Acid-labile lipophilic prodrugs of cancer chemotherapeutic agents

1. An acid labile lipophilic molecular conjugate (ALLMC) of the formula 1 or 1.1:

wherein:

R is a hydroxyl residue of an anthracycline compound;

R 1 is hydrogen;

R 2 is a C 5 -C 22 alkyl;

Y is selected from O, NR′ or S wherein R′ is hydrogen or C 1 -C 6 alkyl;

Z is O or S;

Q is O; and T is O;

or an enantiomer, diastereoisomer or mixtures thereof;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

2. The acid labile lipophilic molecular conjugate of claim 1 , wherein the conjugate is an anthracycline compound of the formulae:

wherein:

each ALL 1 -, ALL 2 -, ALL 3 - and ALL 4 is independently hydrogen or the group 1 or 1.1;

3. The acid labile lipophilic molecular conjugate of claim 1 , wherein the conjugate is an anthracycline compound of the formulae:

wherein:

each ALL 1 -, ALL 2 -, ALL 3 - and ALL 4 is independently hydrogen or the group 1 or 1.1;

4. The acid labile lipophilic molecular conjugate of claim 2 , wherein:

ALL 1 , ALL 2 , ALL 3 and ALL 4 are each independently hydrogen or the group

5. A pharmaceutical composition comprising: a) a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of claim 1 , in the form of a single diastereoisomer; and b) a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

6. A pharmaceutical composition comprising: a) a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of claim 2 , in the form of a single diastereoisomer; and b) a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

7. A pharmaceutical composition comprising: a) a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of claim 3 , in the form of a single diastereoisomer; and b) a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

8. A method for the treatment of cancer in a patient comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of the conjugate of claim 1 , to a patient in need of such treatment, wherein the cancer is selected from the group consisting of leukemia, neuroblastoma, glioblastoma, cervical, colorectal, pancreatic, renal, melanoma, lung, breast, prostate, ovarian and head and neck.

9. A method for reducing or eliminating the side effects of chemotherapy associated with the administration of an anthracycline-based cancer chemotherapeutic agent to a patient, the method comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of an acid labile lipophilic molecular conjugate of the formula 1 or 1.1:

wherein:

R is a 4′ hydroxyl residue of an anthracycline compound;

R 1 is hydrogen;

R 2 is a C 5 -C 22 alkyl;

Y is selected from O, NR′ or S wherein R′ is hydrogen or C 1 -C 6 alkyl;

Z is O or S;

Q is O; and T is O;

or an enantiomer, diastereoisomer or mixtures thereof;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the anthracycline compound is of the formulae:

wherein:

ALL 5 of epirubicin and ALL 4 of idarubicin, amrubicin and valrubicin is independently hydrogen or the group 1 or 1.1;

and

each of the remaining groups ALL 1 -, ALL 2 -, and ALL 3 - is hydrogen.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method provides a higher concentration of the cancer chemotherapeutic agent in a cancer cell of the patient, when compared to the administration of a non-conjugated cancer chemotherapeutic agent to the patient, by at least 10%.