N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)-methoxycarbonyl-aminomethyl]-benzamide (MS-275) polymorph B

1. Crystalline N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxycarbonylamino-methyl]-benzamide polymorph B of formula I

substantially free of N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3 yl)methoxy-carbonylamino-methyl]-benzamide polymorph A.

2. A process for preparing the crystalline N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxycarbonylaminomethyl]-benzamide polymorph B compound of formula I

comprising

a) dissolving crude N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxy-carbonylaminomethyl]-benzamide in water and adding diluted hydrochloric acid to the resultant reaction mixture, at a constant internal reaction vessel temperature below 5° C., and

b) adding charcoal to said reaction mixture and then stirring the reaction mixture for 1 to 20 hours at a temperature below 5° C., and

c) filtering to remove the charcoal and rinsing with water, and

d) while keeping the internal vessel temperature below 5° C. adjusting the pH of the reaction mixture to ≧8 with a diluted sodium hydroxide solution, and

e) washing the resulting precipitated N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxycarbonylaminomethyl]-benzamide with water and ethanol, and drying, and

f) suspending the precipitate into a mixture of ethanol and water and heating up to a temperature of 40-90° C. for 1 to 10 hours, and

g) after cooling down the mixture, rinsing the resulting precipitate with water and ethanol to give the pure N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxycarbonylaminomethyl]-benzamide polymorph B which is subsequently dried at a temperature between 30-60° C.

3. A process according to claim 2 , wherein steps b) and step c) are repeated.

4. Crystalline N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxycarbonylamino-methyl]-benzamide polymorph B which is produced according to claim 2 .

5. Crystalline N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxycarbonylamino-methyl]-benzamide polymorph B according to claim 1 , whose X-ray diffractogram has a reflection at 2Theta=21.1°.

6. Crystalline N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxycarbonylamino-methyl]-benzamide polymorph B according to claim 1 , whose X-ray diffractogram has reflections at 2Theta=21.1°, 20.4° and 27.4°.

7. Crystalline N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxycarbonylamino-methyl]-benzamide polymorph B according to claim 1 , whose Raman spectrum has a band at 902 cm −1 .

8. Crystalline N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxycarbonylamino-methyl]-benzamide polymorph B according to claim 1 , whose Raman spectrum has bands at 902 cm −1 , 3063 cm −1 , 1639 cm −1 and 916 cm −1 .

9. Crystalline N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxycarbonylamino-methyl]-benzamide polymorph B according to claim 1 , whose IR spectrum (ATR) has bands at 1702 cm −1 , 3309 cm −1 , 1638 cm −1 , 1260 cm −1 and 749 cm −1 .

10. Crystalline N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxycarbonylamino-methyl]-benzamide polymorph B according to claim 1 , whose IR spectrum (KBr) has bands at 1705 cm −1 , 3311 cm −1 , 1641 cm −1 , 1262 cm −1 and 751 cm −1 .

11. Crystalline N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxycarbonylamino-methyl]-benzamide polymorph B according to claim 1 , whose X-ray diffractogram has a reflection at 2Theta=21.1°, 20.4° and 27.4° and the Raman spectrum has bands at 902 cm −1 , 3063 cm −1 , 1639 cm −1 and 916 cm −1 , and the IR (ATR) spectrum has bands at 1702 cm −1 , 3311 cm −1 , 1641 cm −1 , 1262 cm −1 and 751 cm −1 .

12. A method for treating a malignant tumor, an autoimmune disease, a dermatological disease or parasitism, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxycarbonylamino-methyl]benzamide polymorph B.

13. A pharmaceutical composition comprising N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxy-carbonylaminomethyl]-benzamide polymorph B and a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent and/or carrier.

14. A pharmaceutical combination comprising N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxy-carbonylaminomethyl]-benzamide polymorph B and one or more cytotoxic or cytolytic agents.

15. A method according to claim 12 , wherein the N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxy-carbonylaminomethyl]-benzamide polymorph B is administered together with a cytotoxic or cytolytic agent simultaneously, separately or sequentially.

16. Crystalline N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxycarbonylamino-methyl]-benzamide polymorph B of formula I

17. Crystalline N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxycarbonylamino-methyl]-benzamide polymorph B according to claim 16 , whose X-ray diffractogram corresponds to FIG. 5 .

18. Crystalline N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxycarbonylamino-methyl]-benzamide polymorph B according to claim 1 , whose X-ray diffractogram corresponds to FIG. 5 .

19. Crystalline N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxycarbonylamino-methyl]-benzamide polymorph B according to claim 1 , whose Raman spectrum corresponds to FIG. 9 .

20. Crystalline N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxycarbonylamino-methyl]-benzamide polymorph B according to claim 1 , whose IR spectrum (ATR) corresponds to FIG. 13 .

21. Crystalline N-(2-aminophenyl)-4-[N-(pyridine-3-yl)methoxycarbonylamino-methyl]-benzamide polymorph B according to claim 1 , whose IR spectrum (KBr) corresponds to FIG. 12 .