IP Library Granted Patent US 12,076,316
Granted Patent B2
US 12,076,316 · App. 17/550,328 · Granted Sep 3, 2024

Levorphanol prodrugs and processes for making and using them

Inventors: Travis Mickle (Celebration, FL); Sven Guenther (Coralville, IA); Sanjib Bera (Blacksburg, VA)
A61K31/485A61K47/542A61K45/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,076,316
App. No.
17/550,328
Granted
Sep 3, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

The presently described technology provides compositions of one or more of oxoacids, amino acids, polyethylene glycols, and/or vitamin compounds chemically conjugated to levorphanol ((−)-17-methylmorphinan-3-ol) to form novel prodrugs and compositions of levorphanol.

Claims (29)

1. A compound of Formula 1:

where L 1 and L 2 are independently absent, or

Y 1 and Y 2 are independently either absent, or [A-X—Z] n where A, X, Z are independently selected for Y 1 and Y 2 and where A and Z are independent of each other, either absent or selected from the group of —O—, —S—, or —(CR 1 R 2 ) k —,

where X is —(CR 1 R 2 ) k —,

J is [M-W]p

where M is —(CR 3 R 4 ) q —; and W is absent, or —O— or —S—

R 1 , and R 2 , are each independently selected for Y 1 and Y 2 , and are, independent of each other, selected from H, alkyl, aryl, alkyl aryl, alkoxy, haloalkyl, or haloaryl

R 3 and R 4 are each independently selected from H, alkyl, aryl, alkyl aryl, alkoxy, haloalkyl, or haloaryl

for each Y 1 and Y 2 , n is independently an integer of 1-4

for each repeating unit of [A-X—Z] n , when (CR 1 R 2 ) is present, k is independently an integer of 1-4

p and q are independently selected from 1-4

G m is absent, or selected independently of each other and, when present, each repeating subunit is independently selected from H, oxoacid, polyethylene glycol having from 2 to 5 ethylene oxide units, or a vitamin compound;

G m 2 is selected from oxoacid, polyethylene glycol having from 2 to 5 ethylene oxide units, or a vitamin compound;

where m is selected independently for G 1 and G 2 , and is an integer of 1-4, except that m is 1 when G 1 is a hydrogen atom;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

2. The compound of claim 1 , wherein L 1 and Y 1 are absent, G 1 is at least one oxoacid and m is 1-3 and wherein M is —(CR 3 R 4 ) q —; W, L 2 and Y 2 are absent; G 2 is at least one oxoacid; and m is 1-3.

3. The compound of claim 1 , wherein the oxoacid is at least one amino acid, is at least one carboxylic acid, or is a combination of at least one carboxylic acid and at least one amino acid.

4. The compound of claim 3 , wherein the at least one carboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic carboxylic acid, aryl carboxylic acid, dicarboxylic acid, polycarboxylic acid, benzoate, phenylacetate, a branched phenylpropionate, an unbranched phenylpropionate (benzylacetate), a phenylpropenoate (cinnamate), and heteroaryl carboxylic acid, salts thereof or a combination thereof.

5. The compound of claim 4 , wherein the benzoate is selected from the group consisting of benzoic acid, hydroxybenzoate, and combinations thereof.

6. The compound of claim 5 , wherein the hydroxybenzoate is selected from the group consisting of salicylic acid, acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, 6-methylsalicylic acid, o,m,p-cresotinic acid, anacardic acids, 4,5-dimethylsalicylic acid, o,m,p-thymotic acid, diflunisal, o,m,p-anisic acid, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,3-DHB), α,β,γ-resorcylic acid, protocatechuic acid, gentisic acid, piperonylic acid, 3-methoxysalicylic acid, 4-methoxysalicylic acid, 5-methoxysalicylic acid, 6-methoxysalicylic acid, 3-hydroxy-2-methoxybenzoic acid, 4-hydroxy-2-methoxybenzoic acid, 5-hydroxy-2-methoxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, isovanillic acid, 5-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid, 2,3-dimethoxybenzoic acid, 2,4-dimethoxybenzoic acid, 2,5-dimethoxybenzoic acid, 2,6-dimethoxybenzoic acid, veratric acid (3,4-dimethoxybenzoic acid), 3,5-dimethoxybenzoic acid, gallic acid, 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzoic acid, 2,3,6-trihydroxybenzoic acid, 2,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid, 3-O-methylgallic acid (3-OMGA), 4-O-methylgallic acid (4-OMGA), 3,4-O-dimethylgallic acid, syringic acid, and 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoic acid.

