Cyanine-containing compounds for cancer imaging and treatment

Abstract

This invention relates generally to cyanine-containing compounds; pharmaceutical compositions comprising cyanine-containing compounds; and methods of using cyanine-containing compounds for cancer cell imaging, cancer cell growth inhibition, and detecting cancer cells, for example. Compounds of the invention are preferentially taken up by cancer cells as compared to normal cells. This allows many uses in the cancer treatment, diagnosis, tracking and imaging fields.

1 . A compound having formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       where X is selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, halogen, CN, Me, phenyl, OH, OMe, OPh, 4-O-Ph-NH 2 , 4-O-Ph-CH 2 CH 2 COOH, 4-O-Ph-CH 2 CH 2 CONHS, NH-Ph, NHEt, SEt, S-Ph, 4-S-Ph-COOH, 4-S-Ph-OH, 4-O-Ph-COOH, 4-O-Ph-NCS, and 4-S-Ph-NCS; q is 0 or 1; R 7  is selected from H and COOR 9 , where R 9  is H, CH 3 , or CH 2 CH 3 ; each R 1  is independently in each instance, (CH2)mR A , where m is an integer from 1 to 12, R A  is independently CH3, NH2, SH, COOH, SO3H, OH, halogen and CO—N-hydroxysuccinimide; each R 10  is independently in each instance selected from H, OH, OMe, halogen, NH 2 , NHR, NR 2  and COOH, where each R is independently C1-C6 alkyl; each R 3  is independently in each instance, selected from the group consisting of: methyl and phenyl. 
     
     
         2 - 30 . (canceled)