Aptamer therapeutics useful in the treatment of complement-related disorders

1. A composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of an aptamer comprising:

where,

indicates a linker

Aptamer=

the nucleic acid sequence

fCmGfCfCGfCmGmGfUfCfUfCmAmGmGfCGfCfUmGmAmGfUfCfUmGmAmGfUfUfUAfCfCfUmGfCmG-3T as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 4,

wherein fC and fU=2′-fluoro nucleotides, and mG and mA=2′-OMe nucleotides and all other nucleotides are 2′-OH and 3T indicates an inverted deoxy thymidine,

or a salt thereof.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the aptamer linker is an alkyl linker.

3. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the alkyl linker comprises 2 to 18 consecutive CH 2 groups.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the aptamer comprises the structure set forth below:

where Aptamer=

the nucleic acid sequence

fCmGfCfCGfCmGmGfUfCfUfCmAmGmGfCGfCfUmGmAmGfUfCfUmGmAmGfUfUfUAfCfCfUmGfCmG-3T as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 4

wherein fC and fU=2′-fluoro nucleotides, and mG and mA=2′-OMe nucleotides and all other nucleotides are 2′-OH and 3T indicates an inverted deoxy thymidine.

5. The composition of claim 4 , comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent.

6. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the alkyl linker comprises 6 consecutive CH 2 groups.