Dichalcogenide prodrugs

A compound having the formula (I)

• A-L-B (I)
• wherein
• A is represented by
• denotes the attachment point of A to L;
• L is a bond or a self-immolative spacer;
• B is represented by
• denotes the attachment point of B to L;
• A1 is selected such that A1-OH is a therapeutic, diagnostic or theranostic agent which contains an —OH group that is attached to a 5- or 6-membered aromatic or heteroaromatic ring;
• A2 and A3 are independently selected such that A2-NH-A3 is a therapeutic, diagnostic or theranostic agent which contains an —NH2 or —NH— moiety;
• K1 is selected from —C1-4-alkyl optionally substituted by W1;
• K2 is selected from —H, —O—Rj, and —O—Rk;
• or
• K1 and K2 are bonded together and K1 and K2 represent —X3—Y—X—, wherein X3 is bonded to N and X is bonded to C;
• X is selected from —N(Ra)—, —N(Rb)—, —CRc2— and —O—;
• X1 is —(CRd2)m—;
• X2 is —(CRe2)n—;
• X3 is —CRf2—;
• Y is —(CRg2)p—;
• Z1 and Z2 are independently selected from S or Se such that either Z1 is Se and Z2 is S, or Z1 is S and Z2 is Se, or Z1 and Z2 are both Se;
• W is independently from —OH, —C(O)—N(Rh)(Ri), —N(Rh)(Ri), —PRx3+, —C(O)-4-(morpholine), —C(O)-1-(piperazine), —C(O)-1-(4-methylpiperazine), —C(O)-1-(4-ethylpiperazine), and a heterocyclic group selected from azetidin-1-yl, pyrrolidin-1-yl, piperidin-1-yl, piperazin-1-yl, 4-methylpiperazin-1-yl, 4-ethylpiperazin-1-yl, 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazin-1-yl, or morpholino, wherein that heterocyclic group is attached to the —C1-4-alkyl or —(C2-4-alkylene)- group via the N atom;
• W1 is selected from —OH, —C(O)—N(Rh)(R), —N(Rh)(R), —PRx3+, —C(O)-4-(morpholine), —C(O)-1-(piperazine), —C(O)-1-(4-methylpiperazine), —C(O)-1-(4-ethylpiperazine), and a heterocyclic group selected from azetidin-1-yl, pyrrolidin-1-yl, piperidin-1-yl, piperazin-1-yl, 4-methylpiperazin-1-yl, 4-ethylpiperazin-1-yl, 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazin-1-yl, or morpholino, wherein that heterocyclic group is attached to the —C1-4-alkyl or —(C2-4-alkylene)- group via the N atom;
• Ra is selected from —H, —C1-4-alkyl, —C(O)—C1-4-alkyl, —C(O)—O—C1-4-alkyl, —C(O)—N(C1-4-alkyl)2, —S(O)2—C1-4-alkyl, and —(C2-4-alkylene)-O—(C1-4-alkyl), wherein —C1-4-alkyl or —(C2-4-alkylene)- can be optionally substituted by W;
• Rb is an acyl group of a monopeptide selected from -proteinogenic amino acids attached via a carboxy group;
• Rc groups are independently selected from —H and —C1-4-alkyl;
• Rd groups are independently selected from —H and —C1-4-alkyl;
• Re groups are independently selected from —H and —C1-4-alkyl;
• Rf groups are independently selected from —H and —C1-4-alkyl;
• R9 groups are independently selected from —H and —C1-4-alkyl;
• Rh is independently selected from —H, —C1-4-alkyl and —CH2CH2OH;
• Ri is independently selected from —H, —C1-4-alkyl and —CH2CH2OH;
• Rj is selected from —H, —C1-4-alkyl, —C(O)—C1-4-alkyl, —C(O)—O—C1-4-alkyl, —C(O)—N(C1-4-alkyl)2, —S(O)2—C1-4-alkyl, and —(C2-4-alkylene)-O—(C1-4-alkyl), wherein —C1-4-alkyl or —(C2-4-alkylene)- can be optionally substituted by W1,
• Rk is an acyl group of a monopeptide selected from -proteinogenic amino acids attached via a carboxy group;
• Rx groups are independently selected from phenyl- and 4-methoxyphenyl-;
• m is 0, 1 or 2;
• n is 1 or 2, provided that m+n is 2 or 3;
• p is 0, 1, or 2, provided that when K1 and K2 are bonded together and K1 and K2 represent —X3—Y—X— and X represents —N(Ra)— or —N(Rb)—, then p=1 or 2;
• or any pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or ester thereof.