Oligopeptide prodrugs

Claim 1

A compound of the structural formula: ##STR13## in which: R 1 is a C 1-4 lower alkyl, phenyl, ω-amino-C 2-4 -alkyl or benzyl; P is H, carbobenzoxy or from 1-4 D- or L-residue units selected from the group consisting of glycyl, phenylglycyl, alanyl, phenylalanyl, lysyl, ornithyl, norvalyl, valyl, norleucyl, isoleucyl or leucyl, either in the natural L- or in the D-configuration; and Q is hydroxy, benzyloxy or from 1-4 residue units of an amino acid such as glycyl, phenylglycyl, alanyl, phenylalanyl, lysyl, ornithyl, norvalyl, valyl, norleucyl, isoleucyl or leucyl, either in the natural L- or in the D-configuration; and W is a residue of a nucleophilic, pharmaceutically useful antimicrobial or antiparasitic agent, which agent residue is reversibly substituted and is released by protease degradation, said compound having an L or D,L configuration at both the W-substituted glycyl unit and the R 1 containing unit, or its pharmaceutically acceptable salts; or other ester derivatives.