7. The compound of claim 4 , wherein the heteroaryl carboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of nicotinic acid, isonicotinic acid, picolinic acid, 3-hydroxypicolinic acid, 6-hydroxynicotinic acid, citrazinic acid, 2,6-dihydroxynicotinic acid, kynurenic acid, xanthurenic acid, 6-hydroxykynurenic acid, 8-methoxykynurenic acid, 7,8-dihydroxykynurenic acid, and 7,8-dihydro-7,8-dihydroxykynurenic acid.

8. The compound of claim 4 , wherein the phenylpropenoate (cinnamate) is selected from the group consisting of cinnamic acid, o,m,p-coumaric acid, 2,3-dihydroxycinnamic acid, 2,6-dihydroxycinnamic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, isoferulic acid, 5-hydroxyferulic acid, sinapic acid, and 2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropenoic acid.

9. The compound of claim 3 wherein the at least one amino acid is a standard amino acid.

10. The compound of claim 1 , wherein the compound is a neutral conjugate, a free acid, a free base or a mixture of racemates, wherein the racemate comprises racemorphan.

11. A composition comprising the compound of claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of the compound.

12. The composition of claim 11 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable salt is selected from the group consisting of acetate, 1-aspartate, besylate, bicarbonate, carbonate, d-camsylate, 1-camsylate, citrate, edisylate, formate, fumarate, gluconate, hydrobromide/bromide, hydrochloride/chloride, d-lactate, i-lactate, d,l-lactate, d,l-malate, 1-malate, mesylate, pamoate, phosphate, succinate, sulfate, bisulfate, d-tartrate, 1-tartrate, d,l-tartrate, meso-tartrate, benzoate, gluceptate, d-glucuronate, hybenzate, isethionate, malonate, methylsulfate, 2-napsylate, nicotinate, nitrate, orotate, stearate, tosylate, thiocyanate, acefyllinate, aceturate, aminosalicylate, ascorbate, borate, butyrate, camphorate, camphocarbonate, decanoate, hexanoate, cholate, cypionate, dichloroacetate, edentate, ethyl sulfate, furate, fusidate, galactarate (mucate), galacturonate, gallate, gentisate, glutamate, glutamate, glutarate, glycerophosphate, heptanoate (enanthate), hydroxybenzoate, hippurate, phenylpropionate, iodide, xinafoate, lactobionate, laurate, maleate, mandelate, methanesulfonate, myristate, napadisilate, oleate, oxalate, palmitate, picrate, pivalate, propionate, pyrophosphate, salicylate, salicylsulfate, sulfosalicylate, tannate, terephthalate, thiosalicylate, tribrophenate, valerate, valproate, adipate, 4-acetamidobenzoate, camsylate, octanoate, estolate, esylate, glycolate, thiocyanate, undecylenate or combinations thereof.

13. The composition of claim 11 , wherein the compound is present in an amount of about 0.5 mg or higher.

14. The composition of claim 11 , wherein the compound is provided in a dosage form selected from the group consisting of a tablet, a capsule, a caplet, a suppository, a troche, a lozenge, an oral powder, a solution, an oral film, a thin strip, a slurry, a suspension, and a transdermal patch.

15. The composition of claim 11 , wherein the composition further comprises at least one additional active pharmaceutical ingredient.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 13, 2026
From: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
To: ZEVRA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 075080/0907 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 8, 2024
From: ZEVRA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 067040/0637 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 26, 2023
From: MICKLE, TRAVIS; GUENTHER, SVEN; BERA, SANJIB
To: KEMPHARM, INC.
Reel/Frame 064384/0603 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 26, 2023
From: KEMPHARM, INC.
To: ZEVRA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 064388/0285 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16604710
Provisional Application 62485890 · Apr 14, 2017
Provisional Application 62485891 · Apr 14, 2017
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