Acetylenedicarboxyl linkers and their uses in specific conjugation of a cell-binding molecule

1. A compound of Formula (III):

wherein:

Cb represents a cell-binding agent selected from the group consisting of an antibody, a protein, a vitamin, and a peptide, each of which optionally coated on a polymeric micelle, a liposome, a lipoprotein-based drug carrier, a nano-particle drug carrier, or a dendrimer, and a combination thereof;

Z 1 and Z 2 are the same or different and represent a functional group that enables the compound to react with a cytotoxic drug, to form a disulfide, thioether, thioester, peptide, hydrazone, ether, ester, carbamate, carbonate, secondary, tertiary, or quarter amine, imine, cycloheteroalkyl, heteroaromatic, alkyloxime or amide bond;

n is 1 to 20;

R 1 and R 2 are the same or different, and are absent, a linear alkyl having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; branched or cyclic alkyl having from 3 to 6 carbon atoms; linear, branched or cyclic alkenyl or alkynyl having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms; ester, ether, or amide having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms; or polyethyleneoxy unit of formula (OCH 2 CH 2 ) p , wherein p is an integer from 1 to about 1000, or a combination thereof; and

X 1 and X 2 are independently NH, N(R 3 ), O, S or CH 2 ; R 3 is H, a linear alkyl having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; branched or cyclic alkyl having from 3 to 6 carbon atoms; linear, branched or cyclic alkenyl or alkynyl having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms; or esters, ether, amide having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms; or polyethyleneoxy unit of formula (OCH 2 CH 2 ) p , wherein p is an integer from 0 to about 1000, or a combination thereof,

wherein Z 1 and Z 2 each are represented by one of following structures:

N-hydroxysuccinimide ester,

maleimide;

disulfide;

haloacetyl;

acyl halide (acid halide),

ethenesulfonyl;

acryl (acryloyl);

2-(tosyloxy)acetyl;

2-(mesyloxy)acetyl;

2-(nitrophenoxy)acetyl;

2-(dinitrophenoxy)acetyl;

2-(fluorophenoxy)-acetyl;

2-(difluorophenoxy)-acetyl;

2-(((trifluoromethyl)-sulfonyl)oxy)acetyl;

ketone, or aldehyde,

2-(pentafluorophenoxy)-acetyl;

methylsulfone phenyloxadiazole (ODA);

acid anhydride,

alkyloxyamino;

azido,

alkynyl, or

hydrazide,

wherein X 1 ′ is F, Cl, Br, I or Lv; X 2 ′ is O, NH, N(R 1 ), or CH 2 ; R 5 and R 4 are H, R 1 , or an aromatic, heteroaromatic, or aromatic group wherein one or several H atoms are replaced independently by —R 1 , -halogen, —OR 1 , —SR 1 , —NR 1 R 2 , —NO 2 , —S(O)R 1 , —S(O) 2 R 1 , or —COOR 1 ; Lv is a leaving group selected from nitrophenol; N-hydroxysuccinimide; phenol; dinitrophenol; pentafluorophenol; tetrafluorophenol; difluorophenol; monofluorophenol; pentachlorophenol; triflate; imidazole; dichlorophenol; tetrachlorophenol; 1-hydroxybenzotriazole; tosylate; mesylate; 2-ethyl-5-phenylisoxazolium-3′-sulfonate, an anhydride; or an intermediate molecule generated from any of the above with a condensation reagent for peptide coupling reactions or for Mitsunobu reactions.

2. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein the cell-binding agent is selected from the group consisting of full-length antibodies comprising polyclonal antibodies, monoclonal antibodies, dimers, multimers, and multispecific antibodies; a single chain antibody, an antibody fragment that binds to a target cell, a monoclonal antibody, a single chain monoclonal antibody, or a monoclonal antibody fragment that binds the target cell, a chimeric antibody, a chimeric antibody fragment that binds to the target cell, a domain antibody, a domain antibody fragment that binds to the target cell, a resurfaced antibody, a resurfaced single chain antibody, or a resurfaced antibody fragment that binds to the target cell, a humanized antibody or a resurfaced antibody, a humanized single chain antibody, or a humanized antibody fragment that binds to the target cell, anti-idiotypic antibodies, CDR's, diabody, triabody, miniantibody, small immune proteins, a lymphokine, a hormone, a vitamin, a growth factor, a colony stimulating factor, a nutrient-transport molecule, and large molecular weight proteins.

3. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein the cell-binding agent is capable of targeting against a tumor cell, a virus infected cell, a microorganism infected cell, a parasite infected cell, an autoimmune disease cell, an activated tumor cells, a myeloid cell, an activated T-cell, an affecting B cell, or a melanocyte.

4. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein the cell-binding agent is capable of targeting against any one of following antigens and receptors: CD3, CD4, CD5, CD6, CD7, CD8, CD9, CD10, CD11a, CD11b, CD11c, CD12w, CD14, CD15, CD16, CDw17, CD18, CD19, CD20, CD21, CD22, CD23, CD24, CD25, CD26, CD27, CD28, CD29, CD30, CD31, CD32, CD33, CD34, CD35, CD36, CD37, CD38, CD39, CD40, CD41, CD42, CD43, CD44, CD45, CD46, CD47, CD48, CD49b, CD49c, CD51, CD52, CD53, CD54, CD55, CD56, CD58, CD59, CD61, CD62E, CD62L, CD62P, CD63, CD66, CD68, CD69, CD70, CD72, CD74, CD79, CD79a, CD79b, CD80, CD81, CD82, CD83, CD86, CD87, CD88, CD89, CD90, CD91, CD95, CD96, CD98, CD100, CD103, CD105, CD106, CD109, CD117, CD120, CD125, CD126, CD127, CD133, CD134, CD135, CD138, CD141, CD142, CD143, CD144, CD147, CD151, CD147, CD152, CD154, CD156, CD158, CD163, CD166, CD168, CD174, CD180, CD184, CDw186, CD194, CD195, CD200, CD200a, CD200b, CD209, CD221, CD227, CD235a, CD240, CD262, CD271, CD274, CD276 (B7-H3), CD303, CD304, CD309, CD326, 4-1BB, 5AC, 5T4, Adenocarcinoma antigen, AGS-5, AGS-22M6, Activin receptor-like kinase 1, AFP, AKAP-4, ALK, Alpha intergrin, Alpha v beta6, Amino-peptidase N, Amyloid beta, Androgen receptor, Angiopoietin 2, Angiopoietin 3, Annexin A1, Anthrax toxin protective antigen, Anti-transferrin receptor, AOC3, B7-H3, Bacillus anthracis anthrax, BAFF, B-lymphoma cell, bcr-abl, Bombesin, BORIS, C5, C242 antigen, CA125, CA-IX, CALLA, CanAg, Canis lupus familiaris IL31, Carbonic anhydrase IX, Cardiac myosin, CCL11, CCR4, CCR5, CD3E, CEA, CEACAM3, CEACAM5, CFD, Ch4D5, Cholecystokinin 2, CLDN18, Clumping factor A, CRIPTO, FCSF1R, CSF2, CTLA4, CTAA16.88 tumor antigen, CXCR4, C—X—C chemokine receptor type 4, cyclic ADP ribose hydrolase, Cyclin B1, CYP1B1, Cytomegalovirus, Cytomegalovirus glycoprotein B, Dabigatran, DLL3, DPP4, DR5 , E. coli shiga toxin type-1 , E. coli shiga toxin type-2, ED-B, EGFL7, EGFR, EGFRII, EGFRvIII, Endoglin, Endothelin B receptor, Endotoxin, EpCAM, EphA2, Episialin, ERBB2, ERBB3, ERG, Escherichia coli , ETV6-AML, FAP, FCGR1, alpha-Fetoprotein, Fibrin II, beta chain, Fibronectin extra domain-B, FOLR, Folate receptor alpha, Folate hydrolase, Fos-related antigen 1.F