Bivalent linkers and conjugates thereof

Abstract

This invention pertains to bivalent linkers, and the synthesis and use thereof. In particular, this invention pertains to the synthesis and use of bivalent linkers in preparing vitamin, drug, diagnostic agent, and/or imaging agent conjugates. The present invention includes divalent linkers, which are alternatively referred to as bivalent linkers, that may be used to couple, link, bond, attach, or otherwise associate two or more chemical entities. This coupling, linking, attachment, or association may be used in the formation of conjugates of such chemical entities. Those chemical entities include targeting ligands and receptor-binding ligands, such as vitamins. Those chemical entities also include drugs for treating various diseases or disease states, and imaging and diagnostic agents for diagnosing, detecting, or otherwise monitoring various diseases or disease states.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.