Therapeutic azo-compounds for drug delivery

Abstract

Polyazo compounds, which include low molecular weight drugs having a carboxylic acid group and an amine, thiol, alcohol or phenol group within their structure, formed into polymeric drug delivery systems are provided. Also provided are methods of producing polymeric drug delivery systems having these polyazo compounds as well as methods of administering low molecular weight drugs to a host via the polymeric drug delivery systems.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A polymer comprising a backbone, wherein the backbone comprises one or more azo linkages, and wherein the backbone comprises one or more groups that will yield a biologically active compound upon hydrolysis of the polymer.  
     
     
         2 . The polymer of  claim 1  which comprises one or more units of formula (I) in the backbone:  
       -A-R 1 -N═N—R 1 -(A-L) n -  (I) 
       wherein 
 each R 1 -N is a group that will provide a biologically active compound upon hydrolysis of the polymer;  
 each A is independently an anhydride linkage, an amide linkage, a thioester linkage, or an ester linkage;  
 L is a linking group; and n is 0 or 1.  
 
     
     
         3 . The polymer of  claim 1  or  2  wherein the biologically active compound is a non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drug, an anti-bacterial drug, an anti-fungal drug, an anti-cancer drug, an anti-thrombotic drug, an immunosuppressive drug, an analgesic drug or an anesthetic drug.  
     
     
         4 . The polymer of claims  1  or  2 , wherein the biologically active compound is 5-aminosalicylic acid, 4-aminosalicylic acid, 2-p-sulfanilyanilinoethanol, 4,4′-sulfinyldianiline, 4-sulfanilamidosalicylic acid, acediasulfone, acetosulfone, amikacin, amoxicillin, amphotericin B, ampicillin, apramycin, arbekacin, aspoxicillin, aztreonam, brodimoprim, butirosin, capreomycin, carumonam, cefadroxil, cefatrizine, cefclidin, cefdinir, cefditoren, cefepime, cefetarnet, cefixime, cefinenoxime, cefiniox, cefodizime, ceforanide, cefotaxime, cefotiam, cefozopran, cefpirome, cefprozil, cefroxadine, ceftazidime, cefteram, ceftibuten, ceftriaxone, cefizonam, cephalexin, cephaloglycin, cephalosporin C, cephrdine, clinafloxacin, colistin, cyclacillin, dapsone, diathymosulfone, dibekacinm, enviomycinm, epicillin, fortimicin(s), gentamicin(s), gramicidin S, isepamicin, kanamycin(s), lucensomycin, lymecycline, micronomicin, natamycin, neomycin, netilmicin, paromomycin, pazufloxacin, penicillin N, peplomycin, perimycin A, polymyin, p-sulfarilylbenzylamine, ribostamycin, ristocetin, sisomicin, sparfloxacin, succisulfone, sulfachrysoidine, sulfamidochrysoidine, sulfanilfc acid, sulfoxone, teicoplanin, tetroxoprim, thiazolsulfone, tigemonam, tobramycin, tosufloxacin, trimethoprim, trovafloxacin, tuberactiomycin, vancomycin, azaserine, candicidin(s), mepartricin, nystatin, tubercidin, 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine, azacitadine, bleomycin(s), carubicin, cladribine, cytarabine, daunorubicin, denopterin, doxorubicin, edatrexate, eflornithine, epirubicin, fludarabine, gemcitabine, idarubicin, melphalan, methotrexate, mitomycin C, pirarubicin, piritrexim, pteropterin, puromycin, streptonigrin, thiamiprine, thioguanine, trimetrexate, tubercidin, zorubicin, gusperimus, ubenimex, butethamine, naepaine, orthocaine, piridocaine, 3-amino-4-hydroxybutyric acid, amfenac, bromfenac, mesalamine, or S-adenosylmethionine.  
     
     
         5 . The polymer of  claim 4 , wherein the biologically active compound is 5-aminosalicylic acid or 4-aminosalicylic acid.  
     
