, e.g. guanethidine or rifamycins having six-membered rings with two or more nitrogen atoms as the only ring heteroatoms, e.g. piperazine or tetrazines
  • A61K31/505—Pyrimidines; Hydrogenated pyrimidines, e.g. trimethoprim
  • A61K31/519—Pyrimidines; Hydrogenated pyrimidines, e.g. trimethoprim ortho- or peri-condensed with heterocyclic rings
  • A61K31/52—Purines, e.g. adenine
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K31/00—Medicinal preparations containing organic active ingredients
  • A61K31/66—Phosphorus compounds
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
  • A61K39/02—Bacterial antigens
  • A61K39/07—Bacillus
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K47/00—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient
  • A61K47/50—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient the non-active ingredient being chemically bound to the active ingredient, e.g. polymer-drug conjugates
  • A61K47/51—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient the non-active ingredient being chemically bound to the active ingredient, e.g. polymer-drug conjugates the non-active ingredient being a modifying agent
  • A61K47/54—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient the non-active ingredient being chemically bound to the active ingredient, e.g. polymer-drug conjugates the non-active ingredient being a modifying agent the modifying agent being an organic compound
  • A61K47/543—Lipids, e.g. triglycerides; Polyamines, e.g. spermine or spermidine
  • A61K47/544—Phospholipids
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P17/00—Drugs for dermatological disorders
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P31/00—Antiinfectives, i.e. antibiotics, antiseptics, chemotherapeutics
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P31/00—Antiinfectives, i.e. antibiotics, antiseptics, chemotherapeutics
  • A61P31/04—Antibacterial agents
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P31/00—Antiinfectives, i.e. antibiotics, antiseptics, chemotherapeutics
  • A61P31/12—Antivirals
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07F—ACYCLIC, CARBOCYCLIC OR HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS CONTAINING ELEMENTS OTHER THAN CARBON, HYDROGEN, HALOGEN, OXYGEN, NITROGEN, SULFUR, SELENIUM OR TELLURIUM
  • C07F9/00—Compounds containing elements of Groups 5 or 15 of the Periodic Table
  • C07F9/02—Phosphorus compounds
  • C07F9/547—Heterocyclic compounds, e.g. containing phosphorus as a ring hetero atom
  • C07F9/6561—Heterocyclic compounds, e.g. containing phosphorus as a ring hetero atom containing systems of two or more relevant hetero rings condensed among themselves or condensed with a common carbocyclic ring or ring system, with or without other non-condensed hetero rings
  • C07F9/65616—Heterocyclic compounds, e.g. containing phosphorus as a ring hetero atom containing systems of two or more relevant hetero rings condensed among themselves or condensed with a common carbocyclic ring or ring system, with or without other non-condensed hetero rings containing the ring system having three or more than three double bonds between ring members or between ring members and non-ring members, e.g. purine or analogs
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
  • A61K2039/54—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies characterised by the route of administration
  • A61K2039/541—Mucosal route
  • A61K2039/543—Mucosal route intranasal
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
  • A61K2039/555—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies characterised by a specific combination antigen/adjuvant
  • A61K2039/55511—Organic adjuvants
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
  • A61K2039/555—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies characterised by a specific combination antigen/adjuvant
  • A61K2039/55511—Organic adjuvants
  • A61K2039/55555—Liposomes; Vesicles, e.g. nanoparticles; Spheres, e.g. nanospheres; Polymers
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02A50/00—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE in human health protection, e.g. against extreme weather
  • Y02A50/30—Against vector-borne diseases, e.g. mosquito-borne, fly-borne, tick-borne or waterborne diseases whose impact is exacerbated by climate change

Definitions

• PAMPs pathogen associated molecular patterns
• PAMPs include peptidogl yeans, lipotechoic acids from gram-positive cell walls, the sugar mannose (which is common in microbial carbohydrates but rare in humans), bacterial DNA, double- stranded RNA from viruses, and glucans from fungal cell walls.
• PAMPs generally meet certain criteria that include (a) their expression by microbes but not their mammalian hosts, (b) conservation of structure across the wide range of pathogens, and (c) the capacity to stimulate innate immunity. Toll-like
• TLR7 Ten mammalian TLRs and a number of their agonists have been identified. For example, guanine and uridine-rich single-stranded RNA has been identified as a natural ligand for TLR7 (Diebold et al., Science, 303: 1529 (2004)). In addition, several low molecular weight activators of TLR7 have been identified.
• TLR7 and TLR9 are found predominantly on the internal faces of endosomes in dendritic cells (DCs) and B lymphocytes (in humans; mouse macrophages express TLR7 and TLR9).
• DCs dendritic cells
• B lymphocytes in humans; mouse macrophages express TLR7 and TLR9.
• TLR8 on the other hand, is found in human blood monocytes (see Hornung et al., J. Immunol.. 168:4531 (2002)). ' Summary of the Invention
• the present invention provides uses for a synthetic TLR7 agonist linked via a stable covalent bond to a phospholipid macromolecule (a conjugate), i.e., the conjugate does not act as a prodrug.
• a conjugate i.e., the conjugate does not act as a prodrug.
• the conjugates may include
• the conjugates of the invention are broad-spectrum, long-lasting, and non-toxic synthetic immunostimulatory agents, which are useful for activating the immune system of a mammal, e.g., a human, in vivo by stimulating the activity of TLR7.
• the conjugates of the invention optimize the immune response while limiting undesirable systemic side effects associated with unconjugated TLR7 agonists.
• the invention provides methods of augmenting an immune response, e.g., an immune response to a specific antigen, or inducing a general immune response (in the absence of a specific antigen).
• the conjugate acts as an adjuvant and so is associated with a specific not a general immune response.
• the conjugate acts as a general immune stimulator.
• the method includes administering to a mammal in need thereof an amount of an antigen and a conjugate of the invention effective to prevent, inhibit or treat disorders, including but not limited
• Non-limiting examples of antigens useful in the invention include but are not limited to isolated proteins or peptides, e.g., dipeptides or tripeptides, and the like;
• a mammal is administered a composition comprising the antigen and the conjugate.
• the composition is locally administered, e.g., dermal or intranasal administration.
• the composition is systemically administered.
• the antigen and conjugate are formulated separately and administered concurrently or sequentially.
• the invention thus provides immunogenic compositions comprising an amount of a conjugate of the invention, for instance, one that alone induces an inflammatory response, and also is effective to augment an immune response to an antigen.
• the composition does not include a solvent or preservative such as DMSO or ethanol, which may have toxic effects, e.g., in humans.