protein of respiratory syncytial virus, Frizzled receptor, Fucosyl GM1, GD2 ganglioside, G-28, GD3 idiotype, GloboH, Glypican 3, N-glycolylneuraminic acid, GM3, GMCSF receptor α-chain, Growth differentiation factor 8, GP100, GPNMB, GUCY2C, Heat shock proteins, Hemagglutinin, Hepatitis B surface antigen, Hepatitis B virus, HER1, HER2, HER2/neu, HER3, IgG4, HGF/SF, HHGFR, HIV-1, Histone complex, HLA-DR, HLA-DR10, HLA-DRB, HMWMAA, Human chorionic gonadotropin, HNGF, Human scatter factor receptor kinase, HPV E6/E7, Hsp90, hTERT, ICAM-1, Idiotype, IGF1R, IGHE, IFN-γ, Influenza hemagglutinin, IgE, IgE Fc region, IGHE, IL-1, IL-2 receptor, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-6R, IL-9, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17, IL-17A, IL-20, IL-22, IL-23, IL31RA, ILGF2, Integrins, Interferon gamma-induced protein, ITGA2, ITGB2, KIR2D, LCK, Le, Legumain, Lewis-Y antigen, LFA-1, LHRH, LINGO-1, Lipoteichoic acid, LIV1A, LMP2, LTA, MAD-CT-1, MAD-CT-2, MAGE-1, MAGE-2, MAGE-3, MAGE A1, MAGE A3, MAGE 4, MART1, MCP-1, MIF, MS4A1, MSLN, MUC1, MUC1-KLH, MUC16, MCP1, MelanA/MART1, ML-IAP, MPG, MS4A1, MYCN, Myelin-associated glycoprotein, Myostatin, NA17, NARP-1, NCA-90, Nectin-4, NGF, Neural apoptosis-regulated proteinase 1, NOGO-A, Notch receptor, Nucleolin, Neu oncogene product, NY-BR-1, NY-ESO-1, OX-40, OxLDL, OY-TES1, P21, p53 nonmutant, P97, Page4, PAP, Paratope of anti-(N-glycolylneuraminic acid), PAX3, PAX5, PCSK9, PDCD1, PDGF-Rα, PDGFR-β, PDL-1, PLAC1, PLAP-like testicular alkaline phosphatase, Platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta, Phosphate-sodium co-transporter, PMEL 17, Polysialic acid, Proteinase3, Prostatic carcinoma, PS, Prostatic carcinoma cells, Pseudomonas aeruginosa , PSMA, PSA, PSCA, Rabies virus glycoprotein, RHD, Rhesus factor, RANKL, RhoC, Ras mutant, RGS5, ROBO4, Respiratory syncytial virus, RON, Sarcoma translocation breakpoints, SART3, Sclerostin, SLAMF7, Selectin P, SDC1, sLe(a), Somatomedin C, SIP, Somatostatin, Sperm protein 17, SSX2, STEAP1, STEAP2, STn, TAG-72, Survivin, T-cell receptor, T cell transmembrane protein, TEM1, TENB2, Tenascin C, TGF-α, TGF-β, TGF-β1, TGF-β2, Tie, Tie2, TIM-1, Tn, TNF, TNF-α, TNFRSF8, TNFRSF10B, TNFRSF13B, TPBG, TRAIL-R1, TRAILR2, tumor-associated calcium signal transducer 2, tumor specific glycosylation of MUC1, TWEAK receptor, TYRP1, TRP-2, Tyrosinase, VCAM-1, VEGF, VEGF-A, VEGF-2, VEGFR-1, VEGFR2, or vimentin, WT1, XAGE 1, or cells expressing any insulin growth factor receptors, or any epidermal growth factor receptors.

