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  • A61K41/0071—PDT with porphyrins having exactly 20 ring atoms, i.e. based on the non-expanded tetrapyrrolic ring system, e.g. bacteriochlorin, chlorin-e6, or phthalocyanines
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  • A61K41/0076—PDT with expanded (metallo)porphyrins, i.e. having more than 20 ring atoms, e.g. texaphyrins, sapphyrins, hexaphyrins, pentaphyrins, porphocyanines
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  • A61K47/6905—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 conjugate being characterised by physical or galenical forms, e.g. emulsion, particle, inclusion complex, stent or kit the form being a colloid or an emulsion
  • A61K47/6907—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 conjugate being characterised by physical or galenical forms, e.g. emulsion, particle, inclusion complex, stent or kit the form being a colloid or an emulsion the form being a microemulsion, nanoemulsion or micelle
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  • A61K47/69—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 conjugate being characterised by physical or galenical forms, e.g. emulsion, particle, inclusion complex, stent or kit
  • A61K47/6905—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 conjugate being characterised by physical or galenical forms, e.g. emulsion, particle, inclusion complex, stent or kit the form being a colloid or an emulsion
  • A61K47/6911—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 conjugate being characterised by physical or galenical forms, e.g. emulsion, particle, inclusion complex, stent or kit the form being a colloid or an emulsion the form being a liposome
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  • A61K49/0021—Fluorescence in vivo characterised by the fluorescent group, e.g. oligomeric, polymeric or dendritic molecules the fluorescent group being a small organic molecule
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  • A61K49/0082—Preparation for luminescence or biological staining characterised by a special physical or galenical form, e.g. emulsions, microspheres the agent being in a particular physical galenical form dispersion, suspension, e.g. particles in a liquid, colloid, emulsion micelle, e.g. phospholipidic micelle and polymeric micelle
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• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
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Definitions

• nanotherapeutic formulations such as Abraxane® (paclitaxel-loaded albumin nanoparticles), Doxil® (doxorubicin-loaded liposomes), and others have been shown to improve the clinical toxicity profiles of the drugs, but their anti-tumor effects are only marginally better than the original drug formulations.
• RES reticuloendothelial system
• novel nanocarriers for paclitaxel (PTX) or other hydrophobic drugs comprising poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and oligo-cholic acids, can self-assemble under aqueous conditions to form core-shell (cholane- PEG) structures that can carry PTX in the hydrophobic interior.
• PEG poly(ethylene glycol)
• oligo-cholic acids can self-assemble under aqueous conditions to form core-shell (cholane- PEG) structures that can carry PTX in the hydrophobic interior.
• cholane- PEG core-shell
• These amphiphilic drug- loaded nanoparticles are therapeutic by themselves with improved clinical toxicity profiles. More importantly, when decorated with cancer cell surface targeting ligands and/or tumor blood vessel ligands, these nanocarriers will be able to deliver toxic therapeutic agents to the tumor sites.
• the final size of the nanocarriers (10 to 100 nm) is tunable by using various, or a combination of, different cholane-PEG preparations.
• the nanocarrier components, PEG and cholic acid are all biocompatible and largely non-toxic. Indeed, the PTX nanotherapeutics exhibited safe profile in in vivo administration for anticancer treatment in mouse models and companion dogs. However, the nanocarriers have demonstrated some hemolytic activity both in vitro and in vivo, as well as reduced loading capacity for certain drugs. Therefore, there is a need to develop nanocarriers with improved biocompatibility and versatility.
• the present invention is based on the surprising discovery that certain changes to the hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments of the constituent building blocks improve the therapeutic properties without disrupting nanocarrier assembly, addressing the needs described above.
• the present invention provides a compound of formula I:
• each PEG can be a polyethyleneglycol (PEG) polymer having a molecular weight of 1-100 kDa;
• A includes at least one branched monomer unit X and can be linked to at least one PEG group;
• D can be a dendritic polymer having a single focal point group, a plurality of branched monomer units X and a plurality of end groups;
• each Y 1 and Y 2 can be absent or a crosslinkable group that can be boronic acid
• the invention provides a nanocarrier having an interior and an exterior, the nanocarrier comprising a plurality of the dendrimer conjugates of the invention, wherein each compound self-assembles in an aqueous solvent to form the nanocarrier such that a hydrophobic pocket is formed in the interior of the nanocarrier, and wherein the PEG of each compound self-assembles on the exterior of the nanocarrier.
• the present invention provides a method of treating a disease via photodynamic or photothermal therapy, including administering to a subject in need thereof, a therapeutically effective amount of a nanocarrier of the present invention, and exposing the subject to radiation, thereby treating the disease via photodynamic or photothermal therapy.
• Figure 1 shows several embodiments of the branched nature of the telodendrimers of the present invention.
• Figure 2 shows cellular uptake of non-targeting NP vs PLZ4-NP into 5637 human bladder cancer cells after 4 hr incubation.
• K9TCC-Pu-In cells were preincubated with free PLZ4 peptide for one hr and followed by incubation with 2.2 ⁇ of PLZ4-NP for another hr. Cells without free PLZ4 treatment were served as 100% control. Cells were fixed in formalin and analyzed by flow cytometry.
• Figure 3 shows cellular uptake of PLZ4-NP by K9TCC-Pu-In bladder cancer cells as a function of (a) PLZ4-NP concentration (4 hr incubation), and (b) time (2.2 ⁇ PLZ4- NP).
• Human bladder cancer cell line 5637 was incubated with 2.2 ⁇ of PLZ4-NP for 20 min in a glass bottom dish. After adding DAPI containing medium for nucleus staining, live cell imaging was acquired using high resolution topography imaging system (Delta vision). Arrows indicated the membrane distribution,
• (d) 5637 was treated with 2.2 ⁇ of PLZ4-NP for 2 hr. After washed, cells were than cultured for another 0, 24, 48, and 72 hr in fresh complete medium. Cells were than trypsinzed and fixed in 10% formal before test and cells were analyzed by flow cytometry.
• Figure 4 shows PLZ4-NP specifically uptake by bladder cancer cells but not normal urothelial cells
• Figure 5 shows cytotoxicity of 5637 bladder cancer cells after (a) 2 hrs exposure to 2.2 ⁇ PLZ4-NP followed by illumination with various level of light (red light, 650 nm wave length), and (b) incubation with PLZ4-NP or 5-ALA for 2 hrs followed by exposure to 4.2 J/cm2 of red light.
• Figure 6 shows ROS mediated cell death after PZL4-NP and PDT treatment of 5637 human bladder cancer cells (a) cells were treated with or without 2.2 ⁇ PZL4-NP for 2 hr and loaded with aminophenyl fluorescein (APF; an ROS indicator) for 30 min.
• APF aminophenyl fluorescein
• Figure 7 shows 5637 cells were incubated with 2.2 ⁇ PZL4-NP for 2 hr in 96-well black- wall plate, stained with 40 nM of DiOC 6 (3) (Green, ⁇ 111811 ) for 20 min in the end of incubation to evaluate mitochondria membrane potential(A v Pm), and followed by
• Figure 8 shows cell morphology after PDT.
• 5637 cells were cultured on the 8-well chamber slides and treated for 2 hr with none, light alone (4.2J/cm 2 ), PLZ4-NP alone or combination of PLZ4-NP and light (PDT), or T-PN for two hr followed by PDT. Cells were then fixed and stained with Hema3®.
• Figure 9 shows selective uptake of PLZ4-NP into an orthotopic human bladder cancer xenograft model after intravesical administration into nude mouse
• PDX Human patient derived xenograft
• BL269f Mouse orthotopic model of BL269f was generated by directly injected suspension BL269f cells into bladder wall. After 4 weeks, the growth of solid tumor was noted with decreased bladder lumen capacity.
• Bladders with or without BL269f xenograft were fixed in O.C.T and 10 microns thick of cryosections were obtained. Nucleus was counter stained by DAPI (blue), and intracellular PLZ4-NP fluoresce red. After fluorescent imaging study, the tissue was re-stained with Hema3®. (yellow arrow: exposed bladder cancer tissue, red arrow: intact normal urothelial cells.) (40x)
• Figure 10 shows ex vivo near infra-red imaging of tumor/bladder and organs 24 hr after iv administration of non-crosslinked PLZ4-NP.
• Figure 11 shows cytotoxicity effect in combination of doxorubicin with PLZ4-NP mediated PDT.
• * p ⁇ 0.05(b)5637 cells were treated with PLZ4-NP, PLZ4-NP-Dox, free Dox, Doxil, PLZ4-NM-Dox, and a combination of PLZ4-NP and PLZ4-NM-Dox for 5 minutes and 2 hours. Intracellular doxorubicin concentration was evaluated with flow cytometry. This results present at mean +/- SD from 3 different independent experiments.
• * p ⁇ 0.05 ; ** p ⁇ 0.01(c) 5637 cells were treated with PLZ4-NP (PNP), PLZ4-NM-DOX(PN- DOX), a combination of PNP and PN-DOX, and PLZ4-NP-DOX(PNP-DOX) for 2 hours.
• Porphrin (red) and doxorubicine(green) were detected by fluoresces microscope.
• (lOOx) Sub-cellular distribution of PLZ4-NP-DOX (PNP-DOX) was detected by confocal microscope. (600X oil) at 5 mintues, 1 and 3 hours. Cells were washed but not fixed. PNP (porphyrin: red), Doxorubicin (green)
• Figure 12 shows various aspects of the invention, including: (a) a schematic illustration of a multifunctional, self-assembled porphyrin-telodendrimer, PEG 5k -Por 4 -CA 4 , having 4 pyropheophorbide-a molecules and 4 cholic acids attached to the terminal end of a linear PEG chain; (b) a schematic illustration of nanoporphyrins as a smart "eight-in-one" nanomedicine platform for cancer treatment; (c) a TEM image of nanoporphyrins (stained with phosphotungstic acid, PTA); (d) the absorbance spectra of empty nanoporphyrins and nanoporphyrins after chelating different metal ions; nanoporphyrins loaded with Cu(II) (e) and Gd(III) (f) viewed with TEM (stained with PTA); (g) fluorescence emission spectra of nanoporphyrins in the presence of PBS and SDS,
• Figure 13 shows the chemical structure of the PEG 5k -Por 4 -CA 4 telodendrimer.
• Figure 14 shows a MALDI-TOF mass spectrum of the PEG 5k -Por 4 -CA 4 telodendrimer
• Figure 15 shows l H NMR spectra of PEG 5k -Por 4 -CA telodendrimer recorded in DMSO-d6 (a) and D 2 0 (b), respectively.
• the chemical shift of PEG chains (3.5-3.7 ppm), cholic acid (0.5-2.4 ppm) and pyropheophorbide-a (0.9-2.2 ppm) could be observed in the 1H NMR spectra of the telodendrimers in DMSO-d6 (a).
• the characteristic peaks of methyl protons 18, 19, and 21 in cholic acid were seen at 0.58, 0.80 and 0.95 ppm, respectively.
• Figure 16 shows: (a) a schematic illustration of a representative crosslinkable porphyrin-telodendrimer (PEG 5k -Cys -Por 4 -CA 4 ), having 4 cysteines, 4 pyropheophorbide-a molecules and 4 cholic acids attached to the terminal end of a linear PEG chain, with Ebes used as a spacer; (b) a TEM image of the disulfide crosslinked nanoporphyrins (stained with PTA); (c) the fluorescence emission spectra of the crosslinked nanoporphyrins in the presence of PBS and SDS in the comparison with the non-crosslinked nanoporphyrins, wherein glutathione (GSH) was used as a reducing agent to break the disulfide crosslinking (excitation at 405 nm); (d) doxorubicin loading and size change of disulfide crosslinked NPs versus the level of drug added at initial loading, wherein the
• Figure 17 shows thermal images of NPs (10 ⁇ ) in the absence and in the presence of SDS, as monitored by a thermal camera after irradiation with NIR laser (690 nm) at 0.1 w/cm 2 for 120 seconds.
