Immune response modifier compositions and methods

1. A method of generating an immune response comprising:

Administering, to a cell population capable of generating an IRM-induced immune response, an IRM conjugate of the formula

wherein:

when taken together, R A and R B form a fused aryl ring wherein the aryl ring is unsubstituted;

R 1 is selected from the group consisting of:

—R 4 ,

—X—R 4 ,

—X—Y—R 4 ,

—X—Y—X—Y—R 4 , and

—X—R 5 ;

R 2 is selected from the group consisting of:

—R 4 ,

—X—R 4 ,

—X—Y—R 4 , and

—X—R 5 :

R 3 is selected from the group consisting of:

—Z—R 4 ,

—Z—X—R 4 ,

—Z—X—Y—R 4 ,

—Z—X—Y—X—Y—R 4 , and

—Z—X—R 5 ;

X is selected from the group consisting of alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, arylene, heteroarylene, and heterocyclylene wherein the alkylene, alkenylene, and alkynylene groups can be optionally interrupted or terminated by arylene, heteroarylene or heterocyclylene and optionally interrupted by one or more —O— groups;

Y is selected from the group consisting of:

—O—,

—S(O) 0-2 —,

—S(O) 2 —N(R 8 )—,

—C(R 6 )—,

—C(R 6 )—O—,

—O—C(R 6 )—,

—O—C(O)—O—,

—N(R 8 )-Q-,

—C(R 6 )—N(R 8 )—,

—O—C(R 6 )—N(R 8 )—,

—C(R 6 )—N(OR 9 )—,

—O—N(R 8 )-Q-,

—O—N═C(R 4 )—,

—C(═N—O—R 8 )—,

—CH(—N(—O—R 8 )-Q-R 4 )—,

Z is a bond or —O—;

R 4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, arylalkylenyl, aryloxyalkylenyl, alkylarylenyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkylenyl, heteroaryloxyalkylenyl, alkylheteroarylenyl, and heterocyclyl wherein the alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, arylalkylenyl, aryloxyalkylenyl, alkylarylenyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkylenyl, heteroaryloxyalkylenyl, alkylheteroarylenyl, and heterocyclyl groups can be unsubstituted or substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, halogen, nitro, hydroxy, mercapto, cyano, aryl, aryloxy, arylalkyleneoxy, heteroaryl, heteroaryloxy, heteroarylalkyleneoxy, heterocyclyl, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, (dialkylamino)alkyleneoxy, and in the case of alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, and heterocyclyl, oxo;

R 5 is selected from the group consisting of

R 6 is selected from the group consisting of ═O and ═S;

R 7 is C 2-7 alkylene;

R 8 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxyalkylenyl, hydroxyalkylenyl, arylalkylenyl, and heteroarylalkylenyl;

R 9 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl;

R 10 is C 3-8 alkylene;

A is selected from the group consisting of —O—, —C(O)—, —S(O) 0-2 —, and —N(R 4 )—;

A′ is selected from the group consisting of —O—, —S(O) 0-2 —, —N(-Q-R 4 )—, and —CH 2 —; Q is selected from the group consisting of a bond, —C(R 6 )—, —C(R 6 )—C(R 6 )—, —S(O) 2 —, —C(R 6 )—N(R 8 )—W—, —S(O) 2 —N(R 8 )—, —C(R 6 )—O—, —C(R 6 )—S—, and —C(R 6 )—N(OR 9 )—;

V is selected from the group consisting of —C(R 6 )—, —O—C(R 6 )—, —N(R 8 )—C(R 6 )—, and —S(O) 2 —;

W is selected from the group consisting of a bond, —C(O)—, and —S(O) 2 —;

a and b are independently integers from 1 to 6 with the proviso that a+b is ≤7;

SAM is a second active moiety wherein the SAM is other than a second IRM moiety;

FG C is selected from the group consisting of

Linker C is the reaction product of Linker A-FG A and Linker B-FG B ;

Linker A is C 1-10 alkylene, C 1-10 alkylene-arylene, arylene-C 1-10 alkylene, C 3 -C 8 heterocyclene, C 1-10 alkylene-C 3-8 heterocyclene, or C 3-8 heterocyclene-C 1-10 alkylene;

Linker B is C 1-10 alkylene, O—C 1-8 alkylene-arylene, C 1-10 alkylene-arylene, arylene-C 1-10 alkylene, C 3 -C 8 heterocyclene, C 1-10 alkylene-C 3-8 heterocyclene; or C 3-8 heterocyclene-C 1-10 alkylene;

p is an integer from 1 to 20; and

FG A and FG B are capable of reacting with each other to form a covalent bond;

allowing a labile bond to be cleaved, thereby generating a free IRM compound; and

allowing the free IRM compound to contact cells of the cell population, thereby generating an IRM-induced immune response.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the cell population comprises dendritic cells, macrophages, cytotoxic T cells, NK cells, or NKT cells.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second active moiety comprises a targeting moiety.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the targeting moiety comprises an active targeting moiety.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the targeting moiety comprises an antibody, LHRH receptor ligand, or folic acid receptor ligand.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the targeting moiety comprises a passive targeting moiety.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the targeting moiety comprises a nanoparticle having a diameter of from about 50 nm to about 200 nm.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein FG C is

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein FG A is a nucleophilic group that is reactive to FG B , and FG B is an electrophilic group.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein FG A is an electrophilic group that is reactive to FG B , and FG B is a nucleophilic group.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein FG A is selected from the group consisting of

wherein LG is a leaving group selected from Cl, Br, I, O-mesyl or O-tosyl, and AAG is an acid activating group selected from N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N′-ethylcarbodiimide activated acids, N-hydroxysuccinimide, sulfo-N-hydroxysuccinimide, 4-nitrophenyl, chloride, bromide, anhydride, mixed anhydride, pehtaflurophenyl ester, and tetraflurophenyl ester.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein FG B is selected from the group consisting of

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IRM-induced immune response comprises production of cytokines.