Albumin-binding conjugates comprising a fatty acid and PEG

1. An albumin-binding compound comprising a spacer group, a water-soluble bridging group, a fatty acid chain and an acidic group wherein the water-soluble bridging group is disposed between the spacer group and the fatty acid chain, the fatty acid chain is disposed between the water-soluble group and the acidic group, and the acidic group is attached to the distal end of the compound.

2. An albumin-binding compound according to claim 1 to which one or more biologically active moieties are attached.

3. An albumin-binding compound according to claim 2 selected from a compound of formula (I), (II), (III) and (IV):

wherein:

Z, Z 1 and Z 2 each independently represent the residue of a biologically active moiety;

L, L 1 and L 2 each independently represent a spacer group;

Y, Y 1 and Y 2 each independently represent a covalent bond or —(CH 2 ) y —;

B, B 1 and B 2 each independently represent a covalent bond, —CONH—, —NHCO—, —CO—, —OC(O)N(R 2 )—, —N(R 2 )C(O)O— or —NHCONH—;

V 1 and V 2 each independently represent a covalent bond or —(CH 2 ) v —;

X 1 and X 2 each independently represent CR 1 or N;

M 1 represents a covalent bond or —(CH 2 ) m —;

W 1 and W 2 each independently represent a covalent bond or —(CH 2 ) w —;

A 1 and A 2 each independently represent —CONH—, —NHCO—, —CO—, —OC(O)N(R 2 )—, —N(R 2 )C(O)O— or —NHCONH—;

E, E 1 and E 2 each independently represent a covalent bond or —(CH 2 ) e —;

P, P 1 and P 2 each independently represent a water-soluble bridging group;

T, T 1 and T 2 each independently represent a covalent bond or a linker group;

F, F 1 and F 2 each independently represent a fatty acid chain;

Q, Q 1 and Q 2 each independently represent an acidic group;

R 1 represents hydrogen or C 1-4 alkyl;

R 2 represents hydrogen or C 1-4 alkyl;

e is 1, 2, 3 or 4;

v is 1, 2, 3 or 4;

w is 1, 2, 3 or 4;

y is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6; and

m is 1, 2 or 3.

4. An albumin-binding compound according to claim 3 in which F, F 1 and F 2 are each independently a straight chain of between 11 and 24 carbon atoms.

5. An albumin-binding compound according to claim 4 in which F, F 1 and F 2 are each independently a straight chain of 17 or 23 carbon atoms.

6. An albumin-binding compound according to claim 3 in which Z, Z 1 and Z 2 are each the residue of an antibody or antibody fragment.

7. An albumin-binding compound according to claim 3 in which L, L 1 and L 2 are each succinimide.

8. An albumin-binding compound according to claim 3 in which P, P 1 and P 2 are each polymer moieties comprising the repeating unit [OCH 2 CH 2 ], where n is between 5 and 100.

9. An albumin-binding compound according to claim 3 in which T, T 1 and T 2 are each independently selected from a covalent bond, —CONH—, OCH 2 CONH—, —OCONH—, and —NHCO—.

10. An albumin-binding compound according to claim 3 in which Q, Q 1 and Q 2 are each CO 2 H.

11. A compound of formula (V), (VI), (VII) or (VIII):

wherein L 3 , L 4 and L 5 each independently represent groups capable of attaching the residue Z, Z 1 and Z 2 respectively, or capable of being converted into such groups;

Z, Z 1 and Z 2 each independently represent the residue of a biologically active moiety;

Y, Y 1 and Y 2 each independently represent a covalent bond or —(CH 2 ) y —;

B, B 1 and B 2 each independently represent a covalent bond, —CONH—, —NHCO—, —CO—, —OC(O)N(R 2 )—, —N(R 2 )C(O)O— or —NHCONH—;

V 1 and V 2 each independently represent a covalent bond or —(CH 2 ) y —;

X 1 and X 2 each independently represent CR 1 or N;

M 1 represents a covalent bond or —(CH 2 ) m —;

W 1 and W 2 each independently represent a covalent bond or —(CH 2 ) w —;

A 1 and A 2 each independently represent —CONH—, —NHCO—, —CO—, —OC(O)N(R)—, —N(R 2 )C(O)O— or —NHCONH—;

E, E 1 and E 2 each independently represent a covalent bond or —(CH 2 ) e —;

P, P 1 and P 2 each independently represent a water-soluble bridging group;

T, T 1 and T 2 each independently represent a covalent bond or a linker group;

F, F 1 and F 2 each independently represent a fatty acid chain;

Q, Q 1 and Q 2 each independently represent an acidic group;

R 1 represents hydrogen or C 1-4 alkyl R 2 represents hydrogen or C 1-4 alkyl e is 1, 2, 3 or 4:

v is 1, 2, 3 or 4;

w is 1, 2, 3 or 4, y is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6; and

m is 1, 2 or 3.

12. A compound according to claim 11 in which L 3 , L 4 and L 5 are each maleimide derivatives.

13. A compound according to claim 12 selected from a compound of formula (IX), (X), (XI), and (XII):

wherein

Y, Y 1 and Y 2 each independently represent a covalent bond or —(CH 2 ) y —;

B, B 1 and B 2 each independently represent a covalent bond, —CONH—, —NHCO—, —CO—, —OC(O)N(R 2 )—, —N(R 2 )C(O)O— or —NHCONH—;

V 1 and V 2 each independently represent a covalent-bond or —(CH 2 ) v —;

X 1 and X 2 each independently represent CR 1 or N;

M 1 represents a covalent bond or —(CH 2 ) m —;

W.sup. 1 and W.sup. 2 each independently represent a covalent bond or —(CH 2 ) w —;

A 1 and A 2 each independently represent —CONH—, —NHCO—, —CO—, —OC(O)N(R 2 )—, —N(R 2 )C(O)O— or —NHCONH—;

E, E 1 and E2 each independently represent a covalent bond or —(CH 2 ) y —;

P, P 1 and P 2 each independently represent a water-soluble bridging group;

T, T 1 and T 2 each independently represent a covalent bond or a linker group;

F, F 1 and F 2 each independently represent a fatty acid chain;

R 1 represents hydrogen or C 1-4 alkyl;

R 2 represents hydrogen or C 1-4 alkyl;

e is 1, 2, 3 or 4;

v is 1, 2, 3 or 4;

w is 1, 2, 3 or 4;

y is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6; and

mis 1,2 or 3.

14. A compound according to claim 13 selected from

where n is between 5 and 100.

15. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound according to claim 2 in association with one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, excipients or diluents.