• the concentration of pyropheophorbide-a was kept at the 0.2 mg/mL for NM-POR, which was equal to the concentration of pyropheophorbide-a in 1.0 mg/mL of NPs.
• Figure 18 shows the chemical structure of the PEG 5k -CyS 4 -Por 4 -CA 4 telodendrimer.
• Figure 19 shows a TEM image of Cu(II) loaded nanoporphyrins without staining.
• Figure 20 shows the particle size of NPs in the absence (a) and in the presence (b) of 2.5 g/L SDS. The particle size was measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS). NPs were broken down completely upon addition of SDS.
• DLS dynamic light scattering
• Figure 21 shows a bright field image of the drops of nanoporphyrin solution in the absence and in the presence of SDS.
• Figure 22 shows the particle size of free pyropheophorbide-a loaded standard
• PEG 5k -CA 8 micelles in the absence (a) and in the presence (b) of 2.5 g/L SDS.
• the particle size was measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS).
• NM-POR was broken down completely upon addition of SDS.
• Figure 23 shows near-infrared fluorescence imaging of free pyropheophorbide-a loaded standard PEG 5k -CA 8 micelle (NM-POR) 7 solution (10 J ) (upper panel) in the absence and in the presence of SDS with an excitation bandpass filter at 625/20 nm and an emission filter at 700/35 nm in comparison with that of nanoporphyrin solution (lower panel).
• the concentration of pyropheophorbide-a was kept at the 0.2 mg/mL for NM-POR, which was equal to the concentration of pyropheophorbide-a in 1.0 mg/mL of NPs.
• NPs were found to have 10 times more self-quenching than NM-POR with the same concentration of Por.
• Figure 24 shows thermal images of NM-POR solution (10 ⁇ ) in the absence and in the presence of SDS, as monitored by a thermal camera after irradiation with a NIR laser (690 nm) at 1.25 w/cm 2 for 20 seconds.
• the concentration of pyropheophorbide-a was kept at the 0.2 mg/mL for NM-POR, which was equal to the concentration of pyropheophorbide-a in 1.0 mg/mL of NPs.
• Figure 25 shows the particle size of non-crosslinked nanoporphyrins (20 mg/mL) after loading of (a) doxorubicin (2.5 mg/mL), (b) paclitaxel (1.0 mg/mL), (c) vincristine (1.5 mg/mL), (d) bortezomib (2.0 mg/mL), (e) sorafenib (2.0 mg/mL), and (f) 17-allylamino-17- demethoxygeldanamycin (17AAG) (1.0 mg/mL).
• the particle size was measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS).
• Figure 26 shows continuous particle size measurements of DOX- loaded crosslinked NPs (NP-DOX) in the presence of 50% percent (v/v) of human plasma.
• Figure 27 shows a MALDI-TOF mass spectrum of the PEG 5k -Cys 4 -L 8 -CA 8 telodendrimer.
• Figure 28 shows the particle size of disulfide crosslinked NPs in the absence (a) and in the presence of: 2.5 g/L SDS (b), 2.5 g/L SDS + 20 mM NAC (c), 2.5 g/L SDS+20 mM GSH (d).
• the particle size was measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS).
• DLS dynamic light scattering
• FIG. 29 shows the cytotoxicity in SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells after 2 hrs exposure to NPs, Por loaded PEG 5k -CA 8 micelles (NM-POR) and free pyropheophorbide-a (Por) followed by an additional 22 hrs incubation under dark conditions.
• NM-POR Por loaded PEG 5k -CA 8 micelles
• Por free pyropheophorbide-a
• Figure 30 shows: cytotoxicity in SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells after (a) 2 hrs exposure to 4.4 ⁇ NPs followed by illumination with various levels of NIR light, and (b) incubation with NPs or 5 -ALA for 24 hrs followed by exposure to NIR light at 0.07 W crrf 2 for 60 seconds;
• Figure 30(c) shows ROS mediated cell death after NPs and light treatment of SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells.
• Cells were treated with or without 2.2 ⁇ NPs for 24 hrs and loaded with DCF for 30 min. After treatment with NIR light at 0.07 W crrf 2 for 60 seconds, images were acquired by fluorescence microscopy to detect ROS production.
• Figure 30(d) shows SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells treated with 2.2 ⁇ NPs for 24 hrs in a 96-well black- wall plate, stained with 40 nM of DiOC 6 (3) (Green, ⁇ ⁇ 1 ) for 20 min at the end of incubation to evaluate mitochondria membrane potential(A v Pm), and followed by illumination of a portion of each well to elicit PDT effect. The illumination area was marked with "L.” 24 hrs later, the cells were stained with propridium iodide (PI) for cell death.
• PI propridium iodide
• Figure 30(e) shows caspase3/7 activity in cells treated with different concentrations of NPs for 24 hrs followed by PDT. 24 hrs later, caspase3/7 activity was measured by SensoLyte® kit (Anaspec, Fremont, CA).
• Figure 30(f) shows cell morphology after PDT. SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells were cultured on 8-well chamber slides and treated for 24 hrs with PBS, NPs alone and
• Figure 30(g) shows the cytotoxicity effect of a combination of doxorubicin with NP -mediated photo-therapy.
• SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells were treated with NPs alone, doxorubicin loaded nanoporphyrins (NP-DOX) or doxorubicin loaded standard micelles (NM-DOX) with various concentrations of DOX and/or NPs for 24 hrs.
• NP-DOX doxorubicin loaded nanoporphyrins
• NM-DOX doxorubicin loaded standard micelles
• Figure 30(h) shows the growth inhibitory effects of NP-AAG to PC3 prostate cancer cells in comparison with NP alone and free drug 17AAG.
• the NP concentration was kept the same for NP-AAG and NP groups.
• Figure 30(j) shows the analysis of HIFla, survivin, AKT, STAT3 nad Src levels 12 hrs later using Western blotting with the corresponding antibodies.
• Figure 32(a) shows the absorbance of crosslinked NPs and NM-POR (both contain 0.5 mg/mL of Por) in lOx DMSO.
• Figure 32(b) shows the NIR fluorescence signal and
• Figure 32(c) shows the quantitative fluorescence of blood drops drawn from nude mice bearing implanted tumor xenografts 5 min post-injection of crosslinked NPs and NM-POR (Por dose: 5 mg/kg). Images were analyzed as the average signal in the region of interest (ROI). *** p ⁇ 0.001.
• Figure 33 shows ROS production of blood drops drawn from nude mice bearing implanted tumor xenografts 5 min post-injection of disulfide crosslinked NPs and NM-POR (Por dose: 5 mg/kg) after light exposure. Light dose: 0.1 W for 60 s and 300 s. Measured by using 2 / ,7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCF) as a ROS indicator. **p ⁇ 0.002, ***p ⁇ 0.001.
• Figure 34 shows ex vivo hemolytic activity from nude mice bearing implanted tumor xenografts.
• Figure 35 shows the temperature of blood drops drawn from nude mice bearing implanted tumor xenografts 5 min post-injection of disulfide crosslinked NPs and NM-POR (Por dose: 5 mg/kg) after light exposure. Light dose: 0.1 W for 300 seconds. The temperature was monitored by a thermal camera.
• DCF 2 / ,7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate
• Figure 38(a) shows representative in vivo NIRF imaging of SKOV-3 ovarian cancer xenograft following intravenous injection of non-crosslinked and disulfide-crosslinked NPs (NP dose: 25 mg/kg). The white arrow points to the tumor site.
• Figure 38(b) shows representative ex vivo NIRF imaging of SKOV-3 ovarian cancer xenograft 24 hrs post-injection of non-crosslinked (left) and disulfide-crosslinked (right) NPs.
• ROI region of interest
• LSI large-scale-imaging
• Figure 38(e) shows representative in vivo and ex vivo NIRF light images of transgenic mice with mammary cancer (FVB/n Tg(MMTV-PyVmT) at 24 hrs post-injection of disulfide-crosslinked NPs (NP dose: 25 mg/kg)
• Figure 38(f) shows the accumulation of NPs in lung metastasis of breast cancer in transgenic mice at 24 hrs post injection observed by LSI laser scanning confocal microscope.
• Figure 39 shows a representative NIR fluorescence signal of blood drops drawn from xenograft tumor model 5 min post-injection of disulfide-crosslinked NPs (Por dose: 5 mg/kg) in the absence and in the presence of SDS and GSH (10 mM).
• Figure 40 shows histopatho logical imaging confirming the metastatic lesions (arrows) in lungs of breast cancers from the transgenic mice (FVB/n Tg(MMTV-PyVmT). (H&E stain, 4X and insertion 40X).
• Figure 41(a) shows in vitro MRI signal of Gd-NPs in the absence and in the presence of SDS obtained by Tl -weighted MR imaging on a Bruker Biospec 7T MRI scanner using a FLASH sequence.
• Figure 41(b) shows representative coronal and axial MR images of transgenic mice with mammary cancer (FVB/n Tg(MMTV-PyVmT) using a FLASH sequence pre-injection and after injection of 0.15 mL Gd-NPs (Gd dose: 0.015 mmole/kg).
• the white arrow points to the tumor site.
• Figure 41(c) shows a PET image of nude mice bearing SKOV-3 ovarian cancer xenografts at 4, 8, 16, 24, 48 hrs post-injection of 64 Cu-labeled NPs (150-200 ⁇ , 64 Cu dose: 0.6-0.8 mCi), wherein the white arrow points to the tumor site.
• Figure 41(d) shows 3D coronal MR images of nude mice bearing A549 lung cancer xenografts using a FLASH sequence at 4 or 24 hrs post-injection with 0.15 mL of 64 Cu and Gd dual-labeled NPs (150-200 ⁇ , 64 Cu dose: 0.6-0.8 mCi, Gd dose: 0.015 mmole/kg), wherein the white arrow points to the tumor site.
• Figure 41(e) shows PET-MR images of tumor slices of nude mice bearing A549 lung cancer xenograft at 4 or 24 hrs post injection of dual-labeled NPs, wherein the white arrow indicates the necrotic area in the center of the tumor.
• Figure 42 shows instant thin-layer chromatography (ITLC) traces of 64 Cu- nanoporphyrins (left panel) and Gd- 64 Cu-nanoporphyrins (right panel) post-centrifuge filtration.
• the radiochemical yields (RYC) is above 96.5% while the radiochemical purity is above 97%.
• ITLC Method Biodex strips developed in 90 mM EDTA/0.9% NaCl (aq), imaged on Bioscan plate reader.
• Figure 43(a) shows representative thermal images of tumors in transgenic mice with mammary cancer (FVB/n Tg(MMTV-PyVmT) after light irradiation at 24 hrs post-injection of crosslinked NPs.
• Figure 43(b) shows images for mice injected with PBS.
• Figure 43(c) shows the temperature change in tumors in transgenic mice injected with crosslinked NPs and PBS after irradiation.
• Figure 43(d) shows ROS production at tumor sites in transgenic mice treated with crosslinked NPs and PBS (control) for 24 hrs followed by laser irradiation. p ⁇ 0.025.
• Figure 43(e) shows the histopathology of tumors from mice injected with PBS or NPs 24 hrs after irradiation. The light dose was 1.25 W crrf 2 for 2 min while the NPs dose was 25 mg/kg (equivalent to 5 mg/kg of porphyrin) for Figure 43 a-e.
• Figure 43(g) shows pictures of transgenic mice at day 34 of the treatment. (*: mammary tumors)
• PBS and NM-DOX were injected for comparison.
• DOX dose 2.5 mg/kg
• NP dose 25 mg/kg (equivalent to 5 mg/kg of porphyrin)
• light dose 0.25 W crrf 2 for 2 min. p ⁇ 0.01.
• Figure 43(i) shows MRI-guided PTT/PDT.
• White arrows indicate the tumor sites. Images were collected at 0 (pre-injection), 4, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 168 hrs post-injection.
• MR imaging showed large signal voids (blue arrows) at tumor sites 24 hrs after irradiation (48 hrs post-injection) at a dose of 1.25 W cnf 2 for 3 min and the tumors were completely ablated at 168 hrs (7 days) post-injection.
• Figure 44 shows caspase3 reactivity and DNA damage in mammary tumor tissue after NP -mediated PDT.
• Transgenic mice treated with PBS (control) or NPs followed by light treatment at 24 hours post-injection.
• DOX dose 2.5 mg/kg
• NP dose 25 mg/kg (equivalent to 5 mg/kg of Por)
• light dose 1.25 W cnf 2 for 2 min.
• Tumors were harvested another 24 hours later and fixed in formalin.
• Tissue slides (4 microns thick) were used to perform IHC for cleaved caspase3.
• DNA damage was detected using TUNEL (TdT- mediated dUTP Nick-end labeling) detection Kit (GenScript, Piscataway, NJ) per the manufacturer's manual.
• Antibody reactivity of cleaved caspase3 was detected by immunochemistry.
• NPs nanoporphyrins
• NP-DOX doxorubicin loaded nanoporphyrins
• the terms “dendrimer” and “dendritic polymer” refer to branched polymers containing a focal point, a plurality of branched monomer units, and a plurality of end groups. The monomers are linked together to form arms (or “dendrons") extending from the focal point and terminating at the end groups.
• the focal point of the dendrimer can be attached to other segments of the compounds of the invention, and the end groups may be further functionalized with additional chemical moieties.
• telodendrimer refers to a dendrimer containing a hydrophilic PEG segment and one or more chemical moieties covalently bonded to one or more end groups of the dendrimer. These moieties can include, but are not limited to, hydrophobic groups, hydrophilic groups, amphiphilic compounds, and drugs. Different moieties may be selectively installed at a desired end groups using orthogonal protecting group strategies.
• the term “nanocarrier” refers to a micelle resulting from aggregation of the dendrimer conjugates of the invention.
• the nanocarrier has a hydrophobic core and a hydrophilic exterior.
• the terms “monomer” and “monomer unit” refer to a diamino carboxylic acid, a dihydroxy carboxylic acid and a hydroxyl amino carboxylic acid.
• diamino carboxylic acid groups of the present invention include, but are not limited to, 2,3-diamino propanoic acid, 2,4-diaminobutanoic acid, 2,5-diaminopentanoic acid (ornithine), 2,6-diaminohexanoic acid (lysine), (2-Aminoethyl)-cysteine, 3-amino-2- aminomethyl propanoic acid, 3-amino-2-aminomethyl-2-methyl propanoic acid, 4-amino-2- (2-aminoethyl) butyric acid and 5-amino-2-(3-aminopropyl) pentanoic acid.
• dihydroxy carboxylic acid groups of the present invention include, but are not limited to, glyceric acid, 2,4-dihydroxybutyric acid, glyceric acid, 2,4-dihydroxybutyric acid, 2,2- Bis(hydroxymethyl)propionic acid and 2,2-Bis(hydroxymethyl)butyric acid.
• hydroxyl amino carboxylic acids include, but are not limited to, serine and homoserine.
• amino acid refers to a carboxylic acid bearing an amine functional groups.
• Amino acids include the diamino carboxylic acids described above.
• Amino acids include naturally occurring a-amino acids, wherein the amine is bound to the carbon adjacent to the carbonyl carbon of the carboxylic acid. Examples of naturally occurring a- amino acids include, but are not limited to, L-aspartic acid, L-glutamic acid, L-histidine, L- lysine, and L-arginine.
• Amino acids may also include the D-enantiomers of naturally occurring a-amino acids, as well as ⁇ -amino acids and other non-naturally occurring amino acids.
• linker refers to a chemical moiety that links one segment of a dendrimer conjugate to another.
• the types of bonds used to link the linker to the segments of the dendrimers include, but are not limited to, amides, amines, esters,
• oligomer refers to five or fewer monomers, as described above, covalently linked together.
• the monomers may be linked together in a linear or branched fashion.
• the oligomer may function as a focal point for a branched segment of a telodendrimer.
• hydrophobic group refers to a chemical moiety that is water-insoluble or repelled by water. Examples of hydrophobic groups include, but are not limited to, long-chain alkanes and fatty acids, fluorocarbons, silicones, certain steroids such as cholesterol, and many polymers including, for example, polystyrene and polyisoprene.
• hydrophilic group refers to a chemical moiety that is water-soluble or attracted to water.
• hydrophilic groups include, but are not limited to, alcohols, short-chain carboxylic acids, quaternary amines, sulfonates, phosphates, sugars, and certain polymers such as PEG.
• amphiphilic compound refers to a compound having both hydrophobic portions and hydrophilic portions.
• the amphiphilic compounds of the present invention can have one hydrophilic face of the compound and one hydrophobic face of the compound.
• Amphiphilic compounds useful in the present invention include, but are not limited to, cholic acid and cholic acid analogs and derivatives.
• cholic acid refers to (R)-4-((3R, 55, 1R, SR, 95, 105, 125, 13R, 145, 17R)-3 ,7, 12-trihydroxy- 10, 13-dimethylhexadecahydro- 1 H- cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-17-yl)pentanoic acid.
• Cholic acid is also know as 3 ⁇ ,7 ⁇ ,12 ⁇ - trihydroxy-5P-cholanoic acid; 3-a,7-a,12-a-Trihydroxy-5-P-cholan-24-oic acid; 17- ⁇ -(1- methyl-3-carboxypropyl)etiocholane-3 a, 7 a,12 a -triol; cholalic acid; and cholalin.
• Cholic acid derivatives and analogs such as allocholic acid, pythocholic acid, avicholic acid, deoxycholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid, are also useful in the present invention.
• Cholic acid derivatives can be designed to modulate the properties of the nanocarriers resulting from telodendrimer assembly, such as micelle stability and membrane activity.
• the cholic acid derivatives can have hydrophilic faces that are modified with one or more glycerol groups, aminopropanediol groups, or other groups.
• drug or “therapeutic agent” refers to an agent capable of treating and/or ameliorating a condition or disease.
• a drug may be a hydrophobic drug, which is any drug that repels water.
• Hydrophobic drugs useful in the present invention include, but are not limited to, paclitaxel, doxorubicin, etoposide, irinotecan, SN-38, cyclosporin A, podophyllotoxin, Carmustine, Amphotericin, Ixabepilone, Patupilone
• drugs of the present invention also include prodrug forms.
• prodrug forms One of skill in the art will appreciate that other drugs are useful in the present invention.
• crosslinkable group refers to a functional group capable of binding to a similar or complementary group on another molecule, for example, a first crosslinkable group on a first dendritic polymer linking to a second crosslinkable group on a second dendritic polymer.
• Groups suitable as crosslinkable and crosslinking groups in the present invention include thiols such as cysteine, boronic acids and 1 ,2-diols including 1 ,2-dihydroxybenzenes such as catechol. When the crosslinkable and crosslinking groups combine, they form cross-linked bonds such as disulfides and boronic esters. Other crosslinkable and crosslinking groups are suitable in the present invention.
• bond cleavage component refers to an agent capable of cleaving the cross-linked bonds formed using the crosslinkable and crosslinking groups of the present invention.
• the bond cleavage component can be a reducing agent, such as glutathione, when the cross-linked bond is a disulfide, or mannitol when the cross-linked bond is formed from a boronic acid and 1 ,2-diol.
• imaging agent refers to chemicals that allow body organs, tissue or systems to be imaged.
• imaging agents include paramagnetic agents, optical probes, and radionuclides.
• treat refers to any indicia of success in the treatment or amelioration of an injury, pathology, condition, or symptom (e.g., pain), including any objective or subjective parameter such as abatement; remission;
• the treatment or amelioration of symptoms can be based on any objective or subjective parameter; including, e.g., the result of a physical examination.
• the term "subject” refers to animals such as mammals, including, but not limited to, primates (e.g., humans), cows, sheep, goats, horses, dogs, cats, rabbits, rats, mice and the like. In certain embodiments, the subject is a human.
• therapeutically sufficient amount or dose or “effective or sufficient amount or dose” refer to a dose that produces therapeutic effects for which it is administered.
• the exact dose will depend on the purpose of the treatment, and will be ascertainable by one skilled in the art using known techniques (see, e.g., Lieberman, Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms (vols. 1-3, 1992); Lloyd, The Art, Science and Technology of Pharmaceutical Compounding (1999); Pickar, Dosage Calculations (1999); and Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy, 20th Edition, 2003, Gennaro, Ed., Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins).
• the therapeutically effective dose can often be lower than the conventional therapeutically effective dose for non-sensitized cells.
• photodynamic therapy refers to use of nontoxic, light- sensitive compounds that become toxic to malignant or disease cells upon exposure to light.
• Photodynamic therapy involves a photosensitizer, a light source, and oxygen. Upon exposure to the light, the photosensitizer generates reactive oxygen species (singlet oxygen, an oxygen free radical) that react with and destroy the malignant tissue.
• reactive oxygen species gas oxygen, an oxygen free radical
• a variety of photosensitizers can be used, including porphyrins, chlorophylls and dyes.
• photothermal therapy refers to use of nontoxic, light- sensitive compounds that generate heat upon exposure to light.
• photothermal therapy involves a photosensitizer and a source of light, typically infrared. But photothermal therapy does not require oxygen.
• photosensitizers can be used, including porphyrins, chlorophylls and dyes.
• the invention provides amphiphilic telodendrimer conjugates having a hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) segment and a hydrophobic segment, and at least one porphyrin.
• the PEG segment can have a branched or linear architecture including one or more PEG chains.
• the hydrophobic segment of the telodendrimer can be provided by cholic acid, which has a hydrophobic face and a hydrophilic face.
• the porphyrin, cholic acid and the PEG are connected by oligomers and/or polymers that can contain a variety of acid repeats units. Typically, the oligomers and polymers comprise a diamino carboxylic acid, lysine.
• the telodendrimers can aggregate in solution to form micelles with a hydrophobic interior and a hydrophilic exterior. The micelles can be used as nanocarriers to deliver drugs or other agents having low water solubility.
• the present invention provides conjugates having a polyethylene glycol (PEG) polymer; at least two amphiphilic compounds having both a hydrophilic face and a hydrophobic face; at least one porphyrin; optionally at least two crosslinking groups; and a dendritic polymer covalently attached to the PEG, the amphiphilic compounds, the porphyrin and the crosslinking groups, wherein each conjugate self- assembles in an aqueous solvent to form the nanocarrier such that a hydrophobic pocket is formed in the interior of the nanocarrier by the orientation of the hydrophobic face of each amphiphilic compound towards each other, wherein the PEG of each conjugate self- assembles on the exterior of the nanocarrier.
• PEG polyethylene glycol
• the present invention provides a compound of formula I:
• each PEG can be a polyethyleneglycol (PEG) polymer having a molecular weight of 1-100 kDa;
• A includes at least one branched monomer unit X and can be linked to at least one PEG group;
• D can be a dendritic polymer having a single focal point group, a plurality of branched monomer units X and a plurality of end groups;
• each Y 1 and Y 2 can be absent or a crosslinkable group that can be boronic acid
• binding ligand can be used in the compounds of the present invention.
• the binding ligand can target a particular organ, healthy tissue or disease tissue.
• exemplary binding ligands include the PLZ4 ligand, having the amino acid sequence QDGRMGF. See U.S. Application No. 13/497,041, filed September 23, 2010, now U.S. Publication No. 2012/0230994.
• the linkers L 1 and L 2 can include any suitable linker.
