AMPHIPHILIC MACROMOLECULES FOR NUCLEIC ACID DELIVERY

1 . A compound of formula I:

wherein:

B is absent or the group —NH(-A-NH—) n —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—C(═O)—CH 2 —;

each A is independently an ethylene group that is optionally substituted with one or more (C 1 -C 3 )alkyl groups;

m is an integer from 0 to 100;

n is an integer from 0 to 100;

p is an integer from 1 to 200; and

each r is independently an integer from 0 to 20;

or a salt thereof.

2 . The compound of claim 1 wherein the compound of formula I is a compound formula I′:

wherein:

each A is independently an ethylene group that is optionally substituted with one or more (C 1 -C 3 )alkyl groups;

m is an integer from 0 to 100;

n is an integer from 0 to 100;

p is an integer from 1 to 200; and

each r is independently an integer from 0 to 20;

or a salt thereof.

3 . The compound of claim 1 wherein the compound of formula I is a compound formula I′:

wherein: each A is independently an ethylene group that is optionally substituted with one or more (C 1 -C 3 )alkyl groups;

m is an integer from 1 to 100;

n is an integer from 1 to 100;

p is an integer from 20 to 200; and

each r is independently an integer from 0 to 20;

or a salt thereof.

4 . The compound of claim 1 wherein the compound of formula I is a compound of formula Ia:

wherein:

m is an integer from 0 to 100;

n is an integer from 0 to 100;

p is an integer from 1 to 200; and

each r is independently an integer from 0 to 20;

or a salt thereof.

5 . The compound of claim 1 wherein the compound of formula I is a compound of formula Ia:

wherein:

m is an integer from 1 to 100;

n is an integer from 1 to 100;

p is an integer from 20 to 200; and

each r is independently an integer from 0 to 20;

or a salt thereof.

6 . The compound of claim 1 wherein m is an integer from 1 to 20 and n is an integer from 1 to 20.

7 . The compound of claim 1 wherein m is 1, 2, 3, or 4.

8 . The compound of claim 1 wherein n is 1, 2, 3, or 4.

9 . The compound of claim 1 wherein p is an integer from 20 to 200.

10 . The compound of claim 1 wherein p is about 109.

11 . The compound of claim 1 wherein each r is independently an integer from 0 to 20.

12 . The compound of claim 1 wherein each r is independently 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15.

13 . The compound of claim 1 wherein: m is 2, 3, 4, or 5; n is 2, 3, 4, or 5; p is an integer from about 95 to about 125; and each r is independently 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15.

14 . The compound of claim 1 which is not a compound of the following formula:

or a salt thereof.

15 . The compound of claim 1 wherein the compound of formula I is a compound of formula Ib:

or a salt thereof.

16 . A compound of claim 1 which is:

or a salt thereof.

17 . A composition comprising a compound of formula I or a salt thereof as described in claim 1 and a nucleic acid.

18 . The composition of claim 17 further comprising one or more lipids.

19 . A method for delivering a nucleic acid into a cell comprising contacting the cell with a composition comprising a compound of formula I or a salt thereof as described in claim 1 and the nucleic acid under conditions such that the nucleic acid is delivered into the cell.

20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the composition further comprises one or more lipids.