A NOVEL CATIONIC LIPOPOLYMER AS BIOCOMPATIBLE GENE DELIVERY AGENT

摘要

A biodegradable, novel cationic lipopolymer comprising a branched polyethylenimine(PEI), a cholesterol derived lipid anchor, and a biodegradab le linker which covalently links the branched PEI and cholesterol derived lipid anchor. One example of such a novel lipolymer is poly{(ethylene imine)-co-[N -2- aminoethyl) ethylene imine]-co-[N-(N-cholesteryloxycarbonyl-(2- aminoethyl)ethylene imine]}("PEACE"). The cationic lipopolymers in the prese nt invention can be used in drug delivery and are especially useful for deliver y of a nucleic acid or any anionic bioactive agent to various organs and tissu es after local or systemic administration. Methods of preparing and using the cationic lipopolymer gene carriers of the present invention to efficiently transfect cells, both in vitro and in vivo, are disclosed.