• a conjugate of the invention has formula (I):
• X 1 is -0-, -S-, or -NR C -;
• R 1 is hydrogen, (Ci-Cio)alkyl, substituted (Ci-Cio)alkyl, C 6- substituted C 6- ioaryl, C 5-9 heterocyclic, substituted C 5- >heterocyclic;
• R c is hydrogen, Ci-i 0 alkyl, or substituted Ci-ioalkyl; or R c and R 1 taken together with the nitrogen to which they are attached form a heterocyclic ring or a substituted heterocyclic ring;
• each R 2 is independently -OH, (Ci-C 6 )alkyl, substituted (Ci-C 6 )alkyl, (C i -C 6 )alkoxy, substituted (C i -C 6 )alkoxy, -C(0)-(C i -C 6 )alkyl (alkanoyl), substituted -C(0)-(Ci-C 6 )alkyl, -C(O)-(C 6 -C )0 )aryl (aroyl), substituted -C(O)- (C 6 -Cio)aryl, -C(0)OH (carboxyl), -C(0)0(d-C 6 )alkyl (alkoxycarbonyl), substituted -C(0)0(C,-C 6 )alkyl, -NR a R b , -C(0)NR a R b (carbamoyl), halo, nitro, or cyano, or R is absent;
• each R a and R b is independently hydrogen, (Q-C ⁇ alkyl, substituted
• n 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4;
• X 2 is a bond or a linking group
• R 3 is a phospholipid comprising one or two carboxylic esters
• the composition of the invention comprises nanoparticles comprising a compound of formula (I).
• a nanoparticle has a diameter of about 30 nm to about 600 nm, or a range with any integer between 30 and 600, e.g., about 40 nm to about 250 nm, including about 40 to about 80 or about 100 nm to about 150 nm in diameter.
• the nanoparticles may be formed by mixing a compound of formula (I), which may spontaneously form nanoparticles, or by mixing a compound of formula (I) with a preparation of lipids, such as phospholipids including but not limited to phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine or cholesterol, thereby forming a nanoliposome.
• lipids such as phospholipids including but not limited to phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine or cholesterol, thereby forming a nanoliposome.
• a compound of formula (I) a lipid preparation and a glycol such as propylene glycol are combined.
• a single dose of the conjugate may show very potent activity in stimulating the immune response. Moreover, because of the low
• the invention thus provides a conjugate of the invention for use in medical therapy, e.g., in a vaccine for prophylaxis of microbial infections, such as bacterial or viral infections, as well as for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of a TLR7 associated condition or symptom in which an augmented immune response is indicated, e.g., cancer.
• Bacterial infections include but are not limited to Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Bacillus, Corynebacterium, Nocardia, Clostridium, Actinobacteria, Listeria, and Actinobacteria; Mycoplasma; Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella, and other Enterobacteriaceae, Mycobacteria, Pseudomonas, Moraxella, Helicobacter, Stenotrophomonas, Bdellovibrio, acetic acid bacteria, and Legionella and including Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Neisseria meningitidis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium leprae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Hemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Enterobacter cloaca
• Viral infections include but are not limited to lentivirus, retrovirus, coronavirus, influenza virus, hepatitis virus, rhinovirus, papilloma virus, herpes virus or influenza virus infections.
• the conjugates of the invention can also be used for biodefense, e.g., against B. anthrax.
• the invention provides a method to prevent, inhibit or treat a bacterial infection, for instance, gram-positive bacterial infection, in a mammal such as a human, bovine, equine, swine, canine, ovine, or feline.
• the method includes administering to the mammal an effective amount of a composition comprising a bacterial antigen and an amount of a compound having formula (I):
• nucleic acids can also include non-natural bases, such as, for example, nitroindole. Modifications can also include 3' and 5' modifications such as capping with a BHQ, a fluorophore or another moiety.
• the isomers resulting from the presence of a chiral center comprise a pair of non-superimposable isomers that are called "enantiomers.”
• alkoxyCi -6 alkylene amino, cyano, halo, or aryl
• X 2 is a bond or a linking group
• R 3 is a phospholipid comprising one or two carboxylic esters
• composition further comprises an antigen.
• composition having an antigen is administered concurrently, prior to or subsequent to administration of the composition having a compound of formula (I).
• m can be 1 , providing a glycerophosphatidylethanolamine.
• R 1 1 and R 12 can each be oleoyl groups.
• X 2 can be a bond or a chain having one to about 10 atoms in a chain wherein the atoms of the chain are selected from the group consisting of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen, wherein any carbon atom can be substituted with oxo, and wherein any sulfur atom can be substituted with one or two oxo groups.
• the chain can be interspersed with one or more cycloalkyl, aryl, heterocyclyl, or heteroaryl rings.
• R 3 can be dioleoylphosphatidyl ethanolamine (DOPE).
• DOPE dioleoylphosphatidyl ethanolamine
• R 3 can be l,2-dioleoyI-sn-glycero-3-phospho ethanolamine and X 2 can be C(O).
• X 1 can be oxygen
• X 1 can be O
• R 1 can be Ci ⁇ alkoxy-ethyl
• R can be 1
• R can be hydrogen
• X can be carbonyl
• R can be 1 ,2- dioleoylphosphatidyl ethanolamine (DOPE).
• DOPE dioleoylphosphatidyl ethanolamine
• the compound of Formula (I) can be:
• the compound of formula (I) can be the R- enantiomer of the above structure:
• the amount is effective to prevent infection.
• the mammal can be a human.
• a phospholipid conjugate such as IV270 can be can be incorporated into a nanoparticle such as those described in WO
• a phospholipid conjugate such as IV270 can be prepared in the form of a nanoparticulate suspension of the phospholipid conjugate in combination with a lipid and/or a phospholipid in an aqueous medium (e.g., a nanoliposome).
• a nanoliposome is a submicron bilayer lipid vesicle (see Chapter 2 by Mozafari in: Liposomes, Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 605, V. Weissing (ed.), Humana Press, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein). Nanoliposomes provide more surface area and may increase solubility, bioavailability and targeting.
• Lipids are fatty acid derivatives with various head group moieties.
• Triglycerides are lipids made from three fatty acids and a glycerol molecule (a three-carbon alcohol with a hydroxyl group [OH] on each carbon atom). Mono- and diglycerides are glyceryl mono- and di-esters of fatty acids. Phospholipids are similar to triglycerides except that the first hydroxyl of the glycerol molecule has a polar phosphate-containing group in place of the fatty acid. Phospholipids are amphiphilic, possessing both hydrophilic (water soluble) and hydrophobic (lipid soluble) groups. The head group of a phospholipid is hydrophilic and its fatty acid tail (acyl chain) is hydrophobic. The phosphate moiety of the head group is negatively charged.
• nanoliposomes may contain other molecules such as sterols in their structure.
• Sterols are important components of most natural membranes, and incorporation of sterols into nanoliposome bilayers can bring about major changes in the properties of these vesicles.
• the most widely used sterol in the manufacture of the lipid vesicles is cholesterol (Choi). Cholesterol does not by itself form bilayer structures; but it can be incorporated into phospholipid membranes in very high concentrations, for example up to 1 :1 or even 2:1 molar ratios of cholesterol to a phospholipid such as phosphatidylcholine (PC) (11).
• PC phosphatidylcholine
• Cholesterol is used in nanoliposome structures in order to increase the stability of the vesicles by modulating the fluidity of the lipid bilayer.
• cholesterol modulates fluidity of phospholipid membranes by preventing crystallization of the acyl chains of phospholipids and providing steric hindrance to their movement. This contributes to the stability of nanoliposomes and reduces the permeability of the lipid membrane to solutes.
