Multi-chain lipophilic polyamines

1. A composition which is useful for introducing a biologically active agent into a cell as a transfection agent, comprising:

a lipopolyamine comprising:

Wherein

A N) n is linear, branched or dendritic polyamine, wherein n=3-100, wherein n is the number of amino groups in the polyamine;

R 1 is independently H, or a substitute of structure (X—Y—Z) wherein

X=(CH 2 ) i , wherein i=1-12;

Y=—C(O)NH—, —NHC(O)—, —CH 2 —, —O—, —C(O)O—, or —C(O)—;

Z=linear or branched alkyl chain or alkenyl chain having 4-40 carbon atoms in length;

wherein the chain has zero to six double bonds;

R 2 is a substitute of structure of (X—Y—Z) m , wherein

X=—(CH 2 ) i —, wherein i=1-12,

Y=—C(O)NH—, —NHC(O)—, —CH 2 —, —O—, —C(O)O—, or —C(O)—;

Z=linear or branched alkyl chain or alkenyl chain having 4-40 carbon atoms in length;

wherein the chain has zero to six double bonds;

m is at least 1;

and wherein the lipopolyamine is mixed with one or more helper lipids which elevates transfection activity;

and further comprising one or more biologically active agents; and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable solvents, carriers and/or additives;

and wherein the composition is an aqueous liposome formulation.

2. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein A N) n is spermidine (SPMD), spermine (SPM), tris-(2-aminoethyl)amine (TEA), pentaethylenehexamine (PEHA), branched polyethylenimine (PEI), PAMAM dendrimer G0, PAMAM dendrimer G1, DAB-Am4 dