Prodrugs containing an aromatic amine connected by an amido bond to a linker

1. A prodrug or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof comprising

a drug linker conjugate D-L:

wherein:

D is an aromatic amine containing biologically active moiety; and

L is a non-biologically active linker containing

i) a moiety L 1 represented by formula (I):

wherein:

the dashed line indicates the attachment of L 1 to an aromatic amino group of D by forming an amide bond;

X 1 is C(R 1 R 1a ) or a cyclic fragment selected from the group consisting of C 3-7 cycloalkyl, 4 to 7 membered heterocyclyl, phenyl, naphthyl, indenyl, indanyl, tetralinyl, and 9 to 11 membered heterobicyclyl, wherein:

 in case X 1 is a cyclic fragment, said cyclic fragment is incorporated into L 1 via two adjacent ring atoms and the ring atom of X 1 , which is adjacent to the carbon atom of the amide bond, is also a carbon atom;

X 2 is a chemical bond or selected from C(R 3 R 3a ), N(R 3 ), O, C(R 3 R 3a )—C(R 4 R 4a ), C(R 3 R 3a )—N(R 4 ), N(R 3 )—C(R 4 R 4a ), C(R 3 R 3a )—O, or O—C(R 3 R 3a ), wherein:

 in case X 1 is a cyclic fragment, X 2 is a chemical bond, C(R 3 R 3a ), N(R 3 ), or O;

 optionally, in case X 1 is a cyclic fragment and X 2 is C(R 3 R 3a ), the order of the X 1 fragment and the X 2 fragment within L 1 may be changed and the cyclic fragment is incorporated into L 1 via two adjacent ring atoms;

R 1 , R 3 , and R 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, C 1-4 alkyl, and —N(R 5 R 5a );

R 1a , R 2 , R 3a , R 4a , and R 5a are independently selected from the group consisting of H and C 1-4 alkyl;

R 5 is C(O)R 6 ; and

R 6 is C 1-4 alkyl; and

optionally, one of the pairs R 1a /R 4a , R 3a /R 4a or R 1a /R 3a form a chemical bond; and

ii) a moiety L 2 , which is a chemical bond or a spacer, where L 2 is bound to a polymeric carrier group Z;

wherein L 1 is substituted with one to four L 2 moieties, provided that the hydrogen marked with the asterisk in formula (I) is not replaced by L 2 ; and

wherein, optionally, L is further substituted.

2. The prodrug according to claim 1 ;

wherein, in the moiety L 1 represented by formula (I):

X 1 is C(R 1 R 1a ), cyclohexyl, phenyl, pyridinyl, norbonenyl, furanyl, pyrrolyl, or thienyl, wherein:

in case X 1 is a cyclic fragment, said cyclic fragment is incorporated into L 1 via two adjacent ring atoms;

X 2 is a chemical bond or selected from the group consisting of C(R 3 R 3a ), N(R 3 ), O, C(R 3 R 3a )—O, and C(R 3 R 3a )—C(R 4 R 4a );

R 1 , R 3 , and R 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, C 1-4 alkyl, and —N(R 5 R 5a );

R 1a , R 3a , R 4a , and R 5a are independently selected from the group consisting of H and C 1-4 alkyl;

R 2 is C 1-4 alkyl;

R 5 is C(O)R 6 ; and

R 6 is C 1-4 alkyl.

3. The prodrug according to claim 1 ;

wherein the moiety L 1 is selected from:

wherein:

R 5 is C(O)R 6 ;

R 1 , R 1a , R 2 , R 3 , and R 6 are independently from each other C 1-4 alkyl; and

L 1 is substituted with one L 2 moiety; and

optionally R 2 is substituted with one L 2 moiety.

4. The prodrug according to claim 1 ;

wherein the spacer is a fragment selected from C 1-50 alkyl, C 2-50 alkenyl or C 2-50 alkinyl, which fragment is optionally interrupted by one or more groups selected from —NH—, —N(C 1-4 alkyl)-, —O—, —S—, —C(O)—, —C(O)NH—, —C(O)N(C 1-4 alkyl)-, —O—C(O)—, —S(O)—, —S(O) 2 —, 4 to 7 membered heterocyclyl, phenyl or naphthyl, provided that the spacer does not contain a nitrogen atom being in β- or γ-position to the amino group containing the hydrogen marked with the asterisk in formula (I), in case the spacer is bound to R 2 .

