NOVEL PHOTOACTIVATABLE PACLITAXEL DERIVATIVES AND USES THEREOF, IN PARTICULAR IN CELLBIOLOGY AND CANCER TREATMENT

摘要

The present invention provides novel photoactivatable paclitaxel derivatives wherein the C2 and C7 positions of the paclitaxel molecule are substituted with a photocleavable moiety such as a chromophore. Typically, the chromophore is selected from the group comprising 2-nitrobenzyl ethers, carbamates or carbonates and their 4,5-dialkoxy substituted variants; 2-nitrophenylethyl ethers, carbamates or carbonates and their 4,5-dialkoxy substituted variants, or their p-substituted derivatives; oc-carboxy-2-nitrobenzyl ethers, carbamates or carbonates and their 4,5-dialkoxy substituted variants; 2(2-nitro- phenyl) ethyl ethers, carbamates or carbonates and their 4,5-dialkoxy substituted variants; coumarin-4-ylmethyl ethers, or carbonates and their 7-alkoxy, 6, 7-dialkoxy, 6-bromo-7-alkoxy or 7-dialkylamino substituted variants; p-hydroxyphenacyl ethers or carbamates and their meta-substituted derivatives or structurally related compounds. More specifically, the chromophore is 4, 5-dimethoxy-2- nitrobenyloxycarbonyl (Nvoc) or a structurally related compound. Further aspects of the invention relate to the use of these paclitaxel derivatives in biological, medical and pharmaceutical applications, in particular in cellbiology and cancer treatment. A closely related aspect is an antitumor medicament comprising the above paclitaxel derivatives.