     
         6 . The polymer of  claim 4 , wherein the biologically active compound is 2-p-sulfanilyanilinoethanol, 4,4′-sulfinyldianiline, 4-sulfanilamidosalicylic acid, acediasulfone, acetosulfone, amikacin, amoxicillin, amphotericin B, ampicillin, apramycin, arbekacin, aspoxicillin, aztreonam, brodimoprim butirosin, capreomycin, carumonam, cefadroxil, cefatrizine, cefclidin, cefdinir, cefditoren, cefepime, cefetarnet, cefixime, cefmenoxime, cefminox, cefodizime, ceforanide, cefotaxime, cefotiam, cefozopran, cefpirome, cefprozil, cefroxadine, ceftazidime, cefteram, ceftibuten, ceftriaxone, cefuzonam, cephalexin, cephaloglycin, cephalosporin C, cephradine, clinafloxacin, colistin, cyclacillin, dapsone, diathymosulfone, dibekacinm, enviomycinm, epicillin, fortimicin(s), gentamicin(s), gramicidin S, isepamicin, kanamycin(s), lucensomycin, lymecycline, micronomicin, natamycin, neomycin, netilmicin, paromomycin, pazufloxacin, penicillin N, peplomycin, perimycin A, polymyxin, p-sulfanilylbenzylamine, ribostamycin, ristocetin, sisomicin, sparfloxacin, succisulfone, sulfachrysoidine, sulfamidochrysoidine, sulfanilic acid, sulfoxone, teicoplanin, tetroxoprim, thiazolsulfone, tigemonam, tobramycin, tosufloxacin, trimethoprim, trovafloxacin, tuberactinomycin or vancomycin.  
     
     
         7 . The polymer of  claim 4 , wherein the biologically active compound is azaserine, candicidin(s), mepartrcin, nystalin, tubercidin.  
     
     
         8 . The polymer of  claim 3 , wherein the biologically active compound is a non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drug.  
     
     
         9 . The polymer of  claim 8 , wherein the biologically active compound is 3-amino-4-hydroxybutyric acid, amfenac, bromfenac, mesalamine- or S-adenosylmethionine.  
     
     
         10 . The polymer of  claim 4 , wherein the biologically active compound is 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine, azacitadine, azaserine or bleomycin, carubicin, cladribine, cytarabine, daunorubicin, denopterin, doxorubicin, edatrexate, eflornithine, epirubicin, fludarabine, gemcitabine, idarubicin, melphalan, methotrexate, mitomycin C, pirarubicin, piritrexim, pteropterin, puromycin, streptonigrin, thiamiprine, thioguanine, trimetrexate, tubercidin, ubenimex or zorubicin.  
     
     
         11 . The polymer of  claim 4 , wherein the biologically active compound is gusperimus or ubenimex.  
     
     
         12 . The polymer of  claim 4 , wherein the biologically active compound is butethamine, naepaine, orthocaine or piridocaine.  
     
     
         13 . The polymer of  claim 2 , wherein L is a divalent, branched or unbranched, saturated or unsaturated, hydrocarbon chain, having from 1 to 25 carbon atoms, wherein one or more (e.g. 1, 2, 3, or 4) of the carbon atoms is optionally replaced by (—O—) or (—NR—), and wherein the chain is optionally substituted on carbon with one or more (e.g. 1, 2, 3, or 4) substituents selected from the group consisting of (C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy, (C 3 -C 6 )cycloalkyl, (C 1 -C 6 )alkanoyl, (C 1 -C 6 )alkanoyloxy, (C 1 -C 6 )alkoxycarbonyl, (C 1 -C 6 )alkylthio, azido, cyano, nitro, halo, hydroxy, oxo, carboxy, aryl, aryloxy, heteroaryl, and heteroaryloxy.  
     
     
         14 . The polymer of  claim 13 , wherein L is a divalent, branched or unbranched, saturated or unsaturated, hydrocarbon chain, having from 1 to 25 carbon atoms, wherein the chain is optionally substituted on carbon with one or more (e.g. 1, 2, 3, or 4) substituents selected from the group consisting of (C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy, (C 3 -C 6 )cycloalkyl, (C 1 -C 6 )alkanoyl, (C 1 -C 6 )alkoyloxy, (C 1 -C 6 )alkoxycarbonyl, (C 1 -C 6 )alkylthio, azido, cyano, nitro, halo, hydroxy, oxo, carboxy, aryl, aryloxy, heteroaryl, and heteroaryloxy.  
     
     
         15 . The polymer of  claim 2 , wherein L is a peptide.  
     
     
         16 . The polymer of  claim 2 , wherein L is an amino acid.  
     
     
         17 . The polymer of  claim 2 , wherein L is a divalent, branched or unbranched, saturated or unsaturated, hydrocarbon chain, having from 1 to 25 carbon atoms, wherein one or more (e.g. 1, 2, 3, or 4) of the carbon atoms is optionally replaced by (—O—) or (—NR—).  
     
     
         18 . The polymer of  claim 2 , wherein L is a divalent, branched or unbranched, saturated or unsaturated, hydrocarbon chain, having from 3 to 15 carbon atoms, wherein one or more (e.g. 1, 2, 3, or 4) of the carbon atoms is optionally replaced by (—O—) or (—NR—), and wheren the chain is optionally substituted on carbon with one or more (e.g. 1, 2, 3, or 4) substituents selected from the group consisting of (C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy, (C 3 -C 6 )cycloalkyl, (C 1 -C 6 )alkanoyl, (C 1 -C 6 )alkanoyloxy, (C 1 -C 6 )alkoxycarbonyl, (C 1 -C 6 )alkylthio, azido, cyano, nitro, halo, hydroxy, oxo, carboxy, aryl, aryloxy, heteroaryl, and heteroaryloxy.  
     
     
         19 . The polymer of  claim 2 , wherein L is a divalent, branched or unbranched, saturated or unsatarated, hydrocarbon chain, having from 3 to 15 carbon atoms, wherein one or more (e.g. 1, 2, 3, or 4) of the carbon atoms is optionally replaced by (—O—) or (—NR—).  
     
     
         20 . The polymer of  claim 2 , wherein L is a divalent, branched or unbranched, saturated or unsaturated, hydrocarbon chain, having from 3 to 15 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         21 . The polymer of  claim 2 , wherein L is a divalent, branched or unbranched, hydrocarbon chain, having from 3 to 15 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         22 . The polymer of  claim 2 , wherein L is a divalent, branched or inbranched, hydrocarbon chain, having from 6 to 10 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         23 . The polymer of  claim 2 , wherein L is a divalent hydrocarbon chain having 7, 8, or 9 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         24 . The polymer of  claim 2 , wherein L is a divalent hydrocarbon chain having 8 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         25 . The polymer of any one of  claim 1 , further comprising another therapeutic agent dispersed in the matrix of the polymer.  
     
     
         26 . The polymer of any one of  claim 1 , further comprising another therapeutic agent appended to the polymer backbone.  
     
     
         27 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a polymer of  claim 1  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.  
     
     
         28 . A therapeutic method for treating a disease in an animal comprising administering to an animal in need of such therapy, an effective amount of a polymer of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         29 . A therapeutic method for producing an anaesthetic effect in an animal comprising administering to an animal in need of such therapy, an effective amount of a polymer of  claim 13 .  
     
     
         30 . A therapeutic method for treating cancer comprising administering to an animal in need of such therapy, an effective amount of a polymer of  claim 10 .  
     
     
         31 . A therapeutic method for producing an anti-inflammatory effect in an animal comprising administering to an animal in need of such therapy, an effective amount of a polymer of  claim 8 .  
     
     
         32 . A method for producing a polymer as described in  claim 1  comprising co-polymerizing a compound, of formula (X 1 —R 1 —N═N—R 1 —X 2 ) and a linker precursor of formula Z 1 -L- 2 , wherein each R 1  is independently a group. that will provide a biologically active compound upon hydrolysis of the polymer and cleavage of the azo-bond; L is a liking group; and each of X 1 , X 2 , Z 1 , and Z 2  is selected to provide an anahydride linkage, an amide linkage, a thioester linkage, or an ester linkage upon polymerization.  
     
     
         33 . A method of delivering a biologically active compound to a host comprising administering to the host a biocompatible and biodegradable polyester or polyamnide of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         34 . The polymer as described in  claim 1  for use in medical therapy.  
     
     
         35 . The use of a polymer as described in  claim 1  for the manufacture of a medicament useful for the treatment of a disease in a mammal, such as a human.