Polymer-bound camptothecin: initial biodistribution and antitumour activity studies

Camptothecin (CPT) is a potent, antitumour drug acting mainly through inhibition of topoisomerase I during the S-phase of the cell cycle. Despite its impressive antitumour activity, clinical development was halted for unpredictable toxic events. Two soluble N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymers were synthesised to contain CPT (5 wt.% and 10 wt.%). CPT was covalently linked at its alpha-hydroxyl group to the polymers through a Gly-Phe-Leu-Gly- spacer. In-vitro, CPT-conjugates were fairly resistant to hydrolysis in plasma as in buffer at neutral pH (0.2-0. 4% free CPT/h), while elastase and cysteine-proteases were able to release the active drug. Plasma levels in mice after intravenous administration of CPT-conjugates confirmed the modest hydrolysis in plasma. Plasma levels were approximately 5-fold lower than those observed at the highest tolerated dose of CPT administered in classical vehicles. Biodistribution in HT29 human colon carcinoma bearing mice was carried out after i.v. injection of [3H]CPT-conjugate and free [3H]CPT. Radioactivity uptake in tumour was evident only after [3H]CPT-conjugate treatment. Repeated intravenous administration of CPT-conjugates to HT29-bearing mice gave more than 90% tumour inhibition, some complete tumour regressions and no toxic deaths. The improved pharmacological profile on HT29 human colon carcinoma xenografts of the first poly(HPMA)-CPT conjugates might be ascribed to their prolonged intra-tumour retention and sustained release of the active drug.