Mitomycin C‐dextran conjugate: a novel high molecular weight pro‐drug of mitomycin C

Abstract

A high molecular weight derivative of mitomycin C (MMC), mitomycin C‐dextran conjugate (MMC‐D) has been synthesized and its biological and pharmacological properties investigated. MMC is released from MMC‐D in vitro with a half‐life of 24 h. After intraperitoneal injection of MMC‐D, free MMC could be detected in plasma and urine of mouse for 5–8 h, while MMC administered as a free form was eliminated rapidly. After MMC‐D, given to mice bearing Ehrlich ascites carcinoma or B16 melanoma there was a reduction in toxicity and an increase in survival time compared with MMC. These observations suggest that the high molecular weight MMC‐dextran derivative is a kind of pro‐drug which persists in the body giving a sustained release of free MMC thus significantly increasing the antitumour activity of the parent drug. 1980 Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain