Multi-arm polymer prodrugs

1. A multi-arm polymer prodrug having the structure:

wherein:

R is an organic radical possessing from 3 to 25 carbon atoms;

X is a spacer having an atom length of from 4 atoms to 50 atoms possessing the structure Y—Z, where Y has the structure —(CH 2 ) a —C(O)NH—(CH 2 ) b —(CH 2 CH 2 O) c — and Z is either —C(O)—O— or —O—C(O)—O—; where

a is selected from 1, 2, 3, and 4;

b is selected from 1, 2, 3, and 4;

c ranges from 0 to 10;

n ranges from 5 to 400;

D is a camptothecin attached at its 10-, 11- or 20-ring position; and

q has a value from 3 to 25.

2. The multi-arm polymer prodrug of claim 1 , wherein R possesses a number of carbon atoms selected from the group consisting of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.

3. The multi-arm polymer prodrug of claim 1 , wherein R, taken together with the adjacent oxygen atom to form R(—O—) q , is a residue of glycerol, trimethylolpropane, pentaerythritol, sorbitol, or glycerol oligomers after removal of “q” hydroxyl protons.

4. The multi-armed polymer prodrug of claim 1 , where R(—O—) q is selected from:

5. The multi-arm polymer prodrug of claim 1 , having an overall nominal average molecular weight from 800 to 60,000 daltons.

6. The multi-arm polymer prodrug of claim 5 , wherein the nominal average molecular weight of —(CH 2 CH 2 O) n — in each of “q” arms is selected from 200, 250, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000, 7000, 7500, 8000, 9000, 10000, 12,000, 15000, 17,500, 18,000, 19,000, and 20,000 daltons.

7. The multi-arm polymer prodrug of claim 1 , wherein the nominal average molecular weight of —(CH 2 CH 2 O) n — in each of “q” arms ranges from 500 to 20,000 daltons.

8. The multi-arm polymer prodrug of claim 1 , wherein the value of q is selected from the group consisting of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.

9. The multi-arm polymer prodrug of claim 1 , wherein each of said “q” polymer arms is the same.

10. The multi-arm polymer prodrug of claim 1 , wherein X has a length of from 5 atoms to 25 atoms.

11. The multi-arm polymer prodrug of claim 1 , where Y has the structure: —CH 2 C(O)NHCH 2 (CH 2 CH 2 O) 0-10 —.

12. The multi-arm polymer prodrug of claim 1 , wherein X is either —CH 2 —C(O)—NH—CH 2 —C(O)O— or —CH 2 —C(O)—NH—(CH 2 CH 2 O) 2 —C(O)—O—.

13. The multi-arm polymer prodrug of claim 1 , wherein D is a camptothecin compound having the structure:

wherein R 1 -R 5 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen; halo; acyl; alkyl (e.g., C1-C6 alkyl); substituted alkyl; alkoxy; substituted alkoxy; alkenyl; alkynyl; cycloalkyl; hydroxyl; cyano; nitro; azido; amido; hydrazine; amino; substituted amino; hydroxcarbonyl; alkoxycarbonyl; alkylcarbonyloxy; alkylcarbonylamino; carbamoyloxy; arylsulfonyloxy; alkylsulfonyloxy; —C(R 7 )═N—(O) i —R 8 wherein R 7 is H, alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl, i is 0 or 1, and R 8 is H, alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, or heterocycle; and R 9 C(O)O— wherein R 9 is halogen, amino, substituted amino, heterocycle, substituted heterocycle, or R 10 —O—(CH 2 ) m — where m is an integer of 1-10 and R 10 is alkyl, phenyl, substituted phenyl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, heterocycle, or substituted heterocycle; or

R 2 together with R 3 or R 3 together with R 4 form substituted or unsubstituted methylenedioxy, ethylenedioxy, or ethyleneoxy;

R 6 is H or OR′, wherein R′ is alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, haloalkyl, or hydroxyalkyl; and

L is the site of attachment.

14. The multi-arm polymer prodrug of claim 1 , where D is SN-38.

15. The multi-arm polymer prodrug of claim 12 , having the structure:

where m is an integer ranging from 0 to 5, and D is SN-38.

16. The multi-arm polymer prodrug of claim 15 , wherein —X-D corresponds to —CH 2 —C(O)—NH—CH 2 —C(O)O-SN-38.

17. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a multi-arm polymer prodrug of claim 1 .