Polymer-bound paclitaxel derivatives

Abstract

A polymer conjugate consisting essentially of: from 90 to 99.9 mol % of units represented by the formula ##STR1## from 0.1 to 5 mol % of units represented by the formula ##STR2## wherein one of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is a copolymer residue of the formula ##STR3## and the other one is hydrogen atom; from 0 to 9.9 mol % of units represented by the formula ##STR4## wherein R is a phenyl or t-butoxy group, R.sub.3 is H or an acetyl group, A and A.sub.1 which may be the same or different, represent a chemical single bond, an amino acid residue or peptide spacer selected from .beta.Ala, Gly, Phe-Gly, Phe-Phe-, Leu-Gly, Val-Ala, Phe-Ala, Leu-Phe, Leu-Ala, Phe-Leu-Gly, Phe-Phe-Leu, Leu-Leu-Gly, Phe-Tyr-Ala, Phe-Gly-Phe, Phe-Phe-Gly, Phe-Leu-Gly-Phe, Gly-Phe-Leu-Gly-Phe,Gly-.beta.Ala, Phe-Gly-.beta.Ala, Phe-Phe-.beta.Ala, Leu-Gly-.beta.Ala, Val-Ala-.beta.Ala, Phe-Ala-.beta.Ala, Leu-Phe-.beta.Ala, Leu-Gly-.beta.Ala, Phe-Leu-Gly-.beta.Ala, Phe-Phe-Leu .beta.Ala, Leu-Leu-Gly-.beta.Ala, Phe-Tyr-Ala-.beta.Ala, Phe-Gly-Phe-.beta., Phe-Phe-Gly .beta.Ala, Phe-Leu-Gly-Phe-.beta.Ala or Gly-Phe-Leu-Gly-Phe-.beta.Ala. The compounds are endowed with antitumor activity and show improved water solubility and decreased toxicity in comparison with paclitaxel or its known analogs. A method for their preparation and pharmaceutical compositions containing them are also described.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.