5. The prodrug according to claim 1 ;

wherein L 2 is a chemical bond.

6. The prodrug according to claim 1 ;

wherein the carrier group Z is a polymer with a molecular weight ≧500 g/mol.

7. The prodrug according to claim 1 ;

wherein L 1 is substituted with one L 2 and the carrier group Z is a biodegradable polyethylene glycol based water-insoluble hydrogel.

8. The prodrug according to claim 1 ;

wherein the aromatic amine containing biologically active moiety D is derived from the corresponding biologically active drug D-H, which is selected from the group consisting of:

Abacavir, Acadesine, Acediasulfone, Aciclovir, Actimid, Actinomycin, Adefovir, Aditeren, Afloqualone, Aztreonam,Adefovir Dipivoxil, Adenine, Adenosine, Adenosine monophosphate, Adenosine triphosphate, Alfuzosin, Alpiropride, Ambasilide, Ambucaine, Ameltolide, Amethopterin, Amicycline, Amidapsone, Amiloride, Aminoacridine, Aminoantipyrine, Aminobenzoate, 6-Aminoflavone, 17-Aminogeldanamycin, Aminogenistein, Aminoglutethimide, Aminohippurate, 3′-Amino-4′-methoxyflavone, Aminonimetazepam, Aminopotentidine, Amphenidone, N-(p-Aminophenethyl)spiroperidol, 2-Amino-6(5H)-phenanthridinone, Amiphenosine, Aminophenylalanine, Aminopterin, Aminopurvalanol A, Amfenac, Amiphenazole, Amphotalide, Aminoisatin, Arninosalicylic Acid, Amifampridine, Amisulpride, Amlexanox, Amonafide, Amprenavir, Amrinone, Amthamine, Anileridine, Apraclonidine, Ascensil, Atolide, Azabon, Azacitidine, Azepexole, Aztreonam, Basedol, Benzocaine, Batanopride, Betoxycaine, Bleomycin, Bromfenac, Bromobuterol, Bromopride, Carbutamide, Carumonam, Candicidin, Cefepime, Cefcapene pivoxil, Cefdaloxime, Cefdinir, Cefditoren, Cefempidone, Cefetamet, Cefepime, Cefetecol, Cefixime, Cefmatilen, Cefmenoxime, Cefodizime, Cefoselis, Cefotaxime, Cefotiam, Ceftiolene, Ceftioxide, Cefpodoxime, Cefquinome, Cefrom, Ceftazidime , Cefteram, Ceftibuten, Ceftiofur, Ceftizoxime, Ceftriaxone, Cefuzonam, Cisapride, Clenproperol, Chloroprocaine, Cidofovir, Cisapride, Cladribine, Clafanone, Claforan, Clebopride, Clenbuterol, Clofarabine, Clorsulon, Cycloclenbuterol, Cytarabine, Cytidoline, Dactinomycin, Daniquidone, Dactinomycin, Dapsone, Daptomycin, Daraprim, Darunavir, Dazopride, Decitabine, Dedopramide, Diaminoacridine, Dichlorophenarsine, Dimethocaine, 10′-Demethoxystreptonigrin, 2,7-Dimethylproflavine, Dinalin, Dobupride, Doxazosin, Draflazine, Emtricitabine, Entecavir, Ethacridine, Etanterol, Etoxazene, Famciclovir, Fepratset, (±)-FLA 668, Flucytosine, Fludarabine, Folic Acid, Fosamprenavir, Ganciclovir, Gemcitabine, Gloximonam, GSK 3B Inhibitor XII, Glybuthiazol, Hydroxyrnethylclenbuterol, Hydroxyprocaine, Imiquimod, Indanocine, Iomeglamic acid, Iramine, Isobutamben, Isoritmon, Ketoclenbuterol, Lamivudine, Lamotrigine, Lavendamycin, Lenalidomide, Leucinocaine, Leucovorin, Lintopride, Lisadimate, Mabuterol, Medeyol, Mesalazine, Metabutethamine, Metabutoxycaine, Metahexamide, Methyl anthranilate, Methotrexate, Metoclopramide, Minoxidil, Mirabegron, Mitomycin, Mocetinostat, Monocain, Mosapride, NADH, Mutamycin, Naepaine, Naminterol, Nelarabine, Nepafenac, Nerisopam, Nitrine, Nomifensine, Norcisapride, Olamufloxacin, Orthocaine, Oxybuprocaine, Oximonam, Pancopride, Parsalmide, Pathocidine, Pasdrazide, Pemetrexed, Penciclovir, Phenazone, Phenazopyridine, Phenyl-PAS-Tebamin, Picumeterol, Pirazmonam, Porfiromycin, Pramipexole, Prazosin, Piridocaine, Procainamide, Procaine, Proflavine, N-Propionylprocainamide, Proparacaine, Propoxycaine, Prucalopride, Pyrimethamine, Questiomycin, Renoquid, Renzapride, Retigabine, Riluzole, Rufocromomycin, S-Adenosylrnethionine, Silver sulfadiazine, Sparfloxacin, Stearylsulfamide, Streptonigrin, Succisulfone, Sulamserod, Sulfabromomethazine, Sulfacetamide, Sulfaclozine, Sulfaclorazole, Sulfachlorpyridazine, Sulfachrysoidine, Sulfaclomide, Sulfacytine, Sulfadiasulfone, Sulfadimethoxine, Sulfadimidine, Sulfadicramide, Sulfadiazine, Sulfadoxine, Sulfaguanidine, Sulfaguanole, Sulfalene, Sulfamerazine, Sulfamethazine, Sulfanilamidoimidazole, Sulfanilylglycine, N-Sulfanilylnorfloxacin, Sulfathiadiazole, Sulfamethizole, Sulfamethoxazole, Sulfametopyrazine, Sulfapyrazole, Sulfamethoxydiazine, Sulfasymazine, Sulfatrozole, Sulfatroxazole, Sulfamethoxypyridazine, Sulfametomidine, Sulfametrole, Sufamonomethoxine, Sulfanilamide, Sulfaperin, Sulfaphenazole, Sulfaproxyline, Sulfapyridine, Sulfisomidine, Sulfasomizole, Sulfisoxazole, Suprax, Tacedinaline, Tacrine, Talampanel, Talipexole, Tenofovir, Terazosin, Tetrahydrobiopterin, Tetrahydrofolic acid, Thiamine, Thiazosulfone, Thioguanine, Tigemonam, Timirdine, Trimethoprim, Triamterene, Trimethoprim, Trimetrexate, Tritoqualine, Valaciclovir, Valganciclovir, Veradoline, Vidarabine, Zalcitabine, and Zoxazolamine.

