Methods for preparing multivalent constructs for therapeutic and diagnostic applications and methods of preparing the same

1. A method for preparing a heterodimer comprising the formula:

A-B-C-D-E-B′-F

wherein A is a first peptide,

B is a first branching group,

C is an optional first spacer,

D is a linker comprising glutaric acid,

E is an optional second spacer which may be the same as or different from said first spacer C,

B′ is an optional second branching group which may be the same as or different from said first branching group B, and

F is a second peptide which is different from said first peptide A; said method comprising the steps of:

(a) covalently bonding A and B and optionally C;

(b) activating the linker D;

(c) reacting an excess of the activated linker D with the product of (a);

(d) removing any excess activated linker D;

(e) covalently bonding F optionally conjugated to B′ and/or E.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the activated linker D comprises a glutaric acid bis N-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester or a derivative thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising the step of attaching a first reporter-sp group to one of said branching group B or B′.

4. The method of claim 3 , comprising the step of attaching a second reporter-sp to the other of said branching group B or B′ to which the first reporter-sp group was not attached.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first peptide A and said second peptide F are connected from C-terminus to C-terminus.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first peptide A and said second peptide F are connected from N-terminus to C-terminus.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first peptide A and said second peptide F are connected from C-terminus to N-terminus.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first peptide A and said second peptide F are connected from N-terminus to N-terminus.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first peptide A and the second peptide F are different targeting peptides.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first peptide A and the second peptide F target different epitopes of the same target.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first peptide A and the second peptide F target different epitopes of the same receptor.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said receptor is KDR.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein said receptor is cMET.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first peptide A or said second peptide F is selected from the group consisting of the following:

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK(BiotinJJ-K)—NH 2

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTJK(DOTAJJ-K)—NH 2

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTJK(JJ)-NH 2

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK[K(ivDde)]—NH 2

Ac—VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK(Biotin-JJK)—NH 2

Ac—VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK(JJ)-NH 2

Ac-AQDWYYDEILSMADQLRHAFLSGGGGGK(ivDde)K(Biotin-JJ)-NH 2

Ac-AQDWYYDEILSMADQLRHAFLSGGGGGK(J)-NH 2

Ac-AQDWYYDEILSMADQLRHAFLSGGGGGKK(ivDde)

Ac-GDSRVC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK(JJ)-NH 2

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK[(PnAO6-C(═O)(CH 2 ) 3 C(═O)—K]—NH 2

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK[(DOTA-JJK(iV-Dde)]-NH 2

Ac—VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK—NH 2

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK[K(BOA)]—NH 2

Ac-AQDWYYDEILSMADQLRHAFLSGGGGGK[PnAO6-C(═O)(CH 2 ) 3 C(═O)—K(iV-Dde)]-NH 2

AQDWYYEILJGRGGRGGRGGK

Ac-AQDWYYEILJGRGGRGGRGGK[K(ivDde)]-NH 2

APGTWCDYDWEYCWLGTFGGGK

Ac-APGTWC*DYDWEYC*WLGTFGGGK[(6PnAO—C(═O)(CH 2 ) 3 C(═O)—K]—NH 2

GVDFRCEWSDWGEVGCRSPDYGGGK

Ac-GVDFRC*EWSDWGEVGC*RSPDYGGGK(JJ)-NH 2

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK(Biotin-K)—NH 2

JJAGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK(iV-Dde)-NH 2

JJVC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGG-NH 2

[-JJAGPTWCEDDWYYCWLFGTGGGGK(PnAO6-Glut)-NH 2 ]—

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK[K(SATA)]-NH 2

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK[SATA-JJ-K]—NH 2

H 2 N-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK[K(iV-Dde)]-NH 2

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK{Biotin-JJK[NH 2 -Ser(GalNAc-alpha-D)-Gly-Ser(GalNAc 3 -alpha-D]}-NH 2

Ac—VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK(NH 2 -Ser(GalNAc-alpha-D)-Gly-Ser(GalNAc-alpha-D)-NH 2

GSPEMCMMFPFLYPCNHHAPGGGK

Ac-GSPEMC*MMFPFLYPC*NHHAPGGGK[(PnAO6)-C(═O)(CH 2 ) 3 C(═O)—K]}—NH 2

GSFFPCWRIDRFGYCHANAPGGGK

Ac-GSFFPC*WRIDRFGYC*HANAPGGGK(JJ)-NH 2

Ac-GSFFPC*WRIDRFGYC*HANAPGGGK[(PnAO6)-C(═O)(CH 2 ) 3 C(═O)—K]}—NH 2

AQEWEREYFVDGFWGSWFGIPHGGGK

Ac-AQEWEREYFVDGFWGSWFGIPHGGGK(JJ)-NH 2 .

