Prototype systems of theranostic biomarkers for in vivo molecular management of cancer

1. A method of treating and/or diagnosing cancer in a patient in need thereof comprising administering to the patient a theranostic system, the theranostic system comprising a beacon in combination with or covalently linked to at least one compound selected from the group consisting of:

a quinazoline-based tyrosine kinase inhibitor and

a natural product capable of modulating a cancer-related Tyrosine Kinase Receptor (TKR) pathway;

wherein the beacon is a heterometallic compound having a structure define by Formula A

wherein R 1a , R 1b and R 1c each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl or acyl group; Ln 3+ is a trivalent lanthanide metal; TM is a transition metal capable of near infrared emission;

X is a negatively charged counterion;

Z is represented by O, NH, S, a poly(ethylene glycol) linker, a C 1 -C 20 aliphatic chain or a conjugate of a poly(ethylene glycol) linker with a C 1 -C 20 aliphatic chain, wherein the poly(ethylene glycol) linker and the C 1 -C 20 aliphatic chain are conjugated via a peptidic or esteric bond; and

n is 2;

wherein the quinazoline-based tyrosine kinase inhibitor has a structure as defined by Formula I:

wherein R 1 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, N 3 , CN, NO 2 , OR a , N(R a )(R b ), SR a or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, acyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl or heterocyclylalkyl group;

R 2 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, OR a , SR a , N(R a )(R b ), or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, acyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl or heterocyclylalkyl group; and

R 3 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, N 3 , CN, NO 2 , OR a , SR a or N(R a )(R b ), or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, acyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl or heterocyclylalkyl group;

wherein R a and R b each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, acyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl, or heterocyclylalkyl group;

and wherein the natural product is (i) a chromanol of the vitamin E superfamily, selected from α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherols, α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocotrienols, and dicarboxylic esters thereof;

(ii) a poly(oxo)phenolic compound; (iii) a retinoid; (iv) resveratrol; (v) a flavonoid; or (vi) a terpene or terpenoid,

wherein the cancer is colorectal cancer or malignant glioma.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cancer is malignant glioma.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cancer is colorectal cancer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the natural product is (i) a chromanol of the vitamin E superfamily, selected from α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherols, α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocotrienols, and dicarboxylic esters thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quinazoline-based tyrosine kinase inhibitor is an anilinoquinazoline-based tyrosine kinase inhibitor having the structure defined by Formula II

wherein each R 1e and R 1f independently represents a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, acyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl or heterocyclylalkyl group;

R 2 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, OR a , SR a , N(R a )(R b ), or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, acyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl or heterocyclylalkyl group; and

R 3 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, N 3 , CN, NO 2 , OR a , SR a or N(R a )(R b ), or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, acyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl or heterocyclylalkyl group;

wherein R a and R b each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, acyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl, or heterocyclylalkyl group.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 1e represents a hydrogen atom and R 1f represents an optionally substituted aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl or heterocyclylalkyl group.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein R 1f represents

wherein n is 0 to 4, and each R1g independently represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen, NO 2 , CN, N 3 , or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxy, acyl, cyclalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl or heterocyclylalkyl group.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein R 1f represents a 2-methoxyphenyl, 2-bromophenyl, 2-fluorophenyl, 2-chlorophenyl, 3-methoxyphenyl, 3-bromophenyl, 3-fluorophenyl, 3-chlorophenyl, 3,5,difluorophenyl, 3,5,dichlorophenyl, 3,5,dibromophenyl, 3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl, 4-chloro-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl, 3-chloro-4-fluorophenyl, 4-fluoro-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl, 4-fluorophenyl, 4-methoxyphenyl, 4-bromophenyl, 4-chlorophenyl, 4-isopropylphenyl, 3-bromo-5-(trifluoromethyl) phenyl, bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl, 4-(tert-butyl)phenyl or 1-napthylmethyl moiety.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 2 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, OR c , N(R c )(R d ), SR c or an optionally substituted alkyl group; wherein R c and R d each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl or acyl group.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 3 represents a hydrogen atom, OR g , N(R g )(R h ), SR or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group; wherein R g and R h each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl, acyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a complex of Formula B

wherein:

R 1a , R 1b and R 1c each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl or acyl group;

Ln 3+ is a trivalent lanthanide metal;

TM is a transition metal capable of near infrared emission;

X is a negatively charged counterion;

Z is represented by O, NH, S, a poly(ethylene glycol) linker, a C 1 -C 20 aliphatic chain or conjugate of a poly(ethylene glycol) linker with a C 1 -C 20 aliphatic chain, wherein the poly(ethylene glycol) linker and the C 1 -C 20 aliphatic chain are conjugated via a peptidic or esteric bond;

n is 2; and

R 5 is represented by the structure

wherein R 1 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, N 3 , CH, NO 2 , OR a , N(R a )(R b ), SR a or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, acyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl or heterocyclylalkyl group,

R 1e and R 1f independently represent a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, acyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl or heterocyclylalkyl group,

R 2 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, OR a , SR a , N(R a )(R b ), or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, acyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl or heterocyclylalkyl group; and

R 3 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, N 3 , CN, NO 2 , OR a , SR a or N(R a )(R b ), or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, acyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl or heterocyclylalkyl group;

wherein R a and R b each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, acyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl, or heterocyclylalkyl group.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a complex of Formula III or Formula IV

wherein each R 1e and R 1f independently represents a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, acyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl or heterocyclylalkyl group;

R 2 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, OR a , SR a , N(R a )(R b ), or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, acyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl or heterocyclylalkyl group; and

R 3 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, N 3 , CN, NO 2 , OR a , SR a or N(R a )(R b ), or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, acyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl or heterocyclylalkyl group;

wherein R a and R b each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, acyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclyl, or heterocyclylalkyl group;

and L is a linker selected from the group consisting of (i) a poly(ethylene glycol) linker, (ii) a C 1 -C 20 aliphatic chain; and (iii) a conjugate of a poly(ethylene glycol) linker with a C 1 -C 20 aliphatic chain, wherein the poly(ethylene glycol) linker and the C 1 -C 20 aliphatic chain are conjugated via a peptidic or esteric bond.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a complex of the natural product and the beacon represented by Formula H

or a complex selected from the group consisting of

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the theranostic system comprises said beacon in combination with or complexed to said natural product.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the theranostic system comprises said beacon in combination with or complexed to said quinazoline-based tyrosine kinase inhibitor and further comprising said natural product.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises detecting the beacon by using one or more imaging technique selected from the group consisting of optical imaging, radiofrequency imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, or positron emission tomography, alone or in combination.