9. The prodrug according to claim 8 ;

wherein D-H is pramipexole.

10. A pharmaceutical composition comprising;

an effective dose of at least one prodrug or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof according to claim 1 ; and

a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.

11. The composition according to claim 10 ;

wherein the polymer is polyethylene glycol or a polyethylene glycol-based hydrogel, preferably polyethylene glycol-based hydrogel microparticles with a particle diameter of 10 to 1000 microns, preferably 15 to 100 microns.

12. The composition according to claim 10 ;

wherein the polymer is a polyethylene glycol-based hydrogel with a particle diameter of 10 to 1000 microns, preferably 15 to 100 microns.

13. The composition of claim 10 ;

wherein the prodrug can be administered by injection through a needle smaller than 0.6 mm inner diameter.

14. The composition of claim 13 ;

wherein the needle is smaller than 0.3 mm inner diameter.

15. The composition of claim 13 ;

wherein the needle is smaller than 0.25 mm.

16. A method for treatment of a dopamine receptor related disease, including Parkinson's disease, neurological disorders, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, compulsive behavior, bipolar disorders, Tourette's syndrome, depressive disorders, treatment resistant depression, fibromyalia or restless leg syndrome (RLS), comprising:

utilizing a prodrug of claim 1 .

17. The method according to claim 16 ;

wherein the disease is Parkinsons's disease or RLS.

18. A method for treatment of a dopamine receptor related disease, including Parkinson's disease, neurological disorders, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, compulsive behavior, bipolar disorders, Tourette's syndrome, depressive disorders, treatment resistant depression, fibromyalia or restless leg syndrome (RLS), comprising:

utilizing a pharmaceutical composition of claim 10 .

19. The method of claim 18 ;

wherein the disease is Parkinsons's disease or RLS.

20. A method for the synthesis of a prodrug or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof according to claim 1 , comprising:

reacting a prodrug precursor L-Y or L 1 -Y with a biologically active drug D-H to obtain the drug linker conjugate D-L or a drug linker intermediate D-L 1 by forming an amide bond;

wherein Y is a leaving group.