GDYSECFFEPDSFEVKCYDRDPGGGK

Ac-GDYSEC*FFEPDSFEVKC*YDRDPGGGK(JJ)-NH 2 ;

wherein ivDde and iv-Dde are 1-(4,4-dimethyl-2,6-dioxocyclohex-1-ylidene)-3-methylbutyl, 6PnAO and PnAO6 are propylene amine oxime substituted in position 6, BOA is (1R)-1-(Bis{2-[bis(carboxymethyl)amino]ethyl}amino)propane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid and J is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoyl.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein either one or both of said first peptide A and said second peptide F are disulfide peptides.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first peptide A comprises 3-50 (D or L)-alpha amino acids with or without disulfide linkages, which are joined via an amide bond to said first spacer C by an amino group provided by said first branching group B.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or both of said first peptide A and said second peptide F is selected from the group consisting of a linear peptide, a cyclic disulfide peptide, a disulfide bond mimetic cyclic peptide, a peptidomimetic (whether linear or cyclic), a small molecule, a cyclic lactam peptide and a cyclic peptide lactone.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or both of said first branching group B and said second branching group B′ is a lysine, ornithine, aspartic acid or glutamic acid, or a derivative thereof.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first spacer C is present.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein said first spacer C comprises one or more amino acids.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein said first spacer C comprises one or more of the following:

(a) Gly

(b) Ser-Gly-Ser

(c) Ser(S)-Gly-Ser(S)

wherein the group S comprises a hydrophilic function such as a sugar moiety which may be selected from N-acetylgalactoseamine, D-(+)-allose, D-(+)-altrose, D-(+)-glucose, D-(+)-mannose, D-(−)-glucose, D-(+)-idose, D-(+)-galactose, D-(+)-talose, D-(+)-ribose, D-(−)-arabinose, D-(+)-xylose or D-(−)-lyxose and the linkage of the serine side-chain oxygen and the sugar is via the anomeric carbon;

(d) 8-amino-3,5-dioxaoctanoic acid

(e) 8-(8-amino-3,5-dioxaoctanoyl)amino-3,5-dioxaoctanoic acid or 9,17-diamino-10-oxo-3,6,12,15-tetraoxaheptadecanoic acid

(f) 4-aminobenzoic acid

(g) 4-aminomethylbenzoic acid

(h) 4′-amino-4-biphenylcarboxylic acid

(i) 4′-aminomethyl-4-biphenylcarboxylic acid

(j) 4-mercaptobutyric acid

(k) 2-mercaptoacetic acid

(l) Cysteine

(m) 4-(2-pyridydithio) butyric acid

(n) 2-pyridyldithioacetic acid

(o) Cysteine-2-thiopyridyldisulfide

(p) 2-aminoethyl-2-pyridyldissulfide.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein both a first spacer C and a second spacer E are present.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein said second spacer E comprises one or more of the following:

(a) Gly

(b) Ser-Gly-Ser

(c) Ser(S)-Gly-Ser(S)

wherein the group S comprises a hydrophilic function such as a sugar moiety which may be selected from N-acetylgalactoseamine, D-(+)-allose, D-(+)-altrose, D-(+)-glucose, D-(+)-mannose, D-(−)-glucose, D-(−)-idose, D-(+)-galactose, D-(−)-talose, D-(−)-ribose, D-(−)-arabinose, D-(+)-xylose or D-(−)-lyxose and the linkage of the serine side-chain oxygen and the sugar is via the anomeric carbon;

(d) 8-amino-3,5-dioxaoctanoic acid

(e) 8-(8-amino-3,5-dioxaoctanoyl)amino-3,5-dioxaoctanoic acid or 9,17-diamino-10-oxo-3,6,12,15-tetraoxaheptadecanoic acid

(f) 4-aminobenzoic acid

(g) 4-aminomethylbenzoic acid

(h) 4′-amino-4-biphenylcarboxylic acid

(i) 4′-aminomethyl-4-biphenylcarboxylic acid

(j) 4-mercaptobutyric acid

(k) 2-mercaptoacetic acid

(l) Cysteine

(m) 4-(2-pyridydithio) butyric acid

(n) 2-pyridyldithioacetic acid

(o) Cysteine-2-thiopyridyldisulfide

(p) 2-aminoethyl-2-pyridyldissulfide.

24. The method of claim 3 , wherein said first reporter-sp group comprises a phospholipid or lipid moiety.

25. The method of claim 4 , wherein either or both of said first or second reporter-sp group comprises a phospholipid or lipid moiety.

26. The method of claim 3 , wherein said first reporter-sp group comprises a diamagnetic or magnetic metal chelate, a metal chelator system, a radiometal chelating system, a radioisotope-labeled molecule, a dye molecule, a fluorescent molecule, a phosphorescent molecule, a molecule absorbing in the UV spectrum, a molecule capable of absorption of near or far infrared radiation; or a molecule or supramolecular construct that absorbs and/or emits x-rays, gamma rays, beta particles, alpha particles, ultrasounds, optical or magnetic signals.

27. The method of claim 4 , wherein either or both of said first or second reporter-sp group comprises a diamagnetic or magnetic metal chelate, a metal chelator system, a radiometal chelating system, a radioisotope-labeled molecule, a dye molecule, a fluorescent molecule, a phosphorescent molecule, a molecule absorbing in the UV spectrum, a molecule capable of absorption of near or far infrared radiation; or a molecule or supramolecular construct that absorbs and/or emits x-rays, gamma rays, beta particles, alpha particles, ultrasounds, optical or magnetic signals.

28. The method of claim 3 , wherein said reporter-sp group possesses the capability to act as a therapeutic.

29. The method of claim 4 , wherein either or both of said first or second reporter-sp group possesses the capability to act as a therapeutic.

30. The method of claim 3 , wherein said reporter-sp group possesses the capability to act as a toxin employed for selective killing and/or inhibiting the growth of cancer cells or normal tissue.

31. The method of claim 4 , wherein either or both of said first or second reporter-sp group possesses the capability to act as a toxin employed for selective killing and/or inhibiting the growth of cancer cells or normal tissue.

32. The method of claim 4 , comprising the step of attaching at least a third reporter-sp group to either the first branching group B or the second branching group B′.

33. The method of claim 2 , wherein the heterodimer produced is selected from the group consisting of the following:

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK[(Biotin-JJK—(O═)C(CH 2 ) 3 C(═O)-JJ-NH(CH 2 ) 4 —(S)—CH((Ac—VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGG)-NH)CONH 2 ]—NH2: D1

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTJK[DOTA-JJK-(O═)C(CH 2 ) 3 C(═O)-JJ-NH(CH 2 ) 4 —(S)—CH((Ac—VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGG)-NH)CONH 2 ]—NH 2 : D4

Ac-VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK(JJ-C(═O)(CH 2 ) 3 C(═O)—K—NH(CH 2 ) 4 —(S)—CH((Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGG)-NH)CONH 2 )—NH 2 : D5

Ac-AGPKWC*EEDWYYC*MITGTGGGK(Ac GDSRVC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK(—(O—)C(CH 2 CH 2 O) 4 CH 2 CH 2 NHC(═O)(CH 2 ) 3 C(═O)NHCH 2 CH 2 (OCH 2 CH 2 ) 4 C(═O)—)NH 2 )NH 2 : D7

Ac-AQDWYYDEILSMADQLRHAFLSGGGGGK{[Ac-GDSRVC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK(JJ-Glut-)]-NH 2 }K—NH 2 : D9

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK{[Ac-GDSRVC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK(JJ-Glut-NH(CH 2 ) 4 —(S)—CH(PnAO6-Glut-NH)(C═O—)]—NH 2 }—NH 2 : D10

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK{Ac-VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK[JJ-Glut-NH(CH 2 ) 4 —(S)—CH(DOTA-JJ-NH-)(C═O)—]—NH 2 }—NH 2 : D11

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK{Ac-VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK[JJ-Glut-K(BOA)]-NH 2 }—NH 2 : D13

Ac-AQDWYYDEILSMADQLRHAFLSGGGGGK{PnAO6-Glut-K[Ac-GSDRVC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK(JJ-Glut)-NH 2 ]}—NH 2 : D14

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK{[[Ac-GDSRVC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGKJJ-Glut]-NH 2 ]—K(PnAO6-Glut)}-NH 2 : D15

Ac-AQDWYYDEILJGRGGRGGRGGK{K[Ac-VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK(JJ-Glut)-NH 2 ]}—NH 2 : D17

Ac-APGTWC*DYDWEYC*WLGTFGGGK{PnAO6-Glut-K[Ac-GVDFRC*EWSDWGEVGC*RSPDYGGGK(JJ-Glut)-NH 2 ]}—NH 2 : D18

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK{Biotin-K[Ac—VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK(JJ-Glut)-NH 2 ]}—NH 2 : D19

(-JJAGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK—NH 2 )-Glut-JJVC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGG-NH 2 : D20

[-JJAGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK(PnAO6-Glut)-NH 2 ]-Glut-JJVC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGG-NH 2 : D21

Ac-GDSRVC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK{JJ-Glut-JJ-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK—NH 2 }—NH 2 : D22

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK{Ac—VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK[JJ-Glut-K(SATA)]NH 2 }—NH 2 : D23

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK{SATA-JJK[Ac—VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK(JJ-Glut)-NH 2 ]}—NH 2 : D24

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK{Ac-GDSRVC*WEDSWGGEVC *FRYDPGGGK[JJ-Glut-NH(CH 2 )4-(S)—CH(NH 2 )C(═O)—]—NH 2 }—NH 2 : D25

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK{(Glut-JJ-VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGG-NH 2 )—K}—NH 2 : D26

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK{Ac-VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK[S(GalNAc-alpha-D)-G-S(GalNAc-alpha-D)-Glut-S(GalNAc-alpha-D)-G-S(GalNAc-alpha-D)-NH(CH 2 ) 4 —(S)—CH(Biotin-JJNH—)C(═O)—]—NH 2 }—NH 2 : D27

Ac-GSPEMC*MMFPFLYPC*NHHAPGGGK{PnAO6-Glut-K[Ac-GSFFPC*WRIDRFGYC*HANAPGGGKJJ-Glut]-NH 2 }—NH 2 : D28

Ac-GSFFPC*WRIDRFGYC*HANAPGGGK{PnAO6-Glut-K[Ac-AQEWEREYFVDGFWGSWFGIPHGGGK(JJ-Glut)-NH 2 ]}—NH 2 : D29

Ac-GSPEMC*MMFPFLYPC*NHHAPGGGK{PnAO6-Glut-K[Ac-GDYSEC*FFEPDSFEVKC*YDRDPGGGK(JJ-Glut)-NH 2 ]}—NH 2 : D30

Ac—VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK{[PnAO6-Glut-K(-Glut-JJ-NH(CH 2 ) 4 —(S)—CH(Ac-AQDWYYDEILJGRGGRGGRGG-NH)C(═O)NH 2 ]—NH 2 }—NH 2 : D32

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK[Ac—VC*WED SWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK[SGS-Glut-SGS—(S)—NH(CH 2 ) 4 —CH(Btn-JJ-NH)—C(═O)]—NH 2 ]—NH 2 : D33, wherein ivDde and iv-Dde are 1-(4,4-dimethyl-2,6-dioxocyclohex-1-ylidene)-3-methylbutyl, 6PnAO and PnAO6 are propylene amine oxime substituted in position 6, BOA is (1R)-1-(Bis{2-[bis(carboxymethyl)amino]ethyl}amino)propane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid and J is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoyl.

34. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heterodimer produced is the following:

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK{[PnAO6-Glut-K(Ac—VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK(—C(═O)CH 2 (OCH 2 CH 2 ) 2 OCH 2 C(═O)—)—NH 2 ]}—NH 2 : D12 wherein PnAO 6 is propylene amine oxime substituted in position 6.

35. A method for preparing a heterodimer comprising the formula:

A-B-C-D-E-B′-F

wherein A is a first peptide,

B is a first branching group,

C is an optional first spacer,

D is a linker comprising glutaric acid;

E is an optional second spacer which may be the same as or different from said first spacer C,

B′ is an optional second branching group which may be the same as or different from said first branching group B, and

F is a second peptide which is different from said first peptide A; said method comprising the steps of:

(a) covalently bonding A and B and optionally C;

(b) activating the linker D;

(c) reacting an excess of the activated linker D with the product of (a);

(d) removing any excess activated linker D;

(e) covalently bonding F optionally conjugated to B′ and/or E

wherein said first peptide A and said second peptide F are selected from the group consisting of the following:

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK(BiotinJJ-K)—NH 2

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTJK(DOTAJJ-K)—NH 2

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTJK(JJ)-NH 2

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGKI[K(ivDde)]-NH 2

Ac-VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK(Biotin-JJK)—NH 2

Ac-VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK(JJ)-NH 2

Ac-AQDWYYDEILSMADQLRHAFLSGGGGGK(ivDde)K(Biotin-JJ)-NH 2

Ac-AQDWYYDEILSMADQLRHAFLSGGGGGK(J)-NH 2

Ac-AQDWYYDEILSMADQLRHAFLS GGGGGKK(ivDde)

Ac-GDSRVC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK(JJ)-NH 2

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK[PnAO6-C(═O)(CH 2 ) 3 C(═O)—K]—NH 2

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK[(DOTA-JJK(iV-Dde)]-NH 2

Ac-VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK-NH 2

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK[K(BOA)]-NH 2

Ac-AQDWYYDEILSMADQLRHAFLSGGGGGK[PnAO6-C(═O)(CH 2 ) 3 C(═O)—K(iV-Dde)]-NH 2

AQDWYYEILJGRGGRGGRGGK

Ac-AQDWYYEILJGRGGRGGRGGK[K(ivDde)]-NH 2

APGTWCDYDWEYCWLGTFGGGK

Ac-APGTWC*DYDWEYC*WLGTFGGGK[(6PnAO—C(═O)(CH 2 ) 3 C(═O)—K]—NH 2

GVDFRCEWSDWGEVGCRSPDYGGGK

Ac-GVDFRC*EWSDWGEVGC*RSPDYGGGK(JJ)-NH 2

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK(Biotin-K)—NH 2

JJAGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK(iV-Dde)-NH 2

JJVC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGG-NH 2

[-JJAGPTWCEDDWYYCWLFGTGGGGK(PnAO6-Glut)-NH 2 ]—

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK[K(SATA)]-NH 2

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK[SATA-JJ-K]-NH 2

H 2 N-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK[K(iV-Dde)]-NH 2

Ac-AGPTWC*EDDWYYC*WLFGTGGGK{Biotin-JJK[NH 2 -Ser(GalNAc- alpha-D)-Gly-Ser(GalNAc 3 -alpha-D]}-NH 2

Ac-VC*WEDSWGGEVC*FRYDPGGGK(NH 2 -Ser(GalNAc-alpha-D)-Gly-Ser(GalNAc-alpha-D)-NH 2

GSPEMCMMFPFLYPCNHHAPGGGK

Ac-GSPEMC*MMFPFLYPC*NHHAPGGGK[(PnAO6)-C(═O)(CH 2 ) 3 C(═O)—K]}—NH 2

GSFFPCWRIDRFGYCHANAPGGGK

Ac-GSFFPC*WRIDRFGYC*HANAPGGGK(JJ)-NH 2

Ac-GSFFPC*WRIDRFGYC*HANAPGGGK[(PnAO6)-C(═O)(CH 2 ) 3 C(═O)—K]}—NH 2

AQEWEREYFVDGFWGSWFGIPHGGGK

Ac-AQEWEREYFVDGFWGSWFGIPHGGGK(JJ)-NH 2.

GDYSECFFEPDSFEVKCYDRDPGGGK

Ac-GDYSEC*FFEPDSFEVKC*YDRDPGGGK(JJ)-NH 2

wherein ivDde and iv-Dde are 1-(4,4-dimethyl-2,6-dioxocyclohex-1-ylidene)-3-methylbutyl, 6PnAO and PnAO6 are propylene amine oxime substituted in position 6, BOA is (1R)-1-(Bis{2-[bis(carboxymethyl)amino]ethyl}amino)propane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid, and J is 8-amino-3,6-dioxaoctanoyl.

36. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first branching group B, taken together with said first peptide A is selected from the group consisting of the following:

37. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first branching group B, taken together with said first peptide A is selected from the group consisting of the following:

38. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first branching group B, taken together with said first peptide A is selected from the group consisting of the following:

39. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first branching group B, taken together with said first peptide A is selected from the group consisting of the following:

40. The method of claim 1 , wherein said second branching group B′, taken together with said second peptide F, is selected from the group consisting of the following:

41. The method of claim 1 , wherein said second branching group B′, taken together with said second peptide F, is selected from the group consisting of the following: