ANTIBODY-TARGETED POLYMER-BOUND DRUGS

Drug targeting is an attractive new approach to killing cancer cells w hile leaving normal tissue unharmed. Recently we have developed a new generation of antibody-targeted immunosuppressive (cyclosporin A) and cytostatic (daunomycin, doxorubicin) drugs and photosensitizers (chlor in e(6)) effective in vitro and in vivo. The drugs and the targeting a ntibody (polyclonal and monoclonal) are conjugated to the oligopeptidi c side chains of a water-soluble synthetic carrier, copolymer of N-(2- hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide. The composition of the side chains ensur es the stability of the linkage between the drug and the polymeric car rier in the bloodstream and its intralysosomal degradability which is a prerequisite for the pharmacological activity of the preparation. An tibody-targeted polymer bound drugs show considerably decreased hepato toxicity, cardiotoxicity, myelotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Two adriam ycin-HPMA copolymers are in Phase I/II clinical trials in United Kingd om.