Cleavable conjugates of catechol compounds and water-soluble polymers and methods of treatment using the same

A conjugate comprising a poly(oxazoline) polymer (POZ) and an agent (A) and having the structure of formula IIB or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof

• wherein
• R is an initiating group;
• X is independently selected for each repeating unit from -L-A-B;
• Y is independently selected for each repeating unit from -L-A-B, a non-reactive pendent moiety, or a pendent moiety containing an active functional group, and wherein X and Y may be the same or different;
• R1 is independently selected for each repeating unit from an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl, an unsubstituted or substituted alkenyl, an unsubstituted or substituted aralkyl, or an unsubstituted or substituted heterocyclylalkyl group;
• a is ran which indicates a random co-polymer or block which indicates a block co-polymer;
• o1 is an integer from 1 to 50;
• o2 is from 0 to 49, provided that the sum of o1 and o2 is less than or equal to 50;
• and
• T is a terminating group;
• n is an integer from 1-1000;
• L is a linkage comprising a first cleavable moiety, linking A and POZ;
• A comprises at least a first and a second phenolic hydroxyl group, wherein the first phenolic hydroxyl group is linked to L and the second phenolic hydroxyl group is linked to B, and wherein A is apomorphine;
• B is —R17—R18, wherein R17 is —C(O)—O—, —C(O)—NH-cyclic-O—C(O)—, —C(O)—NH—(C6H4)—O—C(O)—, CH3 (CH2)1-4—O—C(O)—(CH2)1-4—C(O)— or P(O) (OR9) (O)—, wherein cyclic represents substituted or unsubstituted aryl, heterocylalkyl, heteroaryl, heterocyclyl or cycloalkyl and R9 is H or a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C5 alkyl, and wherein R18 is an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl, an unsubstituted or substituted alkenyl, an unsubstituted or substituted aralkyl or an unsubstituted or substituted aryl group;
• and
• b is 1 to 50, provided that n is always greater than or equal to b, and
• wherein the first cleavable moiety is different than B.