SELECTIVE COVALENT-BINDING COMPOUNDS HAVING THERAPEUTIC DIAGNOSTIC AND ANALYTICAL APPLICATIONS

摘要

Novel compounds are provided having enhanced affinity for a desired, preselected, target substance (a small molecule; a macromolecule such as a protein, a carbohydrate, a nucleic acid, a cell, a viral particle, etc.) by modification with chemical groups that allow these substances to form stong bonds, such as irreversible covalent bonds, with the desired target substance. These qualities of tight, specific binding are eminiscent of antibody-like affinity; hence the new substances are termed COBALT, and acronym for Covalent-Binding Antibody-Like Trap. The present invention includes a process wherein a target species is chosen and then, by synthetic chemical procedures and modifications, novel substances (COBALTs) are obtained that exhibit selective and covalent binding to the preselected target species. The applications of the COBALTs include diagnostic, analytical, therapeutic and industrial applications.