Protein-proteophore complexes

1. A composition comprising a hyperbranched polymer attached to a core and to a biologically active moiety;

wherein the hyperbranched polymer contains at least two molecular chains, which molecular chains are of sufficient length to be so arranged as to form a cavity to accommodate the biologically active moiety, and wherein the molecular chains contain sterically demanding capping groups; further wherein the composition has the formula (V):

wherein:

(i) B is the core, containing at least one unit selected from the group consisting of >CH—, >C, and respective analogs thereof, wherein H is replaced by an organic group, >N—, or >P—;

(ii) each EMC is one of the at least two molecular chains and each comprises oxyethylene groups;

(iii) L is a non-enzymatically cleavable linker and comprises a carbamate group;

(iv) l is an integer selected from the group consisting of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12;

(v) P is the biologically active moiety and is a somatropin or insulin; and

(vi) C is one or more of the capping groups, which comprises linear, branched, or cyclical alkyl groups, and optionally containing S, N, or O heteroatoms.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the hyperbranched polymer is water soluble.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein further groups are present in the polymer chains, the further groups being selected from the groups consisting of S, —N,O, ((—S—S)—, oxyethylene-oxypropylene and oxybutylene, amide —C(O)NH— or C(O)NR—, —S-succinimido, amino (—NR—), carboxylic ester (—C(O)O—), sulfonamide (—S(O) 2 —NR—), carbamate (—O—C(O)—NR—), carbonate (—OC(O)—O—), sulfone (—S(O) 2 —), ether (—O—), oxime (—CR═N—O—), hydrazone (—CR═N—NR—), urea (—NR—C(O)—NR—), thiourea (—NR—C(S)—NR—), carbohydrate, glyceryl, phosphate (—O—P(O)(OR)O—), phosphonate (—P(O)(OR)O—), saturated and nonsaturated cyclic groups, and saturated and nonsaturated heterocyclic groups; and wherein R is selected from the group consisting of H, linear, branched or cyclical alkyl groups, and which may contain therein additional functional groups or hetero atoms.

4. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the capping groups C contain further groups selected from the groups consisting of S, N, O, (—S—S)—, oxypropylene, oxybutylene, amide —C(O)NH— or C(O)NR—, —S-succinimido, amino (—NR—), carboxylic ester (—C(O)O—), sulfonamide (—S(O) 2 —NR—), carbamate (—O—C(O)—NR—), carbonate (—O—C(O)—O—), sulfone (—S(O) 2 —), ether (—O—), oxime (—CR═N—O—), hydrazone (—CR═N—NR—), urea (—NR—C(O)—NR—), thiourea (—NR—C(S)—NR—), carbohydrate, glyceryl, phosphate (—O—P(O)(OR)O—), phosphonate (—P(O)(OR)O—), saturated and nonsaturated cyclic groups, and saturated or nonsaturated heterocyclic groups; and wherein R is selected from the group consisting of H, linear, branched or cyclical alkyl groups, and which may contain therein additional functional groups or hetero atoms.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the biologically active moiety is a somatropin.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the cleavable linker L comprises a hydrolysable ester bond and the carbamate.

7. The composition of claim 6 , wherein the hydrolysable ester bond is a phenol ester.

8. A drug containing the composition of claim 1 .

9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein l is 2 or 3, and resulting in a structure of formula (VII) or (VIII):