• lipid vesicles show low permeability to the entrapped material. However, at elevated temperatures, they undergo a phase transition that alters their permeability. Phospholipid ingredients of nanoliposomes have an important thermal characteristic, i.e., they can undergo a phase transition (7t) at temperatures lower than their final melting point (7m). Also known as gel to liquid crystalline transition temperature, Tc is a temperature at which the lipidic bilayer loses much of its ordered packing while its fluidity increases.
• Phase transition temperature of phospholipid compounds ⁇ and lipid bilayers depends on the following parameters: polar head group; acyl chain length; degree of saturation of the hydrocarbon chains; and nature and ionic strength of the suspension medium.
• Tc is lowered by decreased chain length, by unsaturation of the acyl chains, as well as presence of branched chains and bulky head groups (e.g. cyclopropane rings).
• Hydrated phospholipid molecules arrange themselves in the form of bilayer structures via Van-der Waals and hydrophilic/hydrophobic interactions.
• the hydrophilic head groups of the phospholipid molecules face the water phase while the hydrophobic region of each of the monolayers face each other in the middle of the membrane.
• formation of liposomes and nanoliposomes is not a spontaneous process and sufficient energy must be put into the system to overcome an energy barrier.
• lipid vesicles are formed when phospholipids such as lecithin are placed in water and consequently form bilayer structures, once adequate amount of energy is supplied.
• Input of energy e.g. in the form of sonication, homogenisation, heating, etc. results in the arrangement of the lipid molecules, in the form of bilayer vesicles, to achieve a thermodynamic equilibrium in the aqueous phase.
• a composition comprising a compound of the invention such as IV270 as a mixture with a lipid such as cholesterol or a phospholipid such as phosphatidylcholine can be dispersed into a nanoparticulate form wherein lipid or phospholipid nanoparticles contain the TLR7 ligand conjugate associated therewith.
• a nanoparticulate composition is meant a composition comprising nanoparticles, and a nanoparticle as the term is used herein refers to particles of about 1-1000 nm is diameter.
• a nanoparticulate/nanoliposome composition is prepared using IV270 and the phophatidylcholine preparation Phosal 50 PG®.
• the invention provides a prophylactic or therapeutic method for preventing or treating a pathological condition or symptom in a mammal, such as a human, wherein the activity of a TLR7 agonist is implicated and its action is desired.
• the method includes administering to a mammal in need of such therapy, an antigen and an effective amount of a conjugate of the invention, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
• pathological conditions or symptoms that are suitable for treatment include cancers, microbial infections or diseases, e.g., skin or bladder diseases.
• the conjugates of the invention can be used to prepare vaccines against bacteria, viruses, cancer cells, or cancer-specific peptides, as a CNS stimulant, or for biodefense.
• the invention thus provides a conjugate for use alone or with other therapeutic agents in medical therapy (e.g., for use as an anticancer agent, to prevent, inhibit or treat bacterial diseases, to prevent, inhibit or treat viral diseases, such as hepatitis C and hepatitis B, and generally as agents for enhancing the immune response).
• other therapeutic agents in medical therapy e.g., for use as an anticancer agent, to prevent, inhibit or treat bacterial diseases, to prevent, inhibit or treat viral diseases, such as hepatitis C and hepatitis B, and generally as agents for enhancing the immune response).
• the present invention provides a method for preventing, inhibiting or treating cancer by administering an effective amount of a cancer antigen and a TLR7 agonist phospholipid conjugate of the invention.
• the cancer may be an interferon sensitive cancer, such as, for example, a leukemia, a lymphoma, a myeloma, a melanoma, or a renal cancer.
• Specific cancers that can be treated include melanoma, superficial bladder cancer, actinic keratoses, intraepithelial neoplasia, and basal cell skin carcinoma, squamous, and the like.
• the method of the invention includes treatment for a precancerous condition such as, for example, actinic keratoses or intraepithelial neoplasia, familial polyposis (polyps), cervical dysplasia, cervical cancers, superficial bladder cancer, and any other cancers associated with infection (e.g., lymphoma Karposi's sarcoma, or leukemia); and the like.
• a precancerous condition such as, for example, actinic keratoses or intraepithelial neoplasia, familial polyposis (polyps), cervical dysplasia, cervical cancers, superficial bladder cancer, and any other cancers associated with infection (e.g., lymphoma Karposi's sarcoma, or leukemia); and the like.
• the invention provides a method to prevent or inhibit a gram-positive bacterial infection in a mammal, comprising administering to the mammal an effective amount of a composition comprising a bacterial antigen of a gram-positive bacteria and an amount of a synthetic TLR7 agonist
• a synthetic TLR7 agonist phospholipid conjugate is administered with one or more antigens of B.
• a synthetic TLR7 agonist phospholipid conjugate is administered with one or more antigens of S. aureus.
• Table 1 provides exemplary antigens for S. aureus.
• the vaccines of the invention may
• the TLR agonist conjugates may include a homofunctional TLR agonist, e.g., formed of a TLR7 agonist.
• the TLR7 agonist can be a 7-thia-8- oxoguanosinyl (TOG) moiety, a 7-deazaguanosinyl (7DG) moiety, a resiquimod moiety, or an imiquimod moiety.
• the TLR agonist conjugate may include a heterofunctional TLR agonist polymer.
• heterofunctional TLR agonist polymer may include a TLR7 agonist and a TLR3 agonist or a TLR9 agonist, or all three agonists.
• the invention provides the following conjugates
• X 1 -0-, -S- or -NR c - wherein R° hydrogen, Ci-i 0 alkyl, or d-ioalkyl substituted by C 3-6 cycloalkyl, or R c and R 1 taken together with the nitrogen atom can form a heterocyclic ring or a substituted heterocyclic ring, wherein the substituents are hydroxy, Ci -6 alkyl, hydroxy Ci -6 alkylene, C
• R is (Ci-Cio)alkyl, substituted (Ci-Cio)alkyl, C6-io aryl, or substituted C 6- io aryl, C 5- 9 heterocyclic, substituted C 5- 9 heterocyclic; wherein the substituents on the alkyl, aryl or heterocyclic groups are hydroxy, Ci -6 alkyl, hydroxy Ci -6 alkylene, C 1-6 alkoxy, Ci -6 alkoxy Ci -6 alkylene, amino, cyano, halogen, or aryl;
• each R 2 is independently -OH, (Ci-C 6 )alkyl, substituted (Ci-C 6 )alkyl, (Ci-C 6 )alkoxy, substituted (Ci-C 6 )alkoxy, -C(0)-(C r C 6 )alkyl (alkanoyl), substituted -C(0)-(d-C 6 )alkyl, -C(O)-(C 6 -Ci 0 )aryl (aroyl), substituted -C(O)- (C 6 -C 10 )aryl, -C(0)OH (carboxyl), -C(0)0(Ci-C 6 )alkyl (alkoxycarbonyl), substituted -C(0)0(C,-C 6 )alkyl, -NR a R b , -C(0)NR a R b (carbamoyl), -O- C(0)NR a R b , -(C,-C 6 )
• each R a and R b is independently hydrogen, (Ci -6 )alkyl, (C 3 - C 8 )cycloalky, (Ci -6 6)alkoxy, halo(Ci -6 )alkyl, (C 3 -C 8 )cycloalkyl(Ci -6 )alkyl, (Q. 6 )alkanoyl, hydroxy(Ci -6 )alkyl, aryl, aryl(Ci -6 )alkyl, aryl, aryl(Ci -6 )alkyl, Het, Het (Ci -6 )alkyl, or (Ci -6 )alkoxycarbonyl ; wherein X 2 is a bond.
• R 3 is a phospholipid comprising one or two carboxylic esters wherein n is 0, 1 , 2, 3, or 4; or a tautomer thereof; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
• acceptable salts are organic acid addition salts formed with acids which form a physiological acceptable anion, for example, tosylate, methanesulfonate, acetate, citrate, malonate, tartarate, succinate, benzoate, ascorbate, a-ketoglutarate, and a-glycerophosphate.
• Suitable inorganic salts may also be formed, including hydrochloride, sulfate, nitrate, bicarbonate, and carbonate salts.
• Lower alkyl ingorges straight or branched Ci -6 alkyl groups e.g., methyl, ethyl, propyl, 1 -methyl ethyl, butyl, 1 -methylpropyl, 2-methylpropyl, 1,1- dimethylethyl, pentyl, 1 -methylbutyl, 2-methylbutyl, 3-methylbutyl, 1 ,1- dimethylpropyl, 1 ,2-dimethylpropyl, 2,2-dimethylpropyl, and the like.
• Cycloalkyl includes groups such as, cyclopropyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl, and the like, and alkyl-substituted C 3-7 cycloalkyl group, preferably straight or branched Ci -6 alkyl group such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl or pentyl, and C 5-7 cycloalkyl group such as, cyclopentyl or cyclohexyl, and the like.
• Lower alkoxy includes Ci -6 alkoxy groups, such as methoxy, ethoxy or propoxy, and the like.
• Di(lower alkyl)carbamoyl group means carbamoyl group substituted by the same or different and Ci -6 alkyl group (e.g., dimethylcarbamoyl,
• Halogen atom means halogen atom such as fluorine atom, chlorine atom, bromine atom or iodine atom.
• Aryl refers to a C6-io monocyclic or fused cyclic aryl group, such as phenyl, indenyl, or naphthyl, and the like.
• Heterocyclic or heterocycle refers to monocyclic saturated heterocyclic groups, or unsaturated monocyclic or fused heterocyclic group containing at least one heteroatom, e.g., 0-3 nitrogen atoms NR C , 0-1 oxygen atom (-0-), and 0-1 sulfur atom (-S-).
• saturated monocyclic heterocyclic group includes 5 or 6 membered saturated heterocyclic group, such as tetrahydrofuranyl, pyrrolidinyl, morpholinyl, piperidyl, piperazinyl or pyrazolidinyl.
• Non-limiting examples of unsaturated monocyclic heterocyclic group includes 5 or 6 membered unsaturated heterocyclic group, such as furyl, pyrrolyl, pyrazolyl, imidazolyl, thiazolyl, thienyl, pyridyl or pyrimidinyl.
• Non- limiting examples of unsaturated fused heterocyclic groups includes unsaturated bicyclic heterocyclic group, such as indolyl, isoindolyl, quinolyl, benzothizolyl, chromanyl, benzofuranyl, and the like.
• a Het group can be a saturated heterocyclic group or an unsaturated heterocyclic group, such as a heteroaryl group.
• R c and R 1 taken together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached can form a heterocyclic ring.
• heterocyclic rings include 5 or 6 membered saturated heterocyclic rings, such as 1 - pyrrolidinyl, 4-morpholinyl, 1 -piperidyl, 1 -piperazinyl or 1 -pyrazolidinyl, 5 or 6 membered unsaturated heterocyclic rings such as 1-imidazolyl , and the like.
• the alkyl, aryl, heterocyclic groups of R 1 can be optionally substituted with one or more substituents, wherein the substituents are the same or different, and include lower alkyl; cycloalkyl, hydroxyl; hydroxy Ci_6 alkyl ene , such as hydroxymethyl, 2-hydroxyethyl or 3-hydroxypropyl; lower alkoxy; Ci -6 alkoxy
• Ci -6 alkyl such as 2-methoxyethyl, 2-ethoxyethyl or 3-methoxypropyl; amino; alkylamino; dialkyl amino; cyano; nitro; acyl; carboxyl; lower alkoxycarbonyl; halogen; mercapto; Ci -6 alkylthio, such as, methylthio, ethylthio, propylthio or butylthio; substituted Ci -6 alkylthio, such as methoxyethylthio,
• aryl substituted C 6- i 0 monocyclic or fused-cyclic aryl, such as 4-hydroxyphenyl, 4-methoxyphenyl, 4- fluorophenyl, 4-chlorophenyl or 3,4-dichlorophenyl; 5-6 membered unsaturated heterocyclic, such as furyl, pyrrolyl, pyrazolyl, imidazolyl, thiazolyl, thienyl, pyridyl or pyrimidinyl; and bicyclic unsaturated heterocyclic, such as indolyl, isoindolyl, quinolyl, benzothiazolyl, chromanyl, benzofuranyl or phthalimino.
• one or more of the above groups can be expressly excluded as a substituent of various other groups of the formulas.
• the alkyl, aryl, heterocyclic groups of R can be optionally substituted with one or more substituents, wherein the substituents are the same or different, and include hydroxyl; Ci -6 alkoxy , such as methoxy, ethoxy or propoxy;
• carboxyl C 2-7 alkoxycarbonyl, such as methoxycarbonyl, ethoxycarbonyl or propoxycarbonyl) and halogen.
• the alkyl, aryl, heterocyclic groups of R c can be optionally substituted with one or more substituents, wherein the substituents are the same or different, and include C 3-6 cycloalkyl; hydroxyl; Ci -6 alkoxy; amino; cyano; aryl;
• substituted aryl such as 4-hydroxyphenyl, 4-methoxyphenyl, 4-chlorophenyl or
• the heterocyclic ring formed together with R° and R 1 and the nitrogen atom to which they are attached can be optionally substituted with one or more substituents, wherein the substituents are the same or different, and include Ci -6 alkyl; hydroxy C
• a specific value for X 1 is a sulfur atom, an oxygen atom or -NR C -.
• Another specific X 1 is -NR C -.
• Another specific X 1 is -NH-.
• R c is hydrogen, C alkyl or substituted C alkyl.
• R 1 and R c taken together is when they form a heterocyclic ring or a substituted heterocyclic ring.
• R is chloro, bromo, CH 3 -, or CH 3 -CH 2 -.
• a linker sometimes is a -C(Y*)(Z')-C(Y")(Z")- linker, where each Y', Y", Z' and Z" independently is hydrogen CI -CIO alkyl, substituted CI -CIO alkyl, CI -CIO alkoxy, substituted C1-C10 alkoxy, C3-C9 cycloalkyl, substituted C3-C9 cycloalkyl, C5-C 10 aryl, substituted C5-C 10 aryl, C5-C9 heterocyclic, substituted C5-C9 heterocyclic, C1-C6 alkanoyl, Het, Het C1-C6 alkyl, or Cl- C6 alkoxycarbonyl, wherein the substituents on the alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkanoyl, alkcoxycarbonyl, Het, aryl or heterocyclic groups are hydroxyl, CI -CIO alkyl,
• heterocyclic CI -6 alkoxy CI -6 alkenyl, amino, cyano, halogen or aryl.
