Antitumor agent poly (amino acid) conjugates as a drug carrier in cancer chemotherapy.

Antitumor agent melphalan was conjugated through a carbodiimide-catalyzed reaction to poly (L-lysine) (71.3K and 2K) and poly (L-glutamic acid) (60K and 14K) at a ratio of approximately one molecule per 7-lysyl and 23-glutamate residues, respectively. These conjugates had 40-70% of alkylating activities by themselves in vitro as compared with free melphalan. Poly (glutamic acid) conjugates showed the antitumor activity in vivo against Yoshida sarcoma in rats. In addition, poly (glutamic acid) conjugates containing 3H-phenylalanine which was used as a model compound instead of melphalan had a sustained release property of radioactivity and the release rates could be regulated by exopeptidases. After subcutaneous injection as the first choice of routes of administration, moreover, the conjugates were found to be absorbed through the lymphatic transport system, probably due to the macromolecularity. These results suggest that the melphalan-poly (amino acid) conjugates are one of good candidates to attain the sustained release and targeting of drugs in cancer chemotherapy.