Polymeric hGH prodrugs

1. A polymeric human growth hormone (hGH) prodrug or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof of formula (Ia) or (Ib):

wherein:

-D is a hGH moiety connected to the rest of the molecule through an amine functional group;

n is 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4;

—X— is a chemical bond or a spacer;

=Y 1 , is selected from the group consisting of =0 and =S;

—Y 2 — is selected from the group consisting of —0— and —S—;

—Y 3 — and —Y 5 — are independently of each other selected from the group

consisting of —0— and —S—;

—Y 4 — is selected from the group consisting of —0—, —NR 5 — and —C(R 6 R 6a )—;

—R 1 comprises a moiety of formula-(IIc):

wherein:

p1, p2, p3, and p4 are independently an integer ranging from 180 to 240;

—R 2 , —R 3 , —R 5 , —R 6 , and —R 6a are independently of each other selected from the group consisting of -H, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, n-pentyl, 2-methylbutyl, 2,2-dimethylpropyl, n-hexyl, 2-methylpentyl, 3-methylpentyl, 2,2-dimethylbutyl, 2,3-dimethylbutyl and 3,3-dimethylpropyl;

—R 4 is selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl, tent-butyl, n-pentyl, 2-methylbutyl, 2,2-dimethylpropyl, n-hexyl, 2-methylpentyl, 3-methylpentyl, 2,2-dimethylbutyl, 2,3-dimethylbutyl and 3,3-dimethylpropyl;

—W— is selected from the group consisting of C 1-20 alkyl optionally interrupted by one or more groups selected from the group consisting of C 3-10 cycloalkyl, 8- to 30-membered carbopolycyclyl, 3- to 10-membered heterocyclyl, —C(O)—, —C(O)N(R 7 )—, —O—, —S—, and —N(R 7 )—;

—Nu is a nucleophile selected from the group consisting of —N(R 7 R 7a ),

—Ar— is selected from the group consisting of

wherein:

dashed lines indicate attachment to the rest of the prodrug,

—Z 1 — is selected from the group consisting of —O—, —S— and —N(R 7 )—, and

—Z 2 — is —N(R 7 )—; and

—R 7 , —R 7a , and —R 7b are independently of each other selected from the group consisting of —H, C 1-6 alkyl, C 2-6 alkenyl and C 2-6 alkynyl; and

wherein the prodrug of formula (Ia) and (Ib) is optionally further substituted.

2. The prodrug of claim 1 ;

wherein the polymeric hGH prodrug is of formula (IV):

wherein:

D is an hGH moiety connected to the rest of the molecule through an amine functional group; and

p1, p2, p3, and p4 are independently an integer ranging from 180 to 240.

3. A pharmaceutical formulation comprising: the prodrug of claim 1 ; and at least one excipient.

4. The pharmaceutical formulation of claim 3 ; wherein the pharmaceutical formulation is a dry formulation and comprises from 1 to 99.9% (w/w) of the prodrug.

5. The dry pharmaceutical formulation of claim 3 ;

wherein the dry formulation is obtained by a process comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a liquid formulation comprising:

3-300 mg/ml or the polymeric hGH prodrug

5-50 mM of succinic acid; and

optionally 25-150 mg/ml of trehalose dihydrate;

wherein the liquid formulation has a pH ranging from pH 4.0 to pH 6.0,

which is titrated using a suitable buffer; and

(b) drying the liquid formulation of step (a).

6. The dry pharmaceutical formulation of claim 3 ;

wherein the dry formulation comprises:

14-65% (w/w) of the polymeric hGH prodrug;

0.5-2.5% (w/w) of succinic acid;

31-84% (w/w) of trehalose dihydrate; and

0.4-4% (w/w) of Tris.

7. A method of preparing a reconstituted formulation, wherein the method comprises the step of:

contacting the dry pharmaceutical formulation of claim 4 with a reconstitution solution.

8. A reconstituted formulation obtained from the method of claim 7 .

9. The reconstituted formulation of claim 8 ;

wherein the reconstituted formulation comprises:

3-300 mg/ml of the polymeric hGH prodrug;

5-50 mM of succinic acid;

25-150 mg/ml of trehalose dihydrate; and

Tris 1-50 mM; and

wherein the reconstituted formulation has a pH ranging from pH 4.0 to pH 6.0.

10. A method of treating, controlling, delaying, or preventing in a mammalian patient in need of the treatment, control, delay, or prevention of at least one diseases which can be treated, controlled, delayed, or prevented with hGH, wherein the method comprises:

a step of administering to said patient a therapeutically effective amount of the prodrug of claim 1 .

11. The method of claim 10 ;

wherein the administration is via topical, enteral, or parenteral administration, or is by external application, injection, or infusion, direct delivery to the brain via implanted device allowing delivery of the invention or the like to brain tissue or brain fluids, direct intracerebroventricular injection or infusion, injection or infusion into brain or brain associated regions, injection into the subchoroidal space, retro-orbital injection, or ocular instillation.

12. The method of claim 11 ;

wherein the administration is by intraarticular, periarticular, intradermal, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous, intraosseous, intraperitoneal, intrathecal, intracapsular, intraorbital, intravitreal, intratympanic, intravesical, intracardiac, transtracheal, subcuticular, subcapsular, subarachnoid, intraspinal, intraventricular, or infrasternal injection or infusion.

13. The method of claim 10 ;

wherein the disease is selected from the group consisting of growth hormone deficiency in children, idiopathic short stature, short stature homeobox gene mutations, Turner syndrome, Noonan syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, children born small for gestational age, chronic renal insufficiency, growth hormone deficiency in adults, wasting due to HIV or AIDS or other malignancies, short bowel syndrome, sarcopenia, and frailty.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the disease is growth hormone deficiency in children.

15. The prodrug of claim 1 , wherein the -D is a hGH moiety of SEQ ID NO:1.

16. The prodrug of claim 2 , wherein -D is connected to the rest of the molecule through an amine provided by a lysine side chain.

17. The prodrug of claim 2 , wherein -D is a hGH moiety having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.

18. The pharmaceutical formulation of claim 3 , wherein the pharmaceutical formulation is a liquid formulation and comprises from 3 to 300 mg/ml of the prodrug.

19. The liquid pharmaceutical formulation of claim 18 ; wherein the liquid formulation comprises 3-300 mg/ml of the polymeric hGH prodrug; 5- 50 mM of succinic acid; optionally 25-150 mg/ml of trehalose dihydrate; and optionally 1- 50 mM of methionine; and wherein the liquid formulation has a pH ranging from pH 4.0 to 6.0, which is titrated using a suitable buffer.

20. The prodrug of claim 1 ;

wherein p1, p2, p3, and p4 are independently an integer ranging from 200 to 240.

21. The prodrug of claim 2 ;

wherein p1, p2, p3, and p4 are independently an integer ranging from 200 to 240.