• the linkers are bifunctional linkers, having two functional groups for reaction with each of two
• the linkers L 1 and L 2 can be a
• the linkers L 1 and L 2 can be a
• the linkers L 1 and L 2 can independently be polyethylene glycol, polyserine, polyglycine, poly(serine-glycine), aliphatic amino acids, 6- amino hexanoic acid, 5-amino pentanoic acid, 4-amino butanoic acid or beta-alanine.
• the size and chemical nature of the linker can be varied based on the structures of the telodendrimer segments to be linked.
• linkers L 1 and L 2 can have the formula:
• PEG polymers of any size and architecture are useful in the nanocarriers of the present invention.
• the PEG is from 1-100 kDa.
• the PEG is from 1-10 kDa.
• the PEG is about 3kDa.
• additional PEG polymers are linked to the amphiphilic compounds.
• the amphiphilic compound is cholic acid
• up to 3 PEG polymers are linked to each cholic acid.
• the PEG polymers linked to the amphiphilic compounds are from 200-10,000 Da in size.
• the PEG polymers linked to the am hiphilic compounds are from 1-5 kDa in size.
• PEG can be any suitable length.
• the dendritic polymer can be any suitable dendritic polymer.
• the dendritic polymer can be made of branched monomer units including amino acids or other bifunctional AB2-type monomers, where A and B are two different functional groups capable of reacting together such that the resulting polymer chain has a branch point where an A-B bond is formed.
• each branched monomer unit X can be a diamino carboxylic acid, a dihydroxy carboxylic acid and a hydroxyl amino carboxylic acid.
• each diamino carboxylic acid can be 2,3-diamino propanoic acid, 2,4- diaminobutanoic acid, 2,5-diaminopentanoic acid (ornithine), 2,6-diaminohexanoic acid (lysine), (2-Aminoethyl)-cysteine, 3-amino-2-aminomethyl propanoic acid, 3-amino-2- aminomethyl-2 -methyl propanoic acid, 4-amino-2-(2-aminoethyl) butyric acid or 5-amino-2- (3-aminopropyl) pentanoic acid.
• each dihydroxy carboxylic acid can be glyceric acid, 2,4-dihydroxybutyric acid, 2,2-Bis(hydroxymethyl)propionic acid, 2,2-
• each hydroxyl amino carboxylic acid can be serine or homoserine.
• the diamino carboxylic acid is an amino acid.
• each branched monomer unit X is lysine.
• the dendritic polymer of the telodendrimer can be any suitable generation of dendrimer, including generation 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more, where each "generation" of dendrimer refers to the number of branch points encountered between the focal point and the end group following one branch of the dendrimer.
• the dendritic polymer of the telodendrimer can also include partial-generations such as 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, etc., where a branch point of the dendrimer has only a single branch. See, for example, the structures in Figure 1.
• the various architectures of the dendritic polymer can provide any suitable number of end groups, including, but not limited to, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 or 32 end groups.
• the focal point of a telodendrimer or a telodendrimer segment can be any suitable functional group.
• the focal point includes a functional group that allows for attachment of the telodendrimer or telodendrimer segment to another segment.
• the focal point functional group can be a nucleophilic group including, but not limited to, an alcohol, an amine, a thiol, or a hydrazine.
• the focal point functional group may also be an electrophile such as an aldehyde, a carboxylic acid, or a carboxylic acid derivative including an acid chloride or an N-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester.
• the R groups installed at the telodendrimer periphery can be any suitable chemical moiety, including porphyrins, hydrophilic groups, hydrophobic groups, or amphiphilic compounds, wherein at least one R group can be a porphyrin.
• Any suitable porphyrin can be used in the telodendrimers of the present invention.
• Representative porphyrins suitable in the present invention include, but are not limited to, pyropheophorbide-a, pheophorbide, chlorin e6, purpurin or purpurinimide.
• the porphyrin can be any suitable chemical moiety, including porphyrins, hydrophilic groups, hydrophobic groups, or amphiphilic compounds, wherein at least one R group can be a porphyrin.
• Any suitable porphyrin can be used in the telodendrimers of the present invention.
• Representative porphyrins suitable in the present invention include, but are not limited to, pyropheophorbide
• hydrophobic groups include, but are not limited to, long-chain alkanes and fatty acids, fluorocarbons, silicones, certain steroids such as cholesterol, and many polymers including, for example, polystyrene and polyisoprene.
• hydrophilic groups include, but are not limited to, alcohols, short-chain carboxylic acids, amines, sulfonates, phosphates, sugars, and certain polymers such as PEG.
• amphiphilic compounds include, but are not limited to, molecules that have one hydrophilic face and one hydrophobic face.
• Amphiphilic compounds useful in the present invention include, but are not limited to, cholic acid and cholic acid analogs and derivatives.
• “Cholic acid” refers to (R)-4-((3R, 5S, 1R, SR, 95, 105, 125, 13R, 145, 17i?)-3,7,12-trihydroxy-10,13-dimethylhexadecahydro-lH- cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-17-yl)pentanoic acid, having the structure:
• Cholic acid derivatives and analogs include, but are not limited to, allocholic acid, pythocholic acid, avicholic acid, deoxycholic acid, and chenodeoxycholic acid.
• Cholic acid derivatives can be designed to modulate the properties of the nanocarriers resulting from telodendrimer assembly, such as micelle stability and membrane activity.
• the cholic acid derivatives can have hydrophilic faces that are modified with one or more glycerol groups, aminopropanediol groups, or other groups.
• Telodendrimer end groups may also include drugs such as paclitaxel, doxorubicin, etoposide, irinotecan, SN-38, cyclosporin A, podophyllotoxin, carmustine, amphotericin, ixabepilone, patupilone (epothelone class), rapamycin and platinum drugs.
• drugs such as paclitaxel, doxorubicin, etoposide, irinotecan, SN-38, cyclosporin A, podophyllotoxin, carmustine, amphotericin, ixabepilone, patupilone (epothelone class), rapamycin and platinum drugs.
• drugs such as paclitaxel, doxorubicin, etoposide, irinotecan, SN-38, cyclosporin A, podophyllotoxin, carmustine, amphotericin, ixabepil
• each remaining R can be cholic acid, (3a, 5 ⁇ , 7a, 12a)-7,12- dihydroxy-3-(2,3-dihydroxy-l-propoxy)-cholic acid, (3a, 5 ⁇ , 7a, 12a)-7-hydroxy-3, 12- di(2,3-dihydroxy-l-propoxy)-cholic acid, (3a, 5 ⁇ , 7a, 12a)-7, 12-dihydroxy-3-(3-amino-2- hydroxy-l-propoxy)-cholic acid, cholesterol formate, doxorubicin, or rhein.
• each remaining R can be cholic acid.
• the telodendrimer backbone can vary, depending on the number of branches and the number and chemical nature of the end groups and R groups, which will modulate solution conformation, rheological properties, and other characteristics.
• the telodendrimers can have any suitable number n of end groups and any suitable number of R groups. In some embodiments, n can be 2-70, or 2-50, or 2-30, or 2-10. In some embodiment, n is 2-20.
• the telodendrimer can have a single type of R group on the periphery, or any combination of R groups in any suitable ratio.
• at least half the number n of R groups are other than an end group.
• at least half the number n of R groups can be a hydrophobic group, a hydrophilic group, an amphiphilic compound, a drug, or any combination thereof.
• half the number n of R groups are amphiphilic compounds.
• the compound has the structure:
• each R can independently be a porphyrin, an amphiphilic compound or a drug, wherein at least one R group is a porphyrin.
• the compound has the structure:
• PEG can be PEG5k
• each branched monomer unit X can be lysine
• A can be lysine
• each L 2 can be a bond or linker Ebes
• each Y 2 can be absent or can be cysteine
• each R can be a cholic acid or a porphyrin.
• the compound has the structure:
• each R' can be cholic acid (CA), (3a, 5 ⁇ , 7a, 12a)-7,12-dihydroxy-3-(2,3-dihydroxy- l-propoxy)-cholic acid (CA-40H), (3a, 5 ⁇ , 7a, 12a)-7-hydroxy-3,12-di(2,3-dihydroxy-l- propoxy)-cholic acid (CA-50H) or (3a, 5 ⁇ , 7a, 12a)-7,12-dihydroxy-3-(3-amino-2-hydroxy- l-propoxy)-cholic acid (CA-30H-NH 2 ); and each R" can be a porphyrin selected from the group consisting of pyropheophorbide-a, pheophorbide, chlorin e6, purpurin and
• the porphyrin can be pyropheophorbide-a.
• subscript k is 1.
• the compound can be:
• each L 2 is a bond
• each Y 2 is absent
• each R' is cholic acid
• each R' ' is
• each L 2 is the linker Ebes, each Y 2 is absent, each R' is cholic acid, each R' ' is pyropheophorbide-a, and subscript k is 0;
• each L 2 is a bond
• each Y 2 is cysteine
• each R' is cholic acid
• each R' ' is
• each L 2 is the linker Ebes, each Y 2 is cysteine, each R' is cholic acid, each R' ' is pyropheophorbide-a, and subscript k is 0;
• each L 2 is a bond
• each Y 2 is absent
• each R' is cholic acid
• each R' ' is
• each L 2 is the linker Ebes, each Y 2 is absent, each R' is cholic acid, each R' ' is pyropheophorbide-a, and subscript k is 1 ;
• each L 2 is a bond
• each Y 2 is cysteine
• each R' is cholic acid
• each R' ' is
• each L 2 is the linker Ebes
• each Y 2 is cysteine
• each R' is cholic acid
• each R' ' is pyropheophorbide-a
• subscript k is 1.
• the compound has the structure:
• each R' can be cholic acid (CA), (3a, 5 ⁇ , 7a, 12a)-7,12-dihydroxy-3-(2,3-dihydroxy- l-propoxy)-cholic acid (CA-40H), (3a, 5 ⁇ , 7a, 12a)-7-hydroxy-3,12-di(2,3-dihydroxy-l- propoxy)-cholic acid (CA-50H) or (3a, 5 ⁇ , 7a, 12a)-7,12-dihydroxy-3-(3-amino-2-hydroxy- l-propoxy)-cholic acid (CA-30H-NH 2 ); and each R" can be a porphyrin selected from the group consisting of pyropheophorbide-a, pheophorbide, chlorin e6, purpurin and
• the porphyrin can be pyropheophorbide-a.
• subscript k is 1.
• the compound can be:
• the compounds of the present invention can also include a metal cation chelated to the porphyrin. Any suitable metal can be chelated by the porphyrin.
• Metals useful in the present invention include the alkali metals, alkali earth metals, transition metals and post-transition metals.
• Alkali metals include Li, Na, K, Rb and Cs.
• Alkaline earth metals include Be, Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba.
• Transition metals include Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, La, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, Hg and Ac.
• Post-transition metals include Al, Ga, In, Tl, Ge, Sn, Pb, Sb, Bi, and Po. Radionuclides of any of these metals can also be chelated by the porphyrins.
• the a metal cation can be chelated to the porphyrin.
• the metal cation can be a radio-metal cation.
• the radio-metal cation chelated to the porphyrin can be 64 Cu, 67 Cu, 177 Lu, 67 Ga, m In, and 90 Yt. III. Telodendrimers with Branched PEG Moieties
• the telodendrimers of the present invention contain two branched segments that are linked together at their focal points.
• the telodendrimers include any telodendrimer as described above or as described previously (WO 2010/039496) and branched PEG segment containing two or more PEG chains bound to an oligomer focal point.
• the dendritic polymer of the telodendrimer can be any suitable generation of dendrimer, including generation 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, or more, where each "generation" of dendrimer refers to the number of branch points encountered between the focal point and the end group following one branch of the dendrimer.
• the dendritic polymer of the telodendrimer can also include partial-generations such as 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, etc., where a branch point of the dendrimer has only a single branch. See, for example, the structures in Figure 1.
• the various architectures of the dendritic polymer can provide any suitable number of end groups, including, but not limited to, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 1 1 , 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 or 32 end groups.
• the compound can be:
• each branched monomer unit X is lysine.
• the compound can be:
• each branched monomer unit X is lysine.
• the PEG-oligomer unit in the telodendrimers may contain any suitable number of PEG moieties.
• PEG moieties may be installed site-selectively at various positions on the oligomer using orthogonal protecting groups, embodiments, the (PEG) m -A portion of the compound can be:
• each K is lysine.
• the telodendrimer can be:
• the telodendrimers of the present invention aggregate to form nanocarriers with a hydrophobic core and a hydrophilic exterior.
• the invention provides a nanocarrier having an interior and an exterior, the nanocarrier comprising a plurality of the dendrimer conjugates of the invention, wherein each compound self-assembles in an aqueous solvent to form the nanocarrier such that a hydrophobic pocket is formed in the interior of the nanocarrier, and wherein the PEG of each compound self-assembles on the exterior of the nanocarrier.
• each conjugate of the nanocarrier have a polyethylene glycol (PEG) polymer; at least two amphiphilic compounds having both a hydrophilic face and a hydrophobic face; at least one porphyrin; optionally at least two crosslinking groups; and a dendritic polymer covalently attached to the PEG, the amphiphilic compounds, the porphyrin and the crosslinking groups, wherein each conjugate self-assembles in an aqueous solvent to form the nanocarrier such that a hydrophobic pocket is formed in the interior of the nanocarrier by the orientation of the hydrophobic face of each amphiphilic compound towards each other, wherein the PEG of each conjugate self-assembles on the exterior of the nanocarrier.
• each conjugate is a compound of formula I.
• the nanocarrier includes a hydrophobic drug or an imaging agent, such that the hydrophobic drug or imaging agent is sequestered in the hydrophobic pocket of the nanocarrier.
• Hydrophobic drugs useful in the nanocarrier of the present invention includes any drug having low water solubility.
• the hydrophobic drug in the nanocarrier can be bortezomib, paclitaxel, SN38, camptothecin, etoposide and doxorubicin, docetaxel, daunorubicin, VP 16, prednisone, dexamethasone, vincristine, vinblastine, temsirolimus and carmusine.
• the nanocarrier includes at least one monomer unit that is optionally linked to an optical probe, a radionuclide, a paramagnetic agent, a metal chelate or a drug.
• the drug can be a variety of hydrophilic or hydrophobic drugs, and is not limited to the hydrophobic drugs that are sequestered in the interior of the nanocarriers of the present invention.
• Drugs that can be sequestered in the nanocarriers or linked to the conjugates of the present invention include, but are not limited to, cytostatic agents, cytotoxic agents (such as for example, but not limited to, DNA interactive agents (such as cisplatin or doxorubicin)); taxanes (e.g.
• topoisomerase II inhibitors such as etoposide
• topoisomerase I inhibitors such as irinotecan (or CPT-11), camptostar, or topotecan
• tubulin interacting agents such as paclitaxel, docetaxel or the epothilones
• hormonal agents such as tamoxifen
• thymidilate synthase inhibitors such as 5-fluorouracil
• anti-metabolites such as methotrexate
• alkylating agents such as temozolomide (TEMODARTM from Schering- Plough Corporation, Kenilworth, N.J.), cyclophosphamide); aromatase combinations; ara-C, adriamycin, Cytoxan, and gemcitabine.
• Other drugs useful in the nanocarrier of the present invention include but are not limited to Uracil mustard, Chlormethine, Ifosfamide,
• Triethylenethiophosphoramine Busulfan, Carmustine, Lomustine, Streptozocin,
• Radionuclides such as 67 Cu, 90 Y, 123 I, 125 I, 131 I, 177 Lu, 188 Re, 186 Re and 211 At.
• a radionuclide can act therapeutically as a drug and as an imaging agent.
• Imaging agents include paramagnetic agents, optical probes and radionuclides.
• Paramagnetic agents include iron particles, such as iron nanoparticles that are sequestered in the hydrophobic pocket of the nanocarrier.
• the conjugates can be crosslinked via the crosslinking groups.
• the crosslinking groups can be any suitable crosslinking group, as described above.
• the crosslinking groups can be thiol, boronic acid or
• each conjugate of the nanocarrier includes at least two cholic acids, at least two pryopheophorbide-a groups, and at least two crosslinking groups, wherein the conjugates of the nanocarrier are crosslinked via the crosslinking groups.
• the nanocarriers can include any suitable porphrying, as described above.
• the porphyrin can be pyrpheophorbide-a.
• the porphyrin groups can be chelated to a metal, as described above. Any suitable metal can be chelated to the porphyrins, including radioactive and non-radioactive metals, as described above.
• the nanocarriers include a metal chelated to at least one of the
• each amphiphilic compound R is independently cholic acid, allocholic acid, pythocholic acid, avicholic acid, deoxycholic acid, or chenodeoxycholic acid.
• the nanocarriers of the present invention can also include a binding ligand for binding to a target moiety.
• the binding ligand can be linked to one of the conjugates of the nanocarrier, or can be separate. Any suitable binding ligand can be used in the compounds of the present invention, as described above.
• the binding ligand can target a particular organ, healthy tissue or disease tissue.
• Exemplary binding ligands include the PLZ4 ligand, having the amino acid sequence cQDGRMGFc.
• the nanocarrier including at least one binding conjugate including a polyethylene glycol (PEG) polymer, a binding ligand linked to the PEG polymer, at least two amphiphilic compounds having both a hydrophilic face and a hydrophobic face, a dendritic polymer covalently attached to the PEG and the amphiphilic compounds, wherein each binding conjugate self- assembles with the first conjugates in an aqueous solvent to form the nanocarrier such that a hydrophobic pocket is formed in the interior of the nanocarrier by the orientation of the hydrophobic face of each amphiphilic compound towards each other, wherein the PEG of each conjugate self-assembles on the exterior of the nanocarrier.
• PEG polyethylene glycol
• the nanocarriers of the present invention can be used to treat any disease requiring the administration of a drug, such as by sequestering a hydrophobic drug in the interior of the nanocarrier, or by covalent attachment of a drug to a conjugate of the nanocarrier.
• the nanocarriers can also be used for imaging, by sequestering an imaging agent in the interior of the nanocarrier, or by attaching the imaging agent to a conjugate of the nanocarrier.
• the present invention provides a method of treating a disease, including administering to a subject in need of such treatment, a therapeutically effective amount of a nanocarrier of the present invention, wherein the nanocarrier includes a drug.
• the drug can be a covalently attached to a conjugate of the nanocarrier.
• the drug is a hydrophobic drug sequestered in the interior of the nanocarrier.
• the nanocarrier also includes an imaging agent.
• the imaging agent can be a covalently attached to a conjugate of the nanocarrier, or the imaging agent can be sequestered in the interior of the nanocarrier.
• both a hydrophobic drug and an imaging agent are sequestered in the interior of the nanocarrier.
• both a drug and an imaging agent are covalently linked to a conjugate or conjugates of the nanocarrier.
• the nanocarrier can also include a radionuclide.
• the methods generally involve administering a nanocarrier of the present invention to a subject, and then exposing the subject to radiation of a specific wavelength to induce the photodynamic or photothermal therapy depending on the wavelength of light.
• the porphyrins used in the nanocarriers of the present invention either complexed to a metal or not, generate either the reactive singlet oxygen suitable for photodynamic therapy, or generate heat sufficient of photothermal therapy.
• the present invention provides a method of treating a disease via photodynamic or photothermal therapy, including administering to a subject in need thereof, a therapeutically effective amount of a nanocarrier of the present invention, and exposing the subject to radiation, thereby treating the disease via photodynamic or photothermal therapy.
• the method is a method of treating a disease via photodynamic therapy.
• the method is a method of treating a disease via photothermal therapy.
• the present invention provides a method of treating a disease via sonodynamic therapy, including administering to a subject in need thereof, a
• a nanocarrier of the present invention exposing the subject to a sonic wave, thereby treating the disease via sonodynamic therapy.
• the nanocarriers of the present invention can be administered to a subject for treatment, e.g., of hyperproliferative disorders including cancer such as, but not limited to: carcinomas, gliomas, mesotheliomas, melanomas, lymphomas, leukemias, adenocarcinomas, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, glioblastoma, leukemia, lymphoma, prostate cancer, and Burkitt's lymphoma, head and neck cancer, colon cancer, colorectal cancer, non- small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, cancer of the esophagus, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, hepatobiliary cancer, cancer of the gallbladder, cancer of the small intestine, rectal cancer, kidney cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, penile cancer, urethral cancer, testicular cancer, cervical cancer, vaginal cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, thyroid cancer, parathyroid cancer, adrenal cancer, pancreatic
• cancer
• nanocarriers of the present invention include: (I) inflammatory or allergic diseases such as systemic anaphylaxis or
• hypersensitivity responses drug allergies, insect sting allergies; inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, ileitis and enteritis; vaginitis; psoriasis and inflammatory dermatoses such as dermatitis, eczema, atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, urticaria; vasculitis; spondyloarthropathies; scleroderma; respiratory allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, hypersensitivity lung diseases, and the like,
• autoimmune diseases such as arthritis (rheumatoid and psoriatic), osteoarthritis, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, diabetes mellitus, glomerulonephritis, and the like,
• graft rejection including allograft rejection and graft-v-host disease
• other diseases in which undesired inflammatory responses are to be inhibited e.g., atherosclerosis, myositis, neurological conditions such as stroke and closed-head injuries, neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer's disease, encephalitis, meningitis, osteoporosis, gout, hepatitis, nephritis, sepsis, sarcoidosis, conjunctivitis, otitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sinusitis and Behcet's syndrome).
• the disease can be cancer.
• other diseases in which undesired inflammatory responses are to be inhibited e.g., atherosclerosis, myositis, neurological conditions such as stroke and closed-head injuries, neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer's disease, encephalitis, meningitis, osteoporosis, gout, hepatitis, nephritis,
• the disease can be bladder cancer or ovarian cancer.
• the nanocarriers of the present invention are useful for the treatment of infection by pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Other diseases can be treated using the nanocarriers of the present invention.
• each conjugate of the nanocarrier includes at least two cholic acids, at least two pryopheophorbide-a groups, at least two crosslinking groups, and a metal chelated to at least one of the pyropheophorbide-a groups, wherein the conjugates of the nanocarrier are crosslinked via the crosslinking groups.
• the nanocarriers of the present invention can be formulated in a variety of different manners known to one of skill in the art.
• Pharmaceutically acceptable carriers are determined in part by the particular composition being administered, as well as by the particular method used to administer the composition. Accordingly, there are a wide variety of suitable formulations of pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention (see, e.g. , Remington 's Pharmaceutical Sciences, 20 th ed., 2003, supra). Effective formulations include oral and nasal formulations, formulations for parenteral administration, and compositions formulated for with extended release.
• Formulations suitable for oral administration can consist of (a) liquid solutions, such as an effective amount of a compound of the present invention suspended in diluents, such as water, saline or PEG 400; (b) capsules, sachets, depots or tablets, each containing a predetermined amount of the active ingredient, as liquids, solids, granules or gelatin; (c) suspensions in an appropriate liquid; (d) suitable emulsions; and (e) patches.
• the liquid solutions described above can be sterile solutions.
• the pharmaceutical forms can include one or more of lactose, sucrose, mannitol, sorbitol, calcium phosphates, corn starch, potato starch, micro crystalline cellulose, gelatin, colloidal silicon dioxide, talc, magnesium stearate, stearic acid, and other excipients, colorants, fillers, binders, diluents, buffering agents, moistening agents, preservatives, flavoring agents, dyes, disintegrating agents, and pharmaceutically compatible carriers.
