Preparation of Highly Water Soluble Tacrolimus Derivatives: Poly(Ethylene Glycol) Esters as Potential Prod rugs

Tacrolimus (FK506), which is isolated from Streptomyces tsukubaensis, is a new potent immu-nosuppressant. Because of poor solubility in water, the conventional intravenous dosage forms of tacrolimus contain surfactants such as cremophor EL (BASF Wyandotte Co.) or hydroge-nated polyoxy 60 castor oil (HCO-60) which may cause adverse effects. This study relates to a polymer-tacrolimus conjugate, which can be dissolved in water, formed by chemically binding the sparingly soluble drug, tacrolimus, with the water soluble polymer, methoxypoly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG). Water soluble tacrolimus-mPEG conjugates have been synthesized and shown to be function in vitro as prodrugs. These conjugates are in the form of an ester wherein the 24-, 32- or 24,32-positions are esterified. The desired 24-, 32- or 24,32-esterified com-pounds were obtained by initially acylating of tacrolimus with iodoacetic acid at the 24-,32-, or 24,32-positions and then reacting the resulting acylated tacrolimus with a mPEG in the pres-ence of a base such as sodium bicarbonate. These conjugates were converted again into tac-rolimus by the action of enzymes in human liver homogenate, and the half-lives of the conjugates are approximately 10 min in the homogenate, indicating that the esterified tacroli-mus derivatives may be practically applicable as a prod rug for the immunosuppressant.