• a specific antigen includes an amino acid, a carbohydrate, a peptide, a protein, a nucleic acid, a lipid, a body substance, or a cell such as a microbe.
• a specific peptide has from 2 to about 20 amino acid residues.
• a specific peptide has from 10 to about 20 amino acid residues.
• a specific antigen includes a carbohydrate.
• Specific bacteria are Bacillus anthracis, Listeria monocytogenes, Francisella tularensis, Salmonella, or Staphylococcus.
• Specific Salmonella are S. typhimurium or S. enteritidis.
• Specific Staphylococcus include S. aureus.
• RNA viruses including RSV and influenza virus
• a product of the RNA virus or a DNA virus, including herpes virus.
• a specific DNA virus is hepatitis B virus.
• Processes for preparing intermediates useful for preparing compounds of the invention and formulations having one or more of those compounds, are provided as further embodiments of the invention.
• Intermediates useful for preparing compounds of the invention are also provided as further embodiments of the invention.
• compositions having conjugates of the invention e.g., administration of a composition having a phospholipid conjugate of the invention and another active agent or administration of a composition having a phospholipid conjugate of the invention and a composition having another active agent, can be via any of suitable route of administration, particularly
• parenterally for example, intravenously, intra-arterially, intraperitoneally, intrathecally, intraventricularly, intraurethrally, intrasternally, intracranially, intramuscularly, or subcutaneously.
• Such administration may be as a single bolus injection, multiple injections, or as a short- or long-duration infusion.
• Implantable devices e.g., implantable infusion pumps
• the compounds may be formulated as a sterile solution in water or another suitable solvent or mixture of solvents.
• the solution may contain other substances such as salts, sugars (particularly glucose or mannitol), to make the solution isotonic with blood, buffering agents such as acetic, critric, and/or phosphoric acids and their sodium salts, and preservatives.
• buffering agents such as acetic, critric, and/or phosphoric acids and their sodium salts, and preservatives.
• the phospholipid conjugates of the invention alone or in combination with other active agents can be formulated as pharmaceutical compositions and administered to a mammalian host, such as a human patient in a variety of forms adapted to the chosen route of administration, e.g., orally or parenterally, by intravenous, intramuscular, topical or subcutaneous routes.
• the present phospholipid conjugates alone or in combination with another active agent, e.g., an antigen, may be systemically administered, e.g., orally, in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle such as an inert diluent or an assimilable edible carrier. They may be enclosed in hard or soft shell gelatin capsules, may be compressed into tablets, or may be incorporated directly with the food of the patient's diet.
• a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle such as an inert diluent or an assimilable edible carrier.
• the conjugate optionally in combination with an active compound may be combined with one or more excipients and used in the form of ingestible tablets, buccal tablets, troches, capsules, elixirs, suspensions, syrups, wafers, and the like.
• compositions and preparations should contain at least 0.1% of active compound.
• the percentage of the compositions and preparations may, of course, be varied and may conveniently be between about 2 to about 60% of the weight of a given unit dosage form.
• the amount of conjugate and optionally other active compound in such useful compositions is such that an effective dosage level will be obtained.
• the phospholipid conjugate optionally in combination with another active compound may also be administered intravenously or intraperitoneally by infusion or injection.
• Solutions of the phospholipid conjugate optionally in combination with another active compound or its salts can be prepared in water, optionally mixed with a nontoxic surfactant.
• Dispersions can also be prepared in glycerol, liquid polyethylene glycols, triacetin, and mixtures thereof and in oils. Under ordinary conditions of storage and use, these preparations contain a preservative to prevent the growth of microorganisms.
• the proper fluidity can be maintained, for example, by the formation of liposomes, by the maintenance of the required particle size in the case of dispersions or by the use of surfactants.
• the prevention of the action of microorganisms during storage can be brought about by various antibacterial and antifungal agents, for example, parabens, chlorobutanol, phenol, sorbic acid, thimerosal, and the like. In many cases, it may be useful to include isotonic agents, for example, sugars, buffers or sodium chloride.
• Sterile injectable solutions are prepared by incorporating compound(s) in the required amount in the appropriate solvent with various of the other ingredients enumerated above, as required, followed by filter sterilization.
• one method of preparation includes vacuum drying and the freeze drying techniques, which yield a powder of the active ingredient plus any additional desired ingredient present in the previously sterile-filtered solutions.
• the phospholipid conjugate optionally in combination with another active compound may be applied in pure form, e.g., when they are liquids.
• a dermatologically acceptable carrier which may be a solid or a liquid.
• Useful solid carriers include finely divided solids such as talc, clay, microcrystalline cellulose, silica, alumina and the like.
• Useful liquid carriers include water, alcohols or glycols or water-alcohol/glycol blends, in which the present compounds can be dissolved or dispersed at effective levels, optionally with the aid of non-toxic surfactants.
• Adjuvants such as fragrances and antimicrobial agents can be added to optimize the properties for a given use.
• the resultant liquid compositions can be applied from absorbent pads, used to impregnate bandages and other dressings, or sprayed onto the affected area using pump-type or aerosol sprayers.
• Thickeners such as synthetic polymers, fatty acids, fatty acid salts and esters, fatty alcohols, modified celluloses or modified mineral materials can also be employed with liquid carriers to form spreadable pastes, gels, ointments, soaps, and the like, for application directly to the skin of the user.
• the invention provides various dosage formulations of the phospholipid conjugate optionally in combination with another active compound for inhalation delivery.
• formulations may be designed for aerosol use in devices such as metered-dose inhalers, dry powder inhalers and nebulizers.
• Examples of useful dermatological compositions which can be used to deliver compounds to the skin are known to the art; for example, see Jacquet et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,392), Geria (U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,478), Smith et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,559, 157) and Wortzman (U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,508).
• Useful dosages can be determined by comparing their in vitro activity, and in vivo activity in animal models. Methods for the extrapolation of effective dosages in mice, and other animals, to humans are known to the art; for example, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,949.
• the ability of a compound of the invention to act as a TLR agonist may be determined using pharmacological models which are well known to the art, including the procedures disclosed by Lee et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 100: 6646 (2003).
• the concentration of the phospholipid conjugate optionally in combination with another active compound in a liquid composition will be from about 0.1-25 wt-%, e.g., from about 0.5-10 wt-%.
• the concentration in a semi-solid or solid composition such as a gel or a powder will be about 0.1-5 wt-%, e.g., about 0.5-2.5 wt-%.
• the active ingredient may be administered to achieve peak plasma concentrations of the active compound of from about 0.5 to about 75 ⁇ , e.g., about 1 to 50 ⁇ , such as about 2 to about 30 ⁇ .
