Methods of treating cancer using compounds containing a vascular disrupting agent

1. A method of treating a solid tumor in a subject comprising administering an effective amount of a compound, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, comprising a vascular disrupting agent (VDA) associated with a matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) proteolytic cleavage site, wherein the VDA is selected from the group consisting of azademethylcolchicine, colchicine, azacolchicine, N-methyl desacetylcolchicine, desacetylcolchicine, N-acetylcolchinol-O-phosphate, colchicinoids, combrestatins, phenstatin, podophyllotoxins, steganacins, amphethinile, stilbenes, flavonoids, vincristine, vinblastine, vinflunine, maytansinoids, phomopson A, rhizoxin, auristatin, and dolstatin, and the MMP proteolytic cleavage site comprises the amino acid sequence -Leu-P2′-Hof-Gly-Cit-Ser-Arg-, wherein P2′ is an amino acid selected from Asp, Ala, Ser, Asn, Pro, Leu, Arg and Thr.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the VDA is selected from the group consisting of azademethylcolchicine, colchicine, azacolchicine, N-methyl desacetylcolchicine, and desacetylcolchicine.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the VDA is azademethylcolchicine.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the compound further comprises a capping group c on the N- or C-terminus of the peptide which prevents non-specific degradation of the peptide by enzymes other than MMPs.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amino acid at P2′ is methylated.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein an anti-cancer agent is further linked to the peptide comprising the MMP proteolytic cleavage site.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the anti-cancer agent is selected from the group consisting of 5-fluorouracil, anthracycline, doxorubicin, vinca alkaloid, taxane, a cytotoxic nucleotide, a biotoxin, radiotherapeutic, hormonal agent, colchicine, azademethylcolchicine, N-methyl desacetylcolchicine and desacetylcolchicine.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the anti-cancer agent is doxorubicin.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is in the form of a pharmaceutical formulation comprising the compound and at least one additional pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, diluent or carrier.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the pharmaceutical formulation further comprises a second therapeutic agent selected from the group consisting of cisplatin, carboplatin, cyclophosphamide, melphalan, carmustine, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, cytarabine, mercatopurine, daunorubicin, doxorubicin, epirubicin, vinblastine, vincristine, dactinomycin, mitomycin C, taxol, L-asparaginase, granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), etoposide, colchicine, deferoxamine mesylate and camptothecin.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is of formula (I)

X—Y  (I),

wherein X is the VDA; and

Y is the peptide comprising the MMP proteolytic cleavage site.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein Y is a peptide sequence of between seven and ten amino acids.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is of formula (II)

X—Y- c   (II),

wherein X is the VDA;

Y is the peptide comprising the MMP proteolytic cleavage site; and

c is a capping group which prevents non-specific degradation of the peptide by enzymes other than MMPs.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein c is selected from the group consisting of fluorescein isothiocyanate and fluorescein.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein c is the formula (c) n and wherein n is an integer between 1 and 5.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein c is a non-natural amino acid and n is 3.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is of formula (III)

X- a -Y  (III),

wherein X is the VDA;

Y is the peptide comprising the MMP proteolytic cleavage site; and

a is a linker directly or indirectly associated with X and wherein the linker is a single amino acid or amino acid sequence.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is of formula (IV)

X- a -Y- c   (IV),

wherein X is the VDA;

Y is the peptide comprising the MMP proteolytic cleavage site;

a is a linker directly or indirectly associated with X and wherein the linker is a single amino acid or amino acid sequence; and

c is a capping group which prevents non-specific degradation of the peptide by enzymes other than MMPs.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is of formula (V)

X—Y- b - c   (V),

wherein X is the VDA;

Y is the peptide comprising the MMP proteolytic cleavage site;

b is a spacer group directly or indirectly linked to Y and wherein the spacer is selected from the group consisting of a single amino acid, amino acid sequence and a succinyl group; and

c is a capping group which prevents non-specific degradation of the peptide by enzymes other than MMPs.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is of formula (VI)

X- a -Y- b - c   (VI),

wherein X is the VDA;

Y is the peptide comprising the MMP proteolytic cleavage site;

a is a linker directly or indirectly associated with X and wherein the linker is a single amino acid or amino acid sequence;

b is a spacer group directly or indirectly linked to Y and wherein the spacer is selected from the group consisting of a single amino acid, amino acid sequence and a succinyl group; and

c is a capping group which prevents non-specific degradation of the peptide by enzymes other than MMPs.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is of formula (VII)

X—Y—Z  (VII),

wherein X is the VDA;

Y is the peptide comprising the MMP proteolytic cleavage site; and

Z is an anti-cancer agent selected from the group consisting of a VDA, an antimetabolite and a cytotoxic agent,

wherein the VDA is selected from the group consisting of azademethylcolchicine, colchicine, azacolchicine, N-methyl desacetylcolchicine, desacetylcolchicine, N-acetylcolchinol-O phosphate, colchicinoids, combrestatins, phenstatin, podophyllotoxins, steganacins, amphethinile, stilbenes, flavonoids, vincristine, vinblastine, vinflunine, maytansinoids, phomopson A, rhizoxin, auristatin, and dolstatin,

the antimetabolite is 5-fluorouracil, and

the cytotoxic agent is selected from the group consisting of anthracycline and doxorubicin.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein Z is doxorubicin.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein X is selected from azademethylcolchicine, colchicine, azacolchicine, N-methyl desacetylcolchicine, and desacetylcolchicine.

24. The method of claim 21 , wherein X and Z are each independently selected from azademethylcolchicine, colchicine, azacolchicine, N-methyl desacetylcolchicine, and desacetylcolchicine.

25. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises administering a second therapeutic agent.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the second therapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of cisplatin, carboplatin, cyclophosphamide, melphalan, carmustine, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, cytarabine, mercaptopurine, daunorubicin, doxorubicin, epirubicin, vinblastine, vincristine, dactinomycin, mitomycin C, taxol, L-asparaginase, G-CSF, etoposide, colchicine, deferoxamine mesylate and camptothecin.

27. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solid tumor is selected from the group consisting of a tumor of the prostate, breast, head and neck, mouth, oral cavity, nose, trachea, lung, tongue, esophagus, stomach, small intestines, colon, liver, pancreas, gall bladder, rectum, thyroid, pituitary, adrenal glands, urinary bladder, kidney, ovary, uterus, cervix, penis, scrotum, testes, skin, brain, spinal cord, glial cells, neurons, lymphoid system, bone, cartilage, adipose tissue, smooth muscle, skeletal muscle, nerve sheath, blood vessels, mesothelium and gastrointestinal stroma.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the solid tumor is a non-small cell lung carcinoma.