Polymeric prodrug with self-immolative linker

1. A polymeric cascade prodrug wherein the prodrug corresponds to a structure selected from the general formula I and II:

wherein X represents a spacer moiety; T represents a somatropin moiety; Y 1 and Y 2 each independently represent O, S or NR 6 ; Y 3 and Y 5 independently represent O or S; Y 4 represents O, NR 6 or —C(R 7 )(R 8 ); R2 and R3 represent a moiety selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted linear, branched or cyclical alkyl or heteroalkyl groups, aryls, substituted aryls, substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryls, cyano groups, nitro groups, halogens, carboxy groups, carboxyalkyl groups, alkylcarbonyl groups or carboxamidoalkyl groups; R 4 represents a moiety selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted linear, branched or cyclical alkyls or heteroalkyls, aryls, substituted aryls, substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl, substituted or unsubstituted linear, branched or cyclical alkoxys, substituted or unsubstituted linear, branched or cyclical heteroalkyloxys, aryloxys or heteroaryloxys, cyano groups and halogens; R 7 and R 8 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted linear, branched or cyclical alkyls or heteroalkyls, aryls, substituted aryls, substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryls, carboxyalkyl groups, alkylcarbonyl groups, carboxamidoalkyl groups, cyano groups, and halogens; R 6 represents a group selected from hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted linear, branched or cyclical alkyls or heteroalkyls, aryls, substituted aryls and substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryls; R 1 represents a polymer; W represents a group selected from substituted or unsubstituted linear, branched or cyclical alkyls, aryls, substituted aryls, substituted or unsubstituted linear, branched or cyclical heteroalkyls, substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryls; Nu represents a nucleophile; n represents zero or a positive integer; and Ar represents a multi-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon or multi-substituted aromatic heterocycle.

2. The prodrug according to claim 1 , wherein the somatropin is prepared by recombinant DNA technology.

3. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , wherein each R4 independently represents a substituent selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, ethoxy, methoxy, linear alkyls having three or more carbon atoms, cycloalkyls, branched alkyls and C 1-6 heteroalkyls.

4. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , wherein R1 represents a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyalkyloxy polymers, dextran, chitosan, hyaluronic acid and derivatives thereof, alginate, xylan, mannan, carrageenan, agarose, cellulose, starch, hydroxyethyl starch, carbohydrate-based polymers, polyvinyl alcohols, polyoxazolines, polyanhydrides, poly(ortho esters), polycarbonates, polyurethanes, polyacrylic acids, polyacrylamides, polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polyorganophosphazenes, polysiloxanes, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polycyanoacrylates, polyesters, polyiminocarbonates, polyaminoacids, collagen, gelatin, copolymers, grafted copolymers, cross-linked polymers, and block copolymers thereof.

5. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , wherein R1 represents a hydrogel.

6. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , wherein R1 represents a branched or hyperbranched polymer.

7. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , wherein R1 represents a dendrimer or dense star polymer.

8. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , wherein R1 represents a biopolymer.

9. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , wherein R1 represents a protein.

10. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 9 , wherein the protein is selected from the group consisting of albumin, antibodies, fibrin, casein and plasma proteins.

11. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , wherein R1 further includes one or more biologically active substances bound to the polymer.

12. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , wherein R1 has at least one functional group for linkage to X, and wherein the at least one functional group is selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acid and activated derivatives thereof, amino groups, maleimide, thiol, sulfonic acid and derivatives thereof, carbonate and derivatives thereof, carbamate and derivatives thereof, hydroxyl, aldehyde, ketone, hydrazine, isocyanate, isothiocyanate, phosphoric acids and derivatives thereof, phosphonic acids and derivatives thereof, haloacetyls, alkyl halides, acryloyls, arylating agents, hydroxylamines, disulfides, vinyl sulfones, vinyl ketones, diazoalkanes, diazoacetyl compounds, epoxide, oxirane, and aziridine.

13. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one functional group is selected from the group consisting of thiol, maleimide, amino groups, carboxylic acid and derivatives thereof, carbonate and derivatives thereof, carbamate and derivatives thereof, aldehyde, and haloacetyls.

14. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 12 , wherein the bond formed between X and the at least one functional group is selected from the group consisting of disulfide, S-succinimido, amide, amino, carboxylic ester, sulphonamide, carbamate, carbonate, oxime, hydrazone, urea, thiourea, phosphate, and phosphonate.

15. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 12 , wherein the bond formed between X and the at least one functional group is selected from the group consisting of S-succinimido, amide, carbamate, and urea.

16. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , wherein

represents a moiety selected from the group consisting of

17. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , wherein

represents a moiety selected from the group consisting of

18. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , wherein R6 represents an additional Nu-W.

19. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , wherein

represents a structure selected from the group consisting of

wherein R9, R10, R11 and R12 each independently represent a moiety selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, substituted or non-substituted alkyls or heteroalkyls, and substituted or non-substituted aryls or heteroaryls, and m represents an integer of 2 to 10.

20. The polymeric cascade prodrug or corresponding linker reagent according to claim 19 , wherein R9, 10, R11 and R12 each independently represent a moiety selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and substituted or non-substituted alkyls.

21. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , wherein Nu represents a nucleophile selected from the group consisting of primary, secondary and tertiary amino groups, thiols, carboxylic acids, hydroxylamines, hydrazine and nitrogen containing heteroaryls.

22. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , wherein Y 4 represents —C(R 7 )(R 8 ) and at least one of R7 and R8 is not hydrogen.

23. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , wherein Ar represents a structure selected from the group consisting of:

wherein each W independently represents O, S, or N.

24. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , wherein Ar represents a monocyclic or dicyclic aromatic hydrocarbon or aromatic heterocycle.

25. The polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , wherein the Ar represents a five-membered or six-membered aromatic hydrocarbon or aromatic heterocycle.

26. A method for synthesizing a polymeric prodrug, the method comprising:

(a) providing a starting molecule corresponding to the general Formula II or IIb:

(b) reacting the starting molecule with a masking group having a nucleophile to form at least one intermediate compound wherein the masking group is bound to Y 2 ; and

(c) reacting a somatropin moiety D with the at least one intermediate compound to form a polymeric prodrug;

wherein Y 2 is selected from O, S, or NR6; Y 3 is selected from O or S; X is a spacer moiety; R2 and R3 are selected independently from hydrogen, substituted or non-substituted linear, branched or cyclical alkyl or heteroalkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, substituted or non-substituted heteroaryl, cyano nitro, halogen, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, alkylcarbonyl or carboxamidoalkyl; R4 is selected from hydrogen, substituted or non-substituted linear, branched or cyclical alkyl or heteroalkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, substituted or non-substituted heteroaryl, substituted or non-substituted linear, branched, or cyclical alkoxy, substituted or non-substituted linear, branched, or cyclical heteroalkyloxy, aryloxy or heteroaryloxy, cyano, or halogen; R6 is selected from hydrogen, substituted or non-substituted linear, branched or cyclical alkyl or heteroalkyl, aryl, substituted aryl substituted or non-substituted heteroaryl; n is zero or a positive integer and Ar is a multi-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon or a multi-substituted aromatic heterocycle.

27. A method for hydrolyzing a polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , comprising providing the prodrug and placing the prodrug in a solution with a pH of approximately 7.4.

28. A method of administering a somatropin moiety to an organism in need thereof, the method comprising providing a polymeric cascade prodrug according to claim 1 , administering the polymeric cascade prodrug to the organism and cleaving the somatropin moiety from the polymeric cascade prodrug by means of a substantially non-enzymatic reaction.