• Lozenge forms can comprise the active ingredient in a flavor, e.g., sucrose, as well as pastilles comprising the active ingredient in an inert base, such as gelatin and glycerin or sucrose and acacia emulsions, gels, and the like containing, in addition to the active ingredient, carriers known in the art.
• the pharmaceutical preparation is preferably in unit dosage form. In such form the preparation is subdivided into unit doses containing appropriate quantities of the active component.
• the unit dosage form can be a packaged preparation, the package containing discrete quantities of preparation, such as packeted tablets, capsules, and powders in vials or ampoules.
• the unit dosage form can be a capsule, tablet, cachet, or lozenge itself, or it can be the appropriate number of any of these in packaged form.
• the composition can, if desired, also contain other compatible therapeutic agents.
• Preferred pharmaceutical preparations can deliver the compounds of the invention in a sustained release formulation.
• compositions useful in the present invention also include
• extended-release formulations useful in the present invention are described in U.S. Patent No. 6,699,508, which can be prepared according to U.S. Patent No. 7,125,567, both patents incorporated herein by reference.
• the pharmaceutical preparations are typically delivered to a mammal, including humans and non-human mammals.
• Non-human mammals treated using the present methods include domesticated animals (i.e., canine, feline, murine, rodentia, and lagomorpha) and agricultural animals (bovine, equine, ovine, porcine).
• the pharmaceutical compositions can be used alone, or in combination with other therapeutic or diagnostic agents.
• the nanocarriers of the present invention can be administered as frequently as necessary, including hourly, daily, weekly or monthly.
• the compounds utilized in the pharmaceutical method of the invention are administered at the initial dosage of about 0.0001 mg/kg to about 1000 mg/kg daily.
• a daily dose range of about 0.01 mg/kg to about 500 mg/kg, or about 0.1 mg/kg to about 200 mg/kg, or about 1 mg/kg to about 100 mg/kg, or about 10 mg/kg to about 50 mg/kg, can be used.
• the dosages may be varied depending upon the requirements of the patient, the severity of the condition being treated, and the compound being employed. For example, dosages can be empirically determined considering the type and stage of disease diagnosed in a particular patient.
• the dose administered to a patient should be sufficient to effect a beneficial therapeutic response in the patient over time.
• the size of the dose also will be determined by the existence, nature, and extent of any adverse side-effects that accompany the administration of a particular compound in a particular patient. Determination of the proper dosage for a particular situation is within the skill of the practitioner. Generally, treatment is initiated with smaller dosages which are less than the optimum dose of the compound. Thereafter, the dosage is increased by small increments until the optimum effect under circumstances is reached. For convenience, the total daily dosage may be divided and administered in portions during the day, if desired. Doses can be given daily, or on alternate days, as determined by the treating physician. Doses can also be given on a regular or continuous basis over longer periods of time (weeks, months or years), such as through the use of a subdermal capsule, sachet or depot, or via a patch or pump.
• compositions can be administered to the patient in a variety of ways, including topically, parenterally, intravenously, intradermally, subcutaneously, intramuscularly, colonically, rectally or intraperitoneally.
• the pharmaceutical compositions are administered parenterally, topically, intravenously, intramuscularly, subcutaneously, orally, or nasally, such as via inhalation.
• the pharmaceutical compositions can be used alone, or in combination with other therapeutic or diagnostic agents.
• the additional drugs used in the combination protocols of the present invention can be
• one or more of the drugs used in the combination protocols can be administered together, such as in an admixture. Where one or more drugs are administered separately, the timing and schedule of administration of each drug can vary.
• the other therapeutic or diagnostic agents can be administered at the same time as the compounds of the present invention, separately or at different times.
• the present invention provides a method of imaging, including administering to a subject to be imaged, an effective amount of a nanocarrier of the present invention, wherein the nanocarrier includes an imaging agent.
• the method of treating and the method of imaging are accomplished simultaneously using a nanocarrier having both a drug and an imaging agent.
• Exemplary imaging agents include paramagnetic agents, optical probes, and radionuclides.
• Paramagnetic agents imaging agents that are magnetic under an externally applied field. Examples of paramagnetic agents include, but are not limited to, iron particles including nanoparticles.
• Optical probes are fluorescent compounds that can be detected by excitation at one wavelength of radiation and detection at a second, different, wavelength of radiation.
• Optical probes useful in the present invention include, but are not limited to, Cy5.5, Alexa 680, Cy5, DiD (l, -dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindodicarbocyanine perchlorate) and DiR (l, -dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindotricarbocyanine iodide).
• Other optical probes include quantum dots. Radionuclides are elements that undergo radioactive decay.
• Radionuclides useful in the present invention include, but are not limited to, 3 H, U C, 13 N, 18 F, 19 F, 60 Co, 64 Cu, 67 Cu, 68 Ga, 82 Rb, 90 Sr, 90 Y, 99 Tc, 99m Tc, m In, 123 I, 124 I, 125 I, 129 I, 131 I, 137 Cs, 177 Lu, 186 Re, 188 Re, 211 At, Rn, Ra, Th, U, Pu and 241 Am.
• the nanocarriers of the present invention can also be used to detect tumors.
• the porphyrin groups of the nanocarriers can emit light at a second wavelength after exposure to light at a first wavelength. The emitted light of the second wavelength can then be detected by methods known in the art.
• the nanocarriers useful for detection of tumors can include metal chelated to the porphyrins, or not include the metal.
• the present invention provides a method of detecting a tumor in a subject, including
• a nanocarrier of the present invention administering to the subject, an effective amount of a nanocarrier of the present invention, exposing the subject to radiation at a first wavelength, wherein the radiation excites porphyrins present on the nanocarrier such that the porphyrins emit radiation at a second wavelength, and detecting the radiation emitted by the excited porphyrins, thereby detecting the tumor.
• PLZ4 amino acid sequence: cQDGRMGFc in which upper case letters represent L- amino acids and lowercase letters represent unnatural D-cysteines used to cyclize and stabilize PLZ4
• cQDGRMGFc amino acid sequence: cQDGRMGFc in which upper case letters represent L- amino acids and lowercase letters represent unnatural D-cysteines used to cyclize and stabilize PLZ4
• telodendrimers were synthesized via solution-phase condensation reactions using Meo-PEG-NH 2 , Boc-NH-PEG-NH 2 , lysine, cholic acid and pyropheophorbide-a as building blocks as reported previously (Bioconjug Chem 21 , 1216-1224 (2010); Biomaterials 30, 6006-6016 (2009)).
• telodendrimers Synthesis of telodendrimers.
• the porphyrin/cholic acid hybrid telodendrimers were synthesized via solution-phase condensation reactions utilizing stepwise peptide chemistry.
• the NPs were formed by the self-assembly of these telodendrimers via a solvent- evaporation method 11 .
• the telodendrimers were characterized with respect to structure and molecular weight. NPs were characterized with respect of particle size, drug loading, stability, ROS production, absorbance, fluorescence and thermal properties.
• the representative porphyrin/cholic acid hybrid telodendrimer (PEG 5k -Por 4 -CA 4 , Figure 12 a, Figure 13) was synthesized via solution-phase condensation reactions from MeO-PEG- NH 2 utilizing stepwise peptide chemistry. Briefly, (Fmoc)Lys(Fmoc)-OH (3 eq.) was coupled onto the N terminus of PEG using DIC and HOBt as coupling reagents until a negative Kaiser test result was obtained, thereby indicating completion of the coupling reaction. PEGylated molecules were precipitated by adding cold ether and then washed with cold ether twice. Fmoc groups were removed by the treatment with 20%(v/v) 4-methylpiperidine in
• Cholic acid NHS ester 1 and pyropheophorbide-a were coupled to the terminal end of dendritic polylysine after the removal of Fmoc with 20%(v/v) 4-methylpiperidine and the removal of Boc groups with 50% (v/v) trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in dichloromethane (DCM), respectively.
• the telodendrimer solution was filtered and then dialyzed against 4 L water in a dialysis tube with MWCO of 3.5 KDa; reservoir water was refreshed completely four times in 24 h. Finally, the telodendrimer was lyophilized.
• the molecular weight of PEG 5k -Por 4 -CA 4 was collected on ABI 4700 MALDI TOF/TOF mass spectrometer (linear mode) using R-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid as a matrix.
• the mono- dispersed mass traces were detected for the telodendrimers, and the molecular weight of the telodendrimer from MALDI-TOF MS ( Figure 14) was almost identical to the theoretical value.
• 1H NMR spectra of the telodendrimers were recorded on an Avance 500 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer (Bruker) using DMSO-d6 and D20 as solvents. The concentration of the telodendrimers was kept at 5 x 10 "4 M for NMR measurements ( Figure 15).
• the thiolated pyropheophorbide-a telodendrimer (named as PEG 5k -Cys -Por 4 -CA 4 , Figure 16a, Figure 17) was synthesized by replacing 4 of the 8 cholic acids of our previously reported thiolated telodendrimer (PEG 5k -Cys 4 -L 8 -CA 8 ) using the same strategy 1 ' 2 .
• the molecular weight of PEG 5k -Cys 4 -Por 4 -CA 4 was collected on ABI 4700 MALDI TOF/TOF mass spectrometer (linear mode) using R-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid as a matrix.
• the mono-dispersed mass traces were detected for the starting PEG and the telodendrimers, and the molecular weights of the telodendrimers from MALDI-TOF MS ( Figure 18) were almost identical to the theoretical value.
• Example 2 Generation of metallic telodendrimers
• telodendrimers in methanol/chloroform for 1-5 hrs under nitrogen according to previously reported methods 6 ' 49 .
• Free metal was removed by column filtration with a molecular weight cut off of 3,500.
• the metal porphyrin- lipid was then aliquoted, dried and stored under argon at -20°C.
• PLZ4-conjugated telodendrimers (PLZ4-PEG 5k - CAg) were mixed with PEG 5k -Por 4 -CA 4 . After self-assembly, the more hydrophilic targeting PLZ4 ligands were displayed on the surface of micelles.
• nanoporphyrins were measured on a fluorescence spectrometry (SpectraMax M2, Molecular Devices, USA).
• the near infrared fluorescence of nanoporphyrin solutions ( ⁇ ) was scanned using a Kodak multimodal imaging system IS2000MM.
• the thermo property of nanoporphyrin solutions ( ⁇ ) was studies using a Flir thermal camera.
• the ROS production of nanoporphyrins was studied using 2',7'-Dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCF) as an indicator and compared with PBS.
• DCF 2',7'-Dichlorofluorescin diacetate
• Radiolabeling 64 CuCl 2 in 0.1 M HC1 (Washington University, MO, USA) was buffered with 1.0 M ammonium acetate to pH 7. PEG 5k -Por 4 -CA 4 telodendrimer was dissolved in methanol before adding a small volume of buffered 64 CuCl 2 . The radiolabeling solution was incubated for 30 min at room temperature. The methanol was evaporated and the film of telodendrimers was rehydrated with PBS to generate 64 Cu labeled NPs. Free 64 Cu was removed by centrifuged filtration using 3500 kDa cutoff Amicon centrifugal filter units (Millipore, Billerica, MA, USA), or alternatively, Micro Bio-Spin 6 columns (Bio-Rad,
• NPs were formed by the self-assembly of a novel class of hybrid amphiphilic polymers (called telodendrimer) comprised of linear polyethylene glycol (PEG) and dendritic oligomers of pyropheophorbide-a (Por, a porphyrin analogue) and cholic acid (CA) (Figure 12- Figure 15).
• PEG 5k -Por 4 -CA 4 a representative telodendrimer, is shown in Figure 12a.
• Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the NPs were spherical with a size of 20 nm ( Figure 12c).
• NPs have two absorption peaks, one at 405 nm and one in the near-infrared (NIR) range of 680 nm ( Figure 12d).
• PEG 5k -Por 4 - CA 4 has the intrinsic ability to chelate a variety of metal ions, such as copper (Cu(II)), palladium (Pd(II)), gadolinium (Gd(III)) and gallium (Ga(III)).
• Metal ion-loaded NPs generated by the self-assembly of these metal-telodendrimers in PBS, were found to exhibit a unique shift in the absorbance peak (650-690 nm) ( Figure 12d).
• Figure 12h compared the NIR fluorescence of NPs as a function of NP concentration, with or without addition of SDS (Figure 21). It is clear that NIR fluorescent signal of the NPs is greatly amplified upon micellar dissociation, which is expected to occur at tumor sites and/or inside the tumor cells.
• PEG 5k -CA 8 micelles 11"17 as a conventional micelle- based nanocarrier to physically encapsulate Por for comparison.
• NPs demonstrated 10 times more self-quenching than Por loaded PEG 5k -CAg micelles (NM-POR) with the same concentration of Por (Figure 22, Figure 23), indicating quenching was a distinct characteristic of Por molecules that were uniquely assembled in the core of a nanoporphyrin construct. Similar to the fluorescence property, NPs also possess architecture-dependent "on/off photodynamic transduction. The singlet oxygen generated by NPs in PBS after light irradiation was minimal but could be restored upon the addition of SDS (Figure 12i).
• NPs are highly self-quenched in PBS, energy is released in the form of heat instead of fluorescence and/or singlet-oxygen generation upon laser irradiation (Figure 12j,k).
• the temperature of the NP solution increased from 24 °C to 62 °C as NP concentrations increased from 0 to 1.0 mg/mL.
• NPs were dissociated in the presence of SDS and irradiated with the same dose of light, strong fluorescence but less significant increase in solution temperature was observed (Figure 12j,k).
• Doxorubicin was loaded into the micelles by the solvent evaporation method as described previously. Before the encapsulation of DOX into the polymeric micelles,
• DOX HC1 was stirred with 3 molar equivalent of triethylamine in chloroform
• telodendrimer along with different amount of neutralized DOX were first dissolved in CHC13/MeOH, mixed, and evaporated on rotavapor to obtain a homogeneous dry polymer film.
• the film was reconstituted in 1 mL phosphate buffered solution (PBS), followed by sonication for 30 min, allowing the sample film to disperse into micelle solution.
• PBS phosphate buffered solution
• hydrophobic NIRF dye DiD was encapsulated into some of the micelles using similar methods. Finally, the micelle formulation was filtered with 0.22 ⁇ filter to sterilize the sample.
• DOX-loaded micelles were diluted with DMSO (micelle solution/DMSO: 1 :9, v/v) to dissociate micelle nanoparticles and the fluorescence was measured by NanoDrop 2000 spectrophotometer (Thermo Scientific), wherein calibration curve was obtained using a series of DOX/DMSO standard solutions with different concentrations.
• DMSO micelle solution/DMSO: 1 :9, v/v
• Thermo Scientific NanoDrop 2000 spectrophotometer
• Hydrophobic drugs such as doxorubicin, paclitaxel, vincristine, bortezomib, sorafenib and 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin were loaded into nanoporphyrins using a similar method.
• drug-loaded nanoporphyrins were diluted with DMSO (nanoporphyrin solution/DMSO: 1 :9, v/v) to dissociate nanoparticles.
• the drug loading was analyzed on a HPLC system (Waters), wherein calibration curve was obtained using a series of drug/DMSO standard solutions with different concentrations.
• the drug loaded disulfide crosslinked nanoporphyrins were prepared via the same method followed the oxidation of the thiols to form intramicellar disulfide bonds. 2
• DOX release in human plasma NP-DOX solutions were prepared to determine the in vitro drug release profile in plasma. The initial DOX concentration was 1.0 mg/mL while the NP concentration was 10 mg/mL. NP alone and our reported standard micelles (with porphyrins) 11 with DOX at the same drug content were also prepared for comparison. When DOX was encapsulated in the core of NPs, the proximity between DOX and Por was within the FRET range allowing efficient energy transfer from DOX to Por molecules upon excitation of DOX at 480 nm ( Figure 16e,f). Upon excitation at 480 nm, the signal of NPs alone was much smaller in comparison with the corresponding FRET signal.
• the nanoparticle solutions were irradiated with light for 5 min or incubated in a water bath at fixed temperature in order to study the effect of light or temperature on the DOX loaded NPs.
• the stability study was performed to monitor the change in fluorescence and particle size of nanoporphyrins and disulfide crosslinked nanoporphyrins in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), which was reported to be able to efficiently break down polymeric micelles 4 .
• SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate
• An SDS solution (7.5 mg/mL) was added to aqueous solutions of nanoporphyrins (1.5 mg/mL). The final SDS concentration was 2.5 mg/mL and the micelle concentration was kept at 1.0 mg/mL.
• the fluorescence signal of the solutions was measured on a fluorescence spectrometry (SpectraMax M2, Molecular Devices, USA).
• the size and size distribution of the nanoporphyrin solutions was monitored at predetermined time intervals by DLS.
• the stability of the micelles was also evaluated in the presence of glutathione (GSH, 20 mM) together with SDS.
• GSH glutathione
• the stability of DOX-loaded NPs was further studied in 50% (v/v) plasma from healthy human volunteers. The mixture was incubated at physiological body temperature (37 °C) followed by size measurements at predetermined time intervals up to 48 hrs.
• NPs formed by PEG 5k -Por 4 -CA 4 could efficiently carry a variety of poorly water-soluble chemotherapeutic drugs and molecularly targeted drugs.
• chemotherapeutic agents doxorubicin, paclitaxel and vincristine
• molecularly targeted drugs such as proteasome inhibitor (bortezomib), tyrosine kinase inhibitor (sorafenib) and heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibitor (17-allylamino-17- demethoxygeldanamycin, 17AAG) could be readily incorporated into NPs resulting in significant increase in water solubility.
• the final particle sizes of the drug-loaded NPs were all around 12-20 nm, which were similar to those of empty NPs ( Figure 25).
• Blood is the first biological barrier for nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems via intravenous administration. Interaction with blood proteins and lipoproteins may cause the dissociation of nanoparticles and lead to premature drug release.
• reversible disulfide crosslinking strategy to the NP platform.
• Four cysteines were introduced to the oligolysine backbone of the telodendrimer to form PEG 5k -Cys 4 -Por 4 -CA 4 ( Figure 16a, Figure 18, Figure 27).
• the resulting NPs were then crosslinked via disulfide bond through oxidation of the thiol groups on the cysteines.
• the disulfide crosslinked NPs were completely broken down and the peak at 660 nm in the fluorescence emission spectra increased further to a similar value as that of non-crosslinked NPs in the presence of SDS (pink curve).
• the crosslinked NPs could also retain their particle size in SDS but could be dissociated with the addition of reducing agents (Figure 28).
• SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cell line and PC3 prostate cancer cell line were used to evaluate the photosensitizing function of NPs.
• Cells were treated with NPs for 24 or 72 hrs followed by light irradiation at 24 hrs after treatment. Cell viability was determined using WST-8 kit. The heat and ROS production was investigated at the time of irradiaton.
• SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cell lines were used to evaluate the photosensitizing function of NPs. We first treated the cancer cells with various concentrations of NPs or 5- aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), the traditional photodynamic diagnosis/therapy agent, for 24 hrs. After thorough washing, the cells were exposed to NIF light as indicated.
• 5- aminolevulinic acid 5-ALA
• Cell viability was determined using WST-8 proliferation kit 24 hrs after illumination.
• crosslinked NPs or DOX loaded crosslinked NPs, free DOX, and DOX loaded crosslinked micelles (without porphyrins) 5 were used to treat the cancer cells for 24 hrs. After three times of wash, cells were illuminated with light for 1 minute. Cell viability was determined by WST-8 after 24 hrs of incubation.
• the drugs were removed and replaced with fresh medium, and then the cells were exposed to NIR light for 2 min. Growth inhibition was measured using MTT assay after 72 hrs. Apoptosis was analyzed 24 hrs later using annexin V and PI staining. HIFla, survivin, AKT, STAT3 and Src levels were analyzed 12 hrs later using western blot and the corresponding antibodies.
• SKOV-3 cells were cultured on 8-well chamber slides and treated with or without NPs for 24 hrs. Two hours after treatment with light, the slide was stained with Hema3®.
• molecularly targeted drugs such as Hsp90 inhibitor 17AAG.
• a strong synergistic effect was observed with 17AAG loaded NPs (NP-AAG) in both androgen independent PC3 prostate cancer cells (Figure 3 Oh, bottom) and androgen dependent LNCAP prostate cancer cells ( Figure 31, left, bottom). Immortalized normal prostate cells RWPE1 are relative resistant to this therapy ( Figure 31, right).
• NP-AAG has greater effect to induce apoptosis in PC3 cells as measured by Annexin V and PI staining ( Figure 30i).
• the "soft" organic NPs could be used as a smart nanotransducer that could stay inactive in blood circulation but be activated to release heat and ROS at tumor site for simultaneous PTT/PDT using a portable, single wavelength NIR laser.
• the fluorescence of crosslinked NPs stayed quenched in blood after intravenous injection into mice bearing implanted tumor xenograft ( Figure 32).
• the ROS production of crosslinked NPs in blood was also minimal upon exposure with low dose of light (similar to the sun light at 690 nm received in daily life, 0.1 W/cm 2 ) ( Figure 33).
• NPs were found to generate significantly higher amount of ROS and caused 2.5 times temperature change at tumor site compared with NM-POR ( Figure 36, Figure 37).
• the simultaneous ROS and heat generation of NPs at tumor site could be attributed to the significant accumulation of NPs at tumor sites and partial dissociation at 24 hrs post-injection ( Figure 38d).
• the intact NPs are expected to be activated to generate heat while the dissociated NPs could be activated to produce ROS upon light irradiation.
• the above results suggested architecture dependent photonic properties of NPs could be utilized to minimize the unintended toxicity of photosensitizers in blood and deliver significantly higher amount of ROS and heat to tumor than comparable nanocarriers.
• Example 6 Treatment of human ovarian cancer and bladder cancer cells
• SKOV-3 human ovarian cancer cell lines and 5637 human bladder cancer cell lines were purchased from ATCC and maintained with the recommended medium.
• the dog bladder cancer cell line, K9TCC-Pu-In was originally developed and directly provided by Dr. Deborah Knapp at Purdue University in July, 2009. These cell lines were tested and authenticated using the morphology, immunohistochemistry, gene expression and tumorigenicity assays in Dr. Knapp's lab in 2009. Because these cells were obtained directly from Dr. Knapp, who performed cell line characterizations, and passaged in the user's laboratory for less than 6 months after resuscitation, re-authorization was not required. Cell uptake of nano-porphyrins
• canine urothelial cells were cultured in the complete medium (10% FBS in RPMI1640 with antibiotics) for 3 days until 60% confluence.
• Human bladder cell line 5637 was pre-stained with DiO (400nM) for 20 minutes and co-cultured in the same plate with urothelial cells overnight.
• DiO 400nM
• 2.2 ⁇ of PLZ4-NP was added and cell imaging was acquired by a Delta Vision imaging system.
• K9TCC-Pu-In and 5637 bladder cancer cell lines and SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cell lines were used to evaluate the photosensitizing function of nano-porphyrins.
• DOX loaded nanoporphyrins were used to treat the cancer cells followed by light exposure. The cells were also treated with telodendrimers and empty crosslinked micelles with different dilutions and incubated for total 72 h in the absence of light exposure in order to evaluate the dark toxicity and telodendrimer related toxicity.
• mice Female athymic nude mice (Nu/Nu strain), 6-8 weeks age, were purchased from Harlan (Livermore, CA). All animals were kept under pathogen- free conditions according to AAALAC guidelines and were allowed to acclimatize for at least 4 days prior to any experiments. All animal experiments were performed in compliance with institutional guidelines and according to protocol No. 07-13119 and No. 09-15584 approved by the Animal Use and Care Administrative Advisory Committee at the University of California, Davis.
• the subcutaneous xenograft model of ovarian cancer was established by injecting 7 l0 6 SKOV-3 ovarian cells in a 100 ⁇ , of mixture of PBS and Matrigel (1 : 1 v/v) subcutaneously into the right flank of female nude mice.
• mice were subjected to in vivo NIRF optical imaging.
• mice were scanned using a Kodak multimodal imaging system IS2000MM with an excitation bandpass filter at 625 nm and an emission at 700 nm.
• the mice were anaesthetized by intraperitoneal injection of pentobarbital (60 mg/kg) before each imaging.
• animals were euthanized by C0 2 overdose at 24, 48 and 72 h after injection.
• NIRF imaging studies was performed in the orthotopic xenograft model in NSG mice. Briefly, female NSG mice bearing orthotopic human bladder cancers or normal NSG mice were intravesically injected with 30 ⁇ of PLZ4-NP via urethra under general anesthesia. After 2 hr of incubation, the bladder was isolated for whole body in vivo imaging using Kodak imaging system.
• mice Female athymic nude mice (Nu/Nu strain), 6-8 weeks age, were purchased from Harlan (Livermore, CA). Those mice were known to spontanously developed mammary cancers at ages of 4-40 months. All animals were kept under pathogen-free conditions according to AAALAC guidelines and were allowed to acclimatize for at least 4 days prior to any experiments. All animal experiments were performed in compliance with institutional guidelines and according to protocol No. 07-131 19 and No. 09-15584 approved by the Animal Use and Care Administrative Advisory Committee at the University of California, Davis.
• the subcutaneous xenograft model of ovarian cancer was established by injecting 2 10 6 SKOV-3 ovarian cells or A549 lung cancer cells in a 100 ⁇ iL of mixture of PBS and Matrigel (1 : 1 v/v) subcutaneously into the right flank of female nude mice.
• NIRF optical imaging After transgenic mice (10-12 weeks) and nude mice developed established tumors (6-10 mm in diameter), they were subjected to in vivo NIRF optical imaging by injecting 100 of NPs via tail vein. At different time points post- injection of NPs, mice were scanned using a Kodak multimodal imaging system IS2000MM with an excitation bandpass filter at 625/20 nm and an emission at 700/35 nm under anaesthesia. After in vivo imaging, animals were euthanized. Tumors and major organs were excised and imaged with the Kodak imaging station. To monitor the kinetics of
• SKOV-3 tumor-bearing mice were given 100 ⁇ _, of crosslinked NPs via tail vein and euthanized at 1 , 24, or 48 hrs. Right before euthanasia, Dextran-FITC solution was injected intravenously to locate blood vessel. Tumors were harvested and fixed in the cold formalin on ice. A fresh cross-section was made for Large- Scale-Imaging (LSI) laser scanning confocal microscope imaging. Additionally, lungs with metastatic lesions were also collected from older transgenic mice (20-24 weeks) and fixed in cold formalin for one hour. The lung surface was imaged by LSI laser scanning confocal microscopy. After imaging, lungs were subjected to histopathological evaluation. In some cases, the blood of the mice were drawn and measured at predetermined time points.
• LSI Large- Scale-Imaging
• PET was performed on nude mice bearing SKOV-3 ovarian cancer xenografts post-injection of 64 Cu-labeled NPs (150-200 ⁇ xL, 64 Cu dose: 0.6-0.8 mCi) on a small-animal microPET system (Siemens Inveon D-PET).
• PET-MRI was performed on a small-animal microPET system (Siemens Inveon D- PET) and a Bruker Biospec 7T MRI scanner.
• Nude mice bearing A549 lung cancer xenografts were placed on a movable bed that fits into both scanners in order to facilitate co- registration of the PET and MR images.
• mice After tail vein injection of 64 Cu and Gd dual-labeled NPs (150-200 nL, 64 Cu dose: 0.6-0.8 mCi, Gd dose: 0.015-0.02 mmole/kg), the mice were imaged under anesthesia (2% isoflurane in oxygen at 2L/min) at 4 or 24 hrs post-injection. Amide software was used to co-register the PET and MR images. Results
• NPs and disulfide crosslinked NPs are around 20-30 nm ( Figure 12c, Figure 16b), which is an optimal range for tumor targeting and penetration 11 ' 14 ' 20 .
• crosslinked NPs are particularly suitable to be used as activatable optical nanoprobes to increase the sensitivity of NIRFI for improved cancer detection through background suppression in blood, preferential accumulation and signal amplification at tumor site.
• the crosslinked NPs could stay silent (or in the OFF state) with minimum background fluorescence signals in blood circulation ( Figure 38a, lower panel).
• Crosslinked NPs showed significantly higher tumor accumulation than non-crosslinked NPs at 24 hrs post-injection (Figure 38a).
• Ex vivo imaging at 24 hrs post-injection showed both non-crosslinked and crosslinked NPs had superior fluorescence signal in tumors compared to normal organs ( Figure 38b).
• the average fluorescence of crosslinked NPs at tumor site was 15 times higher than that in muscle of the same group of mice and 3 times higher than that of non-crosslinked NPs at tumor site ( Figure 38c).
• the differential fluorescent signal between the crosslinked NPs and non-crosslinked NPs can be explained by the stability of the former construct in the circulation and therefore higher uptake into the tumor.
• Figure 38d shows projection images of the intra-tumoral distribution of the crosslinked NPs (red).
• the tumor blood vessels (BV) were labelled with Dextran-FITC (green).
• the overall NIRF signal from NPs was very low inside the tumor tissue at 1 hr post- injection ( Figure 38d, left).
• Significant NIRF signal was observed surrounding the blood vessels (green) at 24 hrs ( Figure 38d, middle), indicating the accumulation and partial dissociation of NPs into tumor tissue around BV.
• NPs signals diffusedly distributed throughout the entire tumor implying their excellent tissue penetration and dissociation ability ( Figure 38d, right).
• Tumor volume was calculated by (L*W 2 )/2, where L is the longest, and W is the shortest tumor diameter (mm).
• L is the longest
• W is the shortest tumor diameter (mm).
• Ex vivo imaging further confirmed the preferential uptake of the NPs in all the nine excised breast tumors compared to normal organs after 24 hrs. It should be mentioned that even small tumors (around 18 mm 3 in volume) at the mammary fat pad have very strong NIRF signal from NPs (Figure 38e), indicating NPs could be potentially used for the detection of early stage breast cancers.
• the NPs have intrinsic ability to chelate Gd(III) (Figure 12d,f) and possess architecture-dependent magnetic resonance property which allow them to be used as activatable contrast agents for sensitive and tumor-specific MRI. Similar to the fluorescence measurements in Figure 12g,h, there is minimal MRI signal enhancement when the Gd-NPs retain their integrity in PBS ( Figure 41a).This is likely due to the stacking of Gd/Por at the interface between the hydrophobic core and hydrophilic corona ( Figure 12f), thus shielding Gd(III) from interacting with protons in water.
• NPs have intrinsic capacity to incorporate radiotracers for applications as PET nanoprobes.
• a radiotracer 64 Cu(II)
• 64 Cu(II) 64 Cu(II)
• Dual-labeled NPs could significantly enhance the MRI contrast and PET signal at the tumor site at 24 hrs post- injection ( Figure 41d,e).
• the heterogeneity of the tumor and the inhomogeneous distribution of NPs in the tumor were non-invasively revealed by PET-MRI ( Figure 41e).
• Tg(MMTV-PyVmT) and nude mice bearing SKOV-3 ovarian cancer xenograft were used for the in vivo therapeutic studies.
• tumor volumes reached 4-5 mm in transgenic mice, crosslinked NPs with and without 2.5 mg/kg DOX were injected via tail vein once per week for 3 doses.
• tumors were illuminated with a diode laser system (Applied Optronics, Newport, CT) at 690 nm under general anaesthesia.
• the light dose was 1.25 W crrf 2 for 2 minutes through an optical fiber producing a 0.8 cm 2 beam spot to cover the whole tumor.
• Tumor temperatures were recorded with an infrared camera (Flir).
• Intratumoral ROS production after irradiation was measured using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCF) mixed with 100 ⁇ _, of tissue lysates derived from tumors treated with NPs and PBS.
• DCF 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate
• Tumor volume was measured twice a week and mice were sacrificed once tumor size reached 1000 mm 3 . Tumors were harvested for histopatho logical evaluation 24 hours post-irradiation.
• the SKOV-3 ovarian cancer xenograft model was established by injecting one million cells subcutaneously at lower flank area.
• mice received PBS, 2.5 mg/kg DOX, and crosslinked NPs with and without 2.5 mg/kg DOX every 3 days for 3 doses.
• 0.2 W crrf 2 of laser light was given for 2 min after dose 1 and 3.
• Tumor sizes and body weight were measured twice a week, while mice were monitored daily for potential signs of toxicity.
• Two days after the last dose, CBC and serum chemistry were performed.
• One mouse from each group was also sacrificed and major organs were harvested for histopathology evaluation.
• Statistical analysis was performed by Student's t-test for two groups, and one-way ANOVA for multiple groups. All results were expressed as the mean ⁇ standard error (SEM) unless otherwise noted. A value of P ⁇ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
• photosensitizers have poor selectivity between tumor and normal tissues, resulting in limited efficacy and photo-toxicity to normal tissue 37"41 ; 2) photo-therapy mediated oxidative stress induces the expression of pro-survival and angiogenic signalling molecules such as survivin, Akt, hypoxia inducible factor l (HIF-la), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in tumor microenvironment which can negatively impact
• Nanocarriers such as micelles and liposomes have been used for targeted delivery of photosensitizers to tumor for photo- therapy 6 ' 44 .
• the tumor targeting specificity of these nanocarriers was not as good as expected probably due to the in vivo instability and nonspecific targeting in normal tissue 44 .
• a novel class of organic porphysome nanovesicles 6 has been reported as multifunctional biophotonic agents to efficiently transduce light to heat for PTT.
• porphysomes tend to have high liver and spleen accumulation in part due to their relatively large size (-100 nm), resulting in nonspecific clearance by the reticuloendothelial system (RES) n ' 14 ' 20 .
• RES reticuloendothelial system
• cross-linked NPs showed extremely low liver and spleen uptake and high tumor targeting specificity ( Figure 38b,c). It is expected that crosslinked NPs could be used to minimize the photo- toxicity of the photosensitizers and greatly enhance the efficacy of photo-therapy.
• Histopathology revealed large areas of severe tissue damage, such as cellular destruction and apoptosis at 24 hrs after irradiation (Figure 43 e) evidenced by positive TUNEL results and cleaved caspase3 immuno-reactivity (Figure 44). Those changes could be attributed to both effects from heat and ROS production ( Figure 43a,c,d).
• crosslinked nanoporphyrins could be used as programmable releasing nanocarriers that minimized the drug release in human plasma but could be triggered to release the drug content by light exposure and intracellular reducing agents.
• drug loaded and crosslinked NPs are expected be activated to release singlet oxygen, heat and drugs simultaneously at the tumor sites for simultaneous PTT/PDT and chemotherapy.
• NP-mediated PTT/PDT could significantly inhibit tumor growth with a light dose of 1.25 W crrf 2 for 2 min once per week when compared to the PBS control group and NM-DOX group.
• the treated tumors were completely eliminated on day 12 with ulceration ( Figure 43 f). No palpable tumors were detected even at day 32 ( Figure 43g).
• CNP-DOX mediated combination therapy of PTT/PDT with DOX showed similar efficacy ( Figure 43f,g).

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