Phospholipid ether analogs as cancer-targeting drug vehicles

1. A therapeutic compound comprising the formula A-B-D wherein:

A is at least one compound of formula (I),

(I), at least one compound of formula (II),

(II), at least one compound of formula (III)

(III), or a combination thereof,

wherein W is selected from the group consisting of an aryl, a C 1 -C 6 alkyl, an alkenyl, an optionally substituted C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl an optionally substituted C 3 -C 6 heterocycloalkyl,

wherein R is H or an alkyl and wherein m is an integer from 12 to 24;

B is a linker compound selected from a bond and a compound of formula (IV),

Y—(CH 2 ) n —Z  (IV),

wherein:

Y is bound to A;

Z is bound to D;

Y is selected from the group consisting of a bond, O, NH, C═O, NHSO 2 O, and OC(═O)O;

Z is selected from the group consisting of O, NH, C═O, C(═O)O, C(═O)NH, SO 2 , OC(═O)OCH 2 ; and

n is an integer from 0 to 6; and

D is an anti-cancer drug selected from the group consisting of paclitaxel, irinotecan, topotecan, gemcitabine, cisplatin, geldanamycin, and mertansine.

2. The therapeutic compound of claim 1 wherein:

A is a compound of formula (I), wherein W is

and m is 18;

B is a compound of formula (IV), wherein Y is C═O and Z is C═O, C(═O)NH or C(═O)O and n is 3 or 4; and

D is paclitaxel.

3. The therapeutic compound of claim 1 wherein:

A is a compound of formula (I), wherein W is

and m is 18;

B is a bond or a compound of formula (IV), wherein Y is C═O, Z is NH and n is 1 or 3; and

D is geldanamycin.

4. The therapeutic compound of claim 1 wherein:

A is a compound of formula (I), wherein W is

and m is 18;

B is a bond; and

D is mertansine.

5. A therapeutic compound selected from the group consisting of:

wherein n is an integer from 0 to 6 and X is O or NH.

6. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutic compound of claim 1 or 5 and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers.

7. A method of reducing, suppressing, or inhibiting cancer progression or recurrence comprising administering an effective amount of a therapeutic compound of claim 1 or 5 to a subject with cancer wherein the cancer is selected from breast cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, or prostate cancer.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the cancer comprises cancer stem cells.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the cancer is recurrent.