• This may be achieved, for example, by the intravenous injection of a 0.05 to 5% solution of the active ingredient, optionally in saline, or orally administered as a bolus containing about 1-100 mg of the active ingredient. Desirable blood levels may be maintained by continuous infusion to provide about 0.01-5.0 mg/kg/hr or by intermittent infusions containing about 0.4-15 mg/kg of the active ingredient(s).
• the phospholipid conjugate optionally in combination with another active compound may be conveniently administered in unit dosage form; for example, containing 5 to 1000 mg, conveniently 10 to 750 mg, most
• the desired dose may conveniently be presented in a single dose or as divided doses administered at appropriate intervals, for example, as two, three, four or more sub-doses per day.
• the sub-dose itself may be further divided, e.g., into a number of discrete loosely spaced administrations; such as multiple inhalations from an insufflator or by application of a plurality of drops into the eye.
• the dose, and perhaps the dose frequency will also vary according to the age, body weight, condition, and response of the individual patient.
• the total daily dose range for an active agent for the conditions described herein may be from about 50 mg to about 5000 mg, in single or divided doses.
• a daily dose range should be about 100 mg to about 4000 mg, e.g., about 1000-3000 mg, in single or divided doses, e.g., 750 mg every 6 hr of orally administered compound. This can achieve plasma levels of about 500-750 uM, which can be effective to kill cancer cells.
• the therapy should be initiated at a lower dose and increased depending on the patient's global response.
• compositions that contain a phospholipid conjugate in combination with another active compound are useful in the treatment or prevention of a disease or disorder in, for example, humans or other mammals (e.g., bovine, canine, equine, feline, ovine, and porcine animals), and perhaps other animals as well.
• the composition will, for example, be useful for treating cancer, an infection, enhancing adaptive immunity (e.g., antibody production, T cell activation, etc.), as vaccines, and/or stimulating the central nervous system.
• a phospholipid conjugate in conjunction with an antigen can be administered to a subject in need thereof to treat one or more inflammation disorders.
• treating As used hereinafter, the terms "treating,” “treatment” and
• therapeutic effect can refer to reducing, inhibiting or stopping (preventing) an inflammation response (e.g., slowing or halting antibody production or amount of antibodies to a specific antigen), reducing the amount of inflamed tissue and alleviating, completely or in part, an inflammation condition.
• an inflammation response e.g., slowing or halting antibody production or amount of antibodies to a specific antigen
• Inflammation conditions include, without limitation, allergy, asthma, autoimmune disorder, chronic inflammation, chronic prostatitis, glomerulonephritis, hypersensitivities, inflammatory bowel diseases, myopathy (e.g., in combination with systemic sclerosis, dermatomyositis, polymyositis, and/or inclusion body myositis), pelvic inflammatory disease, reperfusion injury, rheumatoid arthritis, transplant rejection, vasculitis, and leukocyte disorders (e.g., Chediak-Higashi syndrome, chronic granulomatous disease). Certain autoimmune disorders also are inflammation disorders (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis).
• a compound described herein can be administered to a subject in need thereof to potentially treat one or more autoimmune disorders.
• the terms "treating,” “treatment” and “therapeutic effect” can refer to reducing, inhibiting or stopping an autoimmune response (e.g., slowing or halting antibody production or amount of antibodies to a specific antigen), reducing the amount of inflamed tissue and alleviating, completely or in part, an autoimmune disorder.
• Autoimmune disorders include, without limitation, autoimmune encephalomyelitis, colitis, automimmune insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), and Wegener granulomatosis and Takayasu arteritis.
• Models for testing compounds for such diseases include, without limitation, (a)(i) C5BL/6 induced by myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) peptide, (ii) SJL mice PLP139-151, or 178-191 EAE, and (iii) adoptive transfer model of EAE induced by MOG or PLP peptides for autoimmune encephalomyelitis; (b) non-obese diabetes (NOD) mice for autoimmune IDDM; (c) dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model and trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)- induced colitis model for colitis; and (d) systemic small vasculitis disorder as a model for Wegener granulomatosis and Takayasu arteritis.
• MOG myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein
• SJL mice PLP139-151 mice 178-191 EAE
• a compound described herein may be administered to a subject to potentially treat one or more of the following disorders: Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM); Addison's disease; alopecia areata; ankylosing spondylitis;
• ADAM Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis
• Addison's disease alopecia areata
• ankylosing spondylitis acute disseminated encephalomyelitis
• antiphospholipid antibody syndrome APS
• autoimmune hemolytic anemia autoimmune hepatitis
• autoimmune inner ear disease bullous pemphigoid
• coeliac disease Chagas disease
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Crohns disease (one of two types of idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease "IBD”); dermatomyositis; diabetes mellitus type 1 ; endometriosis; Goodpasture's syndrome; Graves' disease; Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS); Hashimoto's disease; hidradenitis suppurativa; idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura;
• interstitial cystitis lupus erythematosus
• mixed connective tissue disease lupus erythematosus
• a phospholipid conjugate and an antigen can be administered to a subject in need thereof to induce an immune response in the subject.
• the immune response may be generated automatically by the subject against a foreign antigen (e.g., pathogen infection) in certain embodiments.
• an antigen is co-administered with a phospholipid conjugate described herein, where an immune response is mounted in the subject against the antigen.
• An antigen may be specific for a particular cell proliferative condition (e.g., a specific cancer antigen) or particular pathogen (e.g., gram positive bacteria wall antigen or S. aureus antigen), in certain embodiments.
• a phospholipid conjugate and an antigen can be administered to a subject in need thereof to potentially treat one or more cell proliferative disorders.
• the terms "treating,” “treatment” and “therapeutic effect” can refer to reducing or stopping a cell proliferation rate (e.g., slowing or halting tumor growth), reducing the number of proliferating cancer cells (e.g., ablating part or all of a tumor) and alleviating, completely or in part, a cell proliferation condition.
• Cell proliferative conditions include, but are not limited to, cancers of the colorectum, breast, lung, liver, pancreas, lymph node, colon, prostate, brain, head and neck, skin, liver, kidney, and heart. Examples of cancers include hematopoietic neoplastic disorders, which are diseases involving
• non-endocrine tumors include but are not limited to adenocarcinomas, acinar cell carcinomas, adenosquamous carcinomas, giant cell tumors, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms, mucinous cystadenocarcinomas, pancreatoblastomas, serous cystadenomas, solid and pseudopapillary tumors.
• An endocrine tumor may be an islet cell tumor.
• the phospholipid conjugate and an antigen may be administered before or after a cardiac stress has occurred or has been detected, or administered after occurrence or detection of hypertension, balloon angioplasty, valvular disease or myocardial infarction, for example. Administration may decrease proliferation of vascular muscle cells and/or smooth muscle cells.
• Example I Chemical synthesis schemes described herein use numbers in parenthesis when referring to a compound in Figure 1, and letters in parenthesis when referring to a reaction step (e.g., chemical(s) added and/or reaction conditions).
• a reaction step e.g., chemical(s) added and/or reaction conditions.
• (a) refers to a reaction step that includes the addition of a reactant, which may result in the formation of compound (2), when combined and reacted with compound (1).
• the reaction conditions and compounds added for each reaction step are;
• TLR7 Various purines, pyridines, and imidazoquinolines, with molecular weights of 200-400 kD, have been shown to activate TLR7 and compounds that were specific TLR7 ligands were 100-1000 fold more powerful than imiquimod on a molar basis (Lee et al., infra). Because these TLR agonists are structurally very similar to normal component of nucleotides, they are very unlikely to induce a haptenic immune reaction after repeated administration.
• cytokine induction was performed using the mouse leukemic monocyte macrophage cell line, RAW264.7.
• Raw264.7 mice were obtained from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC, Rockville, MD) and cultured in DMEM complete media [Dulbecco's Modified Eagle
• BMDM Medium (Irvine Scientific, Irvine, CA) supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated fetal calf serum, 2 raM L-glutamine, and 100 U/mL penicillin/100 ⁇ g/mL streptomycin].
• BMDM were prepared from C57BL/6 and TLR7 deficient mice as described in Wu, C.C et al., "Immuno therapeutic activity of a conjugate of a Toll-like receptor 7 ligand", Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, J 4:3990 (2007).
• cytokines IL-6, IL-12 or TNF-a in the supernatants were determined by ELISA (BD Biosciences Pharmingen, La Jolla, CA) (Cho, H.J et al., "Immunostimulatory DNA-based vaccines induce cytotoxic lymphocyte activity by a T-helper cell-independent mechanism" [see comments], Nat. Biotechnol., 18:509 (2000)), and the results presented in Figures 2A-D. Data are mean ⁇ SEM of triplicates and are representative of three independent experiments. Minimum detection levels of these cytokines were 15 pg/mL.
• TNF levels were measured (see Figure 2A) by incubating
• TLR7 conjugates (10 ⁇ SM, 0.1 ⁇ compound 4a, 10 ⁇ compound 6, 10 ⁇ compound 8 or 10 ⁇ compound 9) for 18 hours.
• IL-6 or IL-12 levels in culture supernatants were measured by ELISA, and the results presented in Figure 2B.
• Each of the TLR7 conjugates induced similar levels of IL-6 both in TLR4 mutant and wild type mice, indicating LPS contamination of these conjugates is minimal.
• PBMC Human blood peripheral mononuclear cells
• cytokines IL-6, TNF- ⁇ , or IFNal
• Luminex bead assays Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA
• Data are mean ⁇ SEM of triplicates and are representative of three independent experiments.
• the minimum detection levels of IL-6, TNF-a, and IFNal were 6 pg/mL, 10 pg/mL and 15 pg/mL, respectively.
• mice The pharmacokinetics of pro inflammatory cytokine induction by TLR7 conjugates was examined using 6- to 8- week old C57BL/6 mice.
• the mice were intravenously injected with TLR7 agonists and their conjugates (40 nmol compound (4a) or 200 nmol SM and compounds (6), (8), or (9) per mouse). Blood samples were collected 2, 4, 6, 24 or 48 hours after injections. Sera were separated and kept at - 20°C until use.
• the levels of cytokines e.g. IL-6 and TNF-a in the sera were measured by Luminex bead microassay, and the results presented in Figures 4A-B. Data are mean ⁇ SEM of five mice and are representative of two independent experiments.
• the minimum detection levels of IL-6 and TNF-a are 5 pg/mL and 10 pg/mL, respectively.
• Immunological reaction initiation e.g., adjuvanticity
• TLR7 conjugates were also examined.
• Groups (n 5) of C57BL/6 mice were subcutaneously immunized with 20 ⁇ g ovalbumin (OVA) mixed with
• TLR7 conjugates approximately 10 nmol of various TLR7 conjugates, on days 0 and 7, where 10 nmol is a dosage target for the TLR7 portion of the conjugate, and the actual amount will be dependent on the actual chemical formula of each conjugate.
• a TLR9-activating immunostimulatory oligonucleotide sequence (ISS-ODN;
• mice penicillin/ 100 ⁇ g/mL streptomycin] and restimulated with either 100 ⁇ g/mL OVA or medium alone.
• the site of injection was examined 24 hours after immunization for signs of inflammation or local reaction. Mice were observed for activity as measures of a potential "sickness" response to immunization and then weighed weekly.
• lungs, livers, hearts, and kidneys also were collected on day 56, fixed in 10% buffered Formalin (Fisher Scientific, Pittsburgh, PA) and embedded in paraffin. Sections 5 ⁇ thick were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and evaluated under the microscope.
• H&E hematoxylin and eosin
• Anti-OVA antibodies of the IgG subclasses were measured by ELISA, as described in Cho, H.J et al., "Immunostimulatory DNA-based vaccines induce cytotoxic lymphocyte activity by a T-helper cell-independent mechanism" [see comments], Nat.
• Each ELISA plate contained a titration of a previously quantitated serum to generate a standard curve. The titer of this standard was calculated as the highest dilution of serum that gave an absorbance reading that was double the background. The various sera samples were tested at a 1 : 100 dilution. The results are expressed in units per mL, calculated based on the units/mL of the standard serum, and represent the mean + SEM of five animals in each group. * and T denote P ⁇ 0.05 and P ⁇ 0.01 by One-way ANOVA compared to the mice immunized with OVA mixed with vehicle, respectively.
• TLR7 conjugates were evaluated by a three-fold analysis (counting of total spleenocytes, histological examination, and visual observation of both the area of injection and general overall health and behavior of treated mice).
• C57BL/6 mice were immunized with 20 ⁇ g OVA mixed with TLR7 conjugate, vehicle, or a control agonist (oligonucleotide sequence ISS-ODN).
• mice were sacrificed and number of total spleenocytes was counted, and the results presented in Figure 6 A.
• the skin of injection sites is inspected 24 hours after injection, as shown in Figure 6C.
• TLR7 conjugates were stimulated for 18 hours with serially diluted TLR7 conjugates and the levels of cytokines released in the media were measured by ELISA and compared to the unconjugated TLR7 agonist (SM) (see Figure 2A, panels A-D).
• SM unconjugated TLR7 agonist
• Compound (4a) e.g., a TLR7-MSA conjugate
• Lipid-TLR7 conjugates promote rapid and long lasting humeral responses
• OVA ovalbuproin
• ISS-ODN was used as a potent Thl adjuvant positive control.
• Mice immunized with saline or OVA plus vehicle (0.1% DMSO) were used as negative controls.
• OVA-specific IgGl and IgG2a serum induction kinetics were monitored by ELISA, on days 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, and 56 ( Figures 5A-B). Induction of antibodies of the IG subclass was observed as early as 14 days in mice immunized with OVA mixed with compound (4a) or compound (6) (see Figure 5A).
• mice The minimum dose of unconjugated TLR7 agonist (SM) that induced the anorectic reaction in mice was 50 nmoles per mice in mucosal administration (Hayashi, T et al., Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol., 295:R123 (2008)).
• the dose for the adjuvant experiments (10 nmoles per mouse) was selected to avoid the sickness reaction caused by TLR7 agonists. No significant differences were observed between the average body weights of mice immunized with OVA mixed with compound (6) and the mice injected saline (data not shown).
• TLR7 chronic administration of TLR7 can also induce myeloid cell proliferation (Baenziger, S et al., "Triggering TLR7 in mice induces immune activation and lymphoid system disruption, resembling HIV-mediated pathology", Blood, 1 13:377 (2009).
• Total number of spleen cells was calculated as an indicator of the splenic myeloid cell proliferation (see Figure 6A). There was no significant difference in the total number of spleenocytes between the mice immunized with OVA, TLR7 agonist conjugates and saline control (see Figure 6B).
• Unconjugated TLR7 is insoluble in aqueous solution. Water- solubility can play a role in controlling drug availability by increasing drug diffusion or promoting uptake to the cells. PEGylation can improve drug solubility and decrease immunogenicity (Veronese, F. M., and Mero, A, "The impact of PEGylation on biological therapies", BioDrues. 22:315 (2008)).
• PEGylation can also increase drug stability, the retention time of the conjugates in blood and can reduce proteolysis and renal excretion (Veronese, F. M., and Mero, A, BioDrugs, 22:315 (2008)).
• TLR7 conjugated to PEG (e.g., compound (8))
• the solubility improves dramatically (data not shown).
• cytokine induction is attenuated in comparison to the unmodified TLR7 agonist, in vitro ( Figure 2A, panel A and B) and in vivo ( Figures 4A and 4B).
• Activity in both in vitro and in vivo can be restored by further conjugation to DOPE (compound (9)).
• Compound (9) can induce a Th2 immune response (indicated by IgGl levels), while exhibiting minimal Thl response (indicated by IgG2a levels).
• TLR7 agonist conjugates compounds (4a) (MSA conjugate) and (6) (lipid conjugate) promoted rapid elevation of IgG2a titer (FIG. 5 A).
• TLR7 agonist Various conjugates of a TLR7 agonist were synthesized and found to have distinct immunological profiles both in vivo and in vitro. Diversity in physical properties of reported TLR7 agonist conjugates may allow for a broader range of applications in treatment of different diseases.
• Water-soluble conjugates can provide a route for systemic administration. Lipid containing conjugates may be suitable for local administration requiring persistent stimulation of the adjacent immune cells (e.g., application of adjuvant for infectious diseases).
• a lipid moiety may facilitate drug penetration through the epithelium of the bladder or the skin and so may be beneficial for treatment of bladder or skin disorders. Conjugation of TLR7 agonist to lipid or PEG moieties may be a promising strategy to expand clinical treatment of infection, cancer or autoimmune disease.
• TLRs Toll-like receptors
• Ligands that stimulate TLRs therefore, represent potential immune adjuvants.
• Each conjugate having a potent TLR7 agonist conjugated with polyethylene glycol (PEG), lipid, or lipid-PEG via a versatile benzoic acid functional group may display distinctive immunological profiles in vitro and in vivo. For example, in mouse macrophages and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, the lipid-TLR7 conjugates were at least 100 fold more potent than the free TLR7 ligands. When the conjugates were administered
• the lipid and lipid-PEG TLR7 conjugates provided sustained levels of immunostimulatory cytokines in serum, compared to the unmodified TLR7 activator.
• mice or caspase 1 deficient were intravesically treated with 150 nmoles 1 V270 or vehicle alone three times at two-day intervals.
• One set of mice was sacrificed twenty-four hours after the first treatment ( Figure 7).
• Another set of mice was sacrificed twenty-four hours after the third treatment.
• the infiltration of mononuclear cells were observed and increased after the third treatment. This inflammation was not detected in the caspase 1 deficient mice.
• the inflammation induced by 1 V270 is persistent. It was further investigated if the inflammation initiated by 1 V270 persists longer than unconjugated TLR7 agonist.
• A/J mice received 10 nmol/ animal 1 V270 intranasally and BALF were collected 24, 48, and 72 hours after the
• mice were treated with 1 V270 mixed with IRS intranasally three times at two week intervals. Cholera toxin was used as a positive control because it is a known effective mucosal adjuvant. Control mice were treated with 1 V270, IRS or vehicle (PBS). All mice were intranasally challenged with Anthrax spores four weeks after the last vaccination. 100% survival on day 30 was observed in mice vaccinated with IRS mixed with 1 V270, which was slightly more effective than mice that received CT as an adjuvant.
• nanoliposomes a submicron bilayer lipid vesicle
• the resulting particles may be referred to as nanoliposomes (a submicron bilayer lipid vesicle) (see Chapter 2 by Mozafari in: Liposomes, Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 605, V. Weissing (ed.), Humana Press, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein).
• UV-1V270 particles were diluted in PBS to 50 ⁇ (A) or 100 ⁇ (B) and particle size measured over time. As shown in Figure 14, the nanoparticles were generally stable over time. Some aggregates were observed at 100 ⁇ , which is about the upper limit of solubility. The particle size of UV-1 V270 in PBS was relatively constant with an average of about 1 10 nm regardless of concentration.
• mice Four A/J mice were administered i.n. with UC-1 V270 (nanoparticles), unconjugated TLR7 agonist (UC-1V209), phospholipid alone or a solvent control (PBS or less than 5% DMSO). BALF and plasma were collected 24 hours later and cytokine levels determined by multiplex luminex assay. UC- 1 V270 promoted localized cytokine release with minimal systemic side effects (Figure 15).
• UC-1 V270 as an anthrax vaccine adjuvant
• eight female A/J mice per group were administered i.n. with either PBS, IRS alone, UC-1 V270 alone (nanoparticles; 1 nmol/mouse), IRS+UC-IV270 or IRS + CT (cholera toxin; 1 ⁇ 3 ⁇ 41 ⁇ 2 ⁇ 8 ⁇ ) three times at two week intends and challenged four weeks after the last immunization (Figure 16A). Survival was followed by 30 days (Figure 16B). Spleens from mice sacrificed at 30 days after infection were harvested and weighed (Figure 16C).
• mice splenocytes (400,000/well) from mice that survived infection after vaccination were cultured with IRS (10 6 /well) in triplicate for 5 days, and splenocytes from uninfected non- vaccinated mice served as a control.
• IRS 10 6 /well
• splenocytes from uninfected non- vaccinated mice served as a control.
• IL-12, IL- 17, TNF-a and IFN-gamma responses were measured (Figure 17).
• Phosal formulated 1V270 as single agent induced local cytokines with very little detectable systemic cytokine induction except IFN-g ( Figure 19). When used as an adjuvant together with irradiated spores (IRS), all 3 doses protected the animals ( Figure 20). In contrast to using 1 V270 in DMSO, where a 1 nmole dose showed efficacy, the use of a much lower dose of Phosal formulated 1 V270 provided significant protection. All publications, patents, and patent documents cited in the specification are incorporated by reference herein, as though individually incorporated by reference. In the case of any inconsistencies, the present disclosure, including any definitions therein will prevail. The invention has been described with reference to various specific and preferred embodiments and techniques.

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• 2011
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  • 2011-04-29 CN CN2011800330222A patent/CN103118682A/zh active Pending
  • 2011-04-29 WO PCT/US2011/000757 patent/WO2011139348A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2011-04-29 EP EP11777689.8A patent/EP2563366A4/en not_active Withdrawn

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