5. The compound according to claim 4 , wherein the tumor cell is selected from the group consisting of lymphoma cells, myeloma cells, renal cells, breast cancer cells, prostate cancer cells, ovarian cancer cells, colorectal cancer cells, gastric cancer cells, squamous cancer cells, small-cell lung cancer cells, none small-cell lung cancer cells, testicular cancer cells, and cells that grow and divide at an unregulated, quickened pace to cause cancers.

6. The compound of claim 1 , wherein the cell-binding agent comprises an antibody.

7. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein R 1 or R 2 is selected from the group consisting of 6-maleimidocaproyl, maleimido propanoyl, valine-citrulline, alanine-phenylalanine, lysine-phenylalanine, p-aminobenzyloxycarbonyl, 4-thio-pentanoate, 4-(N-maleimidomethyl)cyclo-hexane-1-carboxylate, 4-thio-butyrate, maleimidoethyl, 4-thio-2-hydroxysulfonyl-butyrate, pyridinyl-dithiol, alkoxy amino, ethyleneoxy, 4-methyl-4-dithio-pentanoic, azido, alkynyl, dithio, peptides, and (4-acetyl)aminobenzoate.

8. The compound of claim 1 , wherein R 1 or R 2 comprises a peptide of 1 to 20 units of natural or unnatural amino acids, a p-aminobenzyl unit, a 6-maleimidocaproyl unit, a disulfide unit, a thioether unit, a hydrozone unit, a triazole unit, or an alkoxime unit.

9. A method for preparing a cell-binding agent-drug conjugate, the method comprising reacting the compound of claim 1 with a drug molecule.

10. The compound of claim 1 , wherein the condensation reagent is N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N′-ethylcarbodiimide, dicyclohexyl-carbodiimide, N,N′-diisopropylcarbodiimide, N-cyclohexyl-N′-(2-morpholinoethyl)carbodiimide metho-p-toluenesulfonate, 1,1′-carbonyldiimidazole, O-(benzotria-zol-1-yl)-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyluronium tetrafluoroborate, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-O-(1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)uronium hexafluorophosphate, (benzotriazol-1-yloxy)tris(dimethyl-amino)phosphonium hexafluorophosphate, (benzotriazol-1-yloxy)tripyrrolidinophos-phonium hexafluorophosphate, diethyl cyanophosphonate, chloro-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylformamidinium hexafluorophosphate, 1-[bis(dimethylamino)-methylene]-1H-1,2,3-triazolo[4,5-b]pyridinium 3-oxid hexafluorophosphate, 1-[(dimethylamino)(morpholino) methylene]-1H-[1,2,3]triazolo[4,5-b]pyridine-1-ium 3-oxide hexafluorophosphate, 2-chloro-1,3-dimethylimidazolidinium hexafluorophosphate, chlorotripyrrolidinophosphonium hexafluorophosphate, fluoro-N,N,N′,N′-bis(tetramethylene)formamidinium hexafluorophosphate, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-S-(1-oxido-2-pyridyl)thiuronium hexafluorophosphate, O-(2-oxo-1(2H)pyridyl)-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyluronium tetrafluoroborate, S-(1-oxido-2-pyridyl)-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-thiuronium tetrafluoroborate, O-[(ethoxycarbonyl) cyano-methylenamino]-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyluronium hexafluorophosphate, (1-cyano-2-ethoxy-2-oxoethylidenamino-oxy)dimethylamino-morpholino-carbenium hexafluorophosphate, O-(benzotriazol-1-yl)-N,N,N′,N′-bis(tetramethylene) uronium hexafluorophosphate, N-benzyl-N′-cyclohexylcarbodiimide, dipyrrolidino (N-succinimidyloxy)-carbenium hexafluoro-phosphate, chlorodipyrrolidinocarbenium hexafluorophosphate, 2-chloro-1,3-dimethylimidazolidinium tetrafluoroborate, (benzotriazol-1-yloxy) dipiperidinocarbenium hexafluorophosphate, O-(6-chlorobenzotriazol-1-yl)-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyluronium tetrafluoroborate, bromotris(dimethylamino)-phosphonium hexafluorophosphate, propylphosphonic anhydride, 2-morpholinoethyl isocyanide, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-O—(N-succinimidyl)uronium hexafluorophosphate, 2-bromo-1-ethyl-pyridinium tetrafluoroborate, O-[(ethoxycarbonyl)cyanomethylenamino]-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyluronium tetrafluoroborate, 4-(4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)-4-methylmorpholinium chloride, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-O—(N-succinimidyl)uronium tetrafluoroborate, O-(3,4-dihydro-4-oxo-1,2,3-benzotriazin-3-yl)-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyluronium tetrafluoro-borate, 1,1′-(azodicarbonyl)dipiperidine, di-(4-chlorobenzyl) azodicar-boxylate, di-tert-butyl azodicarboxylate, diisopropyl azodicarboxylate, or diethyl azodicarboxylate.

11. The compound of claim 1 , wherein R 1 or R 2 is cleavable by a protease.

12. A method for preparing the compound of claim 1 , comprising reacting a compound of Formula (I) with a cell-binding molecule having a pair of free thiols: