Methods and compositions for diagnostic and therapeutic targeting of COX-2

1. A therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent, wherein the therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent has the following structural formula:

wherein:

R 1 =C 1 to C 6 alkyl, C 1 to C 6 branched alkyl, C 4 to C 8 cycloakyl, C 4 to C 8 aryl, C 4 to C 8 aryl-substituted C 1 to C 6 alkyl, C 1 to C 6 alkoxy, C 1 to C 6 branched alkoxy, C 4 to C 8 aryloxy, or halo-substituted versions thereof, or R 1 is halo where halo is chloro, fluoro, bromo, or iodo;

R 2 =C 1 to C 6 alkyl, C 4 to C 8 aroyl, C 4 to C 8 aryl, C 4 to C 8 heterocyclic alkyl or aryl with O, N or S in the ring, C 4 to C 8 aryl-substituted C 1 to C 6 alkyl, alkyl-substituted or aryl-substituted C 4 to C 8 heterocyclic alkyl or aryl with O, N or S in the ring, alkyl-substituted C 4 to C 8 aroyl, or alkyl-substituted C 4 to C 8 aryl, or halo-substituted versions thereof or R 1 is halo where halo is chloro, bromo, or iodo;

X is an active agent selected from the group consisting of a chemotherapeutic agent and a detectable agent, wherein the detectable agent is selected from the group consisting of a fluorophore, a cyanine dye, and a near infrared (NIR) dye; and further wherein the fluorophore is selected from the group consisting of dansyl chloride, dabsyl chloride, nitrobenzodiazolamine (NBD), fluorescein and derivatives thereof, rhodamine and derivatives thereof, Nile Blue, an Alexa Fluor and derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof;

A is a tether;

B is O or —NH; and

n is 0-4.

2. The therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent of claim 1 , wherein the active agent is a chemotherapeutic.

3. The therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent of claim 2 , wherein the chemotherapeutic is selected from the group consisting of taxol, retinoic acid and derivatives thereof, doxorubicin, sulfathiazole, sulfadimethoxane, mitomycin C, retinoic acid or derivative thereof, camptothecin and derivatives thereof, podophyllotoxin, and mycophenolic acid.

4. The therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent of claim 3 , wherein the therapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of:

5. The therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent of claim 1 , wherein the active agent is a detectable agent selected from the group consisting of a fluorophore, a cyanine dye, and a near infrared (NIR) dye.

6. The therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent of claim 5 , wherein the detectable agent is a fluorophore selected from the group consisting of dansyl chloride, dabsyl chloride, nitrobenzodiazolamine (NBD), fluorescein and derivatives thereof, rhodamine and derivatives thereof, Nile Blue, an Alexa Fluor and derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.

7. The therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent of claim 6 , wherein the therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent is selected from the group consisting of:

8. The therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent of claim 6 , wherein the rhodamine and derivatives thereof are selected from the group consisting of 5-carboxy-X-rhodamine, 6-carboxy-X-rhodamine, and sulfphorhodamine.

9. The therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent of claim 1 , wherein the tether is selected from the group consisting of an alkylamide tether, a PEG tether, an alkylpiperazine tether, and a phenylene tether.

10. The therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent of claim 9 , wherein the alkylamide tether is selected from the group consisting of an alkyldiamide, an alkylamidosulfonamide, an alkylamidothiourea, and alkyldiamidosulfonamide, and an aminoalkyldiamide.

11. The therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent of claim 9 , wherein the PEG tether is selected from the group consisting of a PEG4amidoester, a PEG4diamide, and an alkyldiamidoPEG4sulfonamide.

12. The therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent of claim 9 , wherein the alkylpiperazine tether is selected from the group consisting of a diamidopiperazine, an alkyldiamidopiperazine, an alkylaminopiperazinylethyl acetamidoether, an alkylaminopiperazinylether ester, and a dialkyldiamidopiperazine.

13. A method for synthesizing a therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent, the method comprising:

(a) providing a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), or a derivative thereof, comprising the following formula;

 wherein:

R 1 =C 1 to C 6 alkyl, C 1 to C 6 branched alkyl, C 4 to C 8 cycloalkyl, C 4 to C 8 aryl, C 4 to C 8 aryl-substituted C 1 to C 6 alkyl, C 1 to C 6 alkoxy, C 1 to C 6 branched alkoxy, C 4 to C 8 aryloxy, or halo-substituted versions thereof, or R 1 is halo where halo is chloro, fluoro, bromo, or iodo;

R 2 =C 1 to C 6 alkyl, C 4 to C 8 aroyl, C 4 to C 8 aryl, C 4 to C 8 heterocyclic alkyl or aryl with O, N or S in the ring, C 4 to C 8 aryl-substituted C 1 to C 6 alkyl, alkyl-substituted or aryl-substituted C 4 to C 8 heterocyclic alkyl or aryl with O, N or S in the ring, alkyl-substituted C 4 to C 8 aroyl, or alkyl-substituted C 4 to C 8 aryl, or halo-substituted versions thereof or R 1 is halo where halo is chloro, bromo, or iodo; and

a is 0-4;

(b) derivatizing the carboxylic acid moiety to a secondary amide; and

(c) complexing an active agent to the secondary amide to produce a therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent having the following structure:

 wherein:

X is an active agent selected from the group consisting of a chemotherapeutic agent and a detectable agent, wherein the detectable agent is selected from the group consisting of a fluorophore, a cyanine dye, and a near infrared (NIR) dye; and further wherein the fluorophore is selected from the group consisting of dansyl chloride, dabsyl chloride, nitrobenzodiazolamine (NBD), fluorescein and derivatives thereof, rhodamine and derivatives thereof, Nile Blue, an Alexa Fluor and derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof;

A is a tether;

B is O or —NH; and

n is 0-4.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the therapeutic moiety comprises a chemotherapeutic.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the chemotherapeutic is selected from the group consisting of taxol, retinoic acid and derivatives thereof, doxorubicin, sulfathiazole, sulfadimethoxane, mitomycin C, retinoic acid or derivative thereof, camptothecin and derivatives thereof, podophyllotoxin, and mycophenolic acid.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent is selected from the group consisting of:

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the active agent is a detectable agent selected from the group consisting of a fluorophore, a cyanine dye, and a near infrared (NIR) dye.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the detectable agent is a fluorophore selected from the group consisting of dansyl chloride, dabsyl chloride, nitrobenzodiazolamine (NBD), fluorescein and derivatives thereof, rhodamine and derivatives thereof, Nile Blue, an Alexa Fluor and derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent is selected from the group consisting of:

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the rhodamine and derivatives thereof are selected from the group consisting of 5-carboxy-X-rhodamine, 6-carboxy-X-rhodamine, and sulfphorhodamine.

21. The method of claim 13 , wherein the tether is selected from the group consisting of an alkylamide tether, a PEG tether, an alkylpiperazine tether and a phenylene tether.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the alkylamide tether is selected from the group consisting of an alkyldiamide, an alkylamidosulfonamide, an alkylamidothiourea, and alkyldiamidosulfonamide, and an aminoalkyldiamide.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the PEG tether is selected from the group consisting of a PEG4amidoester, a PEG4diamide, and an alkyldiamidoPEG4sulfonamide.

24. Themethod of claim 21 , wherein the alkylpiperazine tether is selected from the group consisting of a diamidopiperazine, an alkyldiamidopiperazine, an alkylaminopiperazinylethyl acetamidoether, an alkylaminopiperazinylether ester, and a dialkyldiamidopiperazine.