Methods and compositions for treating solid tumors

1. A biodegradable polymer composition suitable for intratumoral administration to a mammal having a solid tumor, said composition comprising:

(a) a poly(phosphoester) biodegradable polymer;

(b) at least one antineoplastic agent in an amount effective to inhibit the growth of said tumor when administered by intratumoral injection, wherein a single administration of a dose of the composition provides extended release of the antineoplastic agent over a time of at least one day.

2. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the inhibition of the growth of said solid tumor is measured as a delay in tumor doubling time.

3. The polymer composition of claim 2 , wherein said tumor doubling time is extended by a factor of at least two.

4. The polymer composition of claim 2 , wherein said tumor doubling time is extended by a factor of at least four.

5. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the inhibition of the growth of said solid tumor is measured by a reduction in the volume of said tumor.

6. The polymer composition of claim 5 , wherein the volume of the tumor is reduced by at least about 10%.

7. The polymer composition of claim 5 , wherein the volume of the tumor is reduced by at least about 30%.

8. The polymer composition of claim 5 , wherein the volume of the tumor is reduced by at least about 50%.

9. The polymer composition of claim 5 , wherein the volume of the tumor is reduced by at least about 70%.

10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said antineoplastic agent comprises a taxane.

11. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said antineoplastic agent comprises paclitaxel.

12. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the biodegradable polymer is a phosphoester co-ester.

13. The composition of claim 1 , wherein a single dose of the composition provides extended release of the antineoplastic agent over a time of at least 15 days.

14. The composition of claim 1 , wherein a single dose of the composition provides extended release of the antineoplastic agent over a time of at least 30 days.

15. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein said polymer comprises the recurring monomeric units shown in formula I:

wherein X is —O— or —NR 4 —;

Y is —O— or —NR 4 —;

R 4 is H or alkyl;

each of R 1 and R 2 is a divalent organic moiety;

L is a divalent, branched or straight chain aliphatic group having 1-20 carbon atom, a cycloaliphatic group, or a group having the formula:

and R 3 is selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, aryloxy, heterocyclic or heterocycloxy.

16. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein said biodegradable poly(phosphoester) comprises monomeric units represented by formulas IV, V, VI and VII:

wherein X is —O— or —NR 4 —;

Y is —O—, —S— or —NR 4 —;

R 4 is H or alkyl;

M 1 and M 2 are each independently (1) a branched or straight chain aliphatic group having from 1-20 carbon atoms; or (2) a branched or straight chain, oxy-, carboxy- or amino-aliphatic group having from 1-20 carbon atoms;

L is a divalent, branched or straight chain aliphatic group having 1-20 carbon atom; and

R 3 is selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, aryloxy, heterocyclic or heterocycloxy.

17. The composition of claim 16 , wherein said poly(phosphoester) has the formula VIII or IX:

wherein M 1 and M 2 are each independently (1) a branched or straight chain aliphatic group having from about 1-20 carbon atoms; or (2) a branched or straight chain, oxy-, carboxy- or amino-aliphatic group having from about 1-20 carbon atoms;

L is a divalent, branched or straight chain aliphatic group having 1-20 carbon atoms;

the molar ratio of x:y is about one; and

the molar ratio q:r varies between about 1:99 and 99:1.

18. The composition of claim 17 , wherein R 3 is an alkoxy group; X and Y are each oxygen; and M 1 , M 2 and L are each independently a branched or straight chain alkylene group having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms.

19. The composition of claim 17 , wherein R 3 is an alkoxy group having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms; L is alkylene; and M 1 and M 2 are each independently an alkylene group having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms.

20. The composition of claim 17 , 18 or 19 , wherein the antineoplastic agent is a taxane.

21. The composition of claim 17 , 18 or 19 , wherein the antineoplastic agent is paclitaxel.

22. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein said biodegradable poly(phosphoester) comprises monomeric units represented by formula X:

wherein each of R 1 and R 2 is independently straight or branched aliphatic, either unsubstituted or substituted with one or more non-interfering substituents; and

L is a divalent cycloaliphatic group; and

R 3 is selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, aryloxy, heterocyclic or heterocycloxy.

23. The composition of claim 22 , wherein each of R 1 and R 2 is a methylene group; R 3 is an alkoxy group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and L is cyclohexylene.

24. The composition of claim 22 or 23 , wherein the antineoplastic agent comprises a taxane.

25. The composition of claim 22 or 23 , wherein said antineoplastic agent comprises paclitaxel.

26. The composition of claim 17 or 22 , wherein the inhibition of the growth of said solid tumor is measured as a delay in tumor doubling time and is extended by a factor of at least two.

27. The polymer composition of claim 17 or 22 , wherein the inhibition of the growth of said solid tumor is measured by a reduction in volume of said tumor, and the volume of the tumor is reduced by at least about 10%.

28. The composition of claim 17 , or 22 , wherein a single dose of the composition provides extended release of the antineoplastic agent over a time of at least 15 days.

29. The composition of claim 28 , wherein said single dose of the composition provides extended release of the antineoplastic agent over a time of at least 30 days.

30. A biodegradable polymer composition suitable for intratumoral administration to treat a mammal having a solid tumor, said composition comprising:

(a) a poly(phosphoester) biodegradable polymer made by the process of reacting a phosphorodihalidate and a diol; and

(b) at least one antineoplastic agent in an amount effective to inhibit the growth of said tumor when administered by intratumoral injection,

wherein a single administration of a dose of the composition provides extended release of the antineoplastic agent over a time of at least one day.

31. A biodegradable polymer composition suitable for intratumoral administration to treat a mammal having a solid tumor, said composition comprising:

(a) at least one antineoplastic agent in an amount effective to inhibit the growth of said tumor when administered by intratumoral injection; and

(b) a poly(phosphoester) biodegradable polymer made by a process comprising:

(1) reacting at least one heterocyclic ring compound with H—Y-L-Y—H, wherein H is hydrogen;

Y is —O—, —S— or —NR 4 —, where R 4 is H or alkyl; and

L is a divalent, branched or straight chain aliphatic group having 1-20 carbon atoms, to form a prepolymer;

(2) further reacting the prepolymer with a phosphorodihalidate to form a poly(phosphoester),

wherein a single administration of a dose of the composition provides extended release of the antineoplastic agent over a time of at least one day.

32. The composition of claim 31 , wherein the inhibition of the growth of said solid tumor is measured by a reduction in the volume of said tumor, and the amount of said antineoplastic agent is sufficient to reduce the volume of the tumor by at least 10%.

33. The composition of claim 31 , wherein the inhibition of the growth of said solid tumor is measured as a delay in tumor doubling time, and the tumor doubling time is extended by a factor of at least two.

34. An article suitable for the intratumoral administration of an antineoplastic agent to a mammal having a solid tumor wherein the article comprises:

(a) a biodegradable poly(phosphoester); and

(b) at least one antineoplastic agent in an amount effective to inhibit the growth of said tumor when administered by intratumoral injection),

wherein the article provides extended release of the antineoplastic agent over a time of at least one day.

35. The article of claim 34 , wherein the inhibition of the growth of said solid tumor is measured by a reduction in the volume of said tumor, and the amount of said antineoplastic agent is sufficient to reduce the volume of the tumor by at least 10%.

36. The article of claim 34 , wherein the inhibition of the growth of said solid tumor is measured as a delay in tumor doubling time, and the tumor doubling time is extended by a factor of at least two.

37. The article of claim 34 , wherein said article is in the form of a needle, a rod, a stent, or injectable microparticles.

38. The article of claim 34 , wherein said article is in the form of microspheres.

39. The composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition is in the form of a viscous liquid, emulsion or suspension.