Porphycene compounds for photodynamic therapy

Abstract

A porphycene having the structure ##STR1## wherein each R.sup.1 is, independently, (a) --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --X, where n=1-4, X is OR.sup.2 and R.sup.2 is C.sub.1-6 alkyl, aralkyl or aryl; CN; OH; OSO.sub.2 R.sup.2 ; NH.sub.2 ; NHR.sup.2 ; NR.sub.2.sup.2 ; SH; SR.sup.2 ; S(O).sub.1-2 R.sup.2 ; COOH; CO.sub.2 R.sup.2 ; C(O)NH.sub.2 ; C(O)NHR.sup.2 ; C(O)NR.sub.2.sup.2 ; halogen; or CHO; (b) --(CH.sub.2).sub.m CH.dbd.CH.sub.2 where m is 0-2; or (c) --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --O--G where G is a mono- or oligosaccharide; (d) --(CH.sub.2).sub.2n --X, where X is an amino acid, oligopeptide covalently bonded by an ether-, ester- or amine-bond or --Y--(CH.sub.2).sub.n -porphycene.sup.2 (porphycene.sup.2 being a compound of the same structure and Y is a direct bond; --O--; or --CH.dbd.CH.sub.2); or (e) where one, two or three of the substituents R.sup.1 are C.sub.1-6 alkyl or aryl and the remaining substituents are as above under (a)-(d), and salts and metal complexes thereof. The porphycene compounds and pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds are useful in photodynamic therapy treatment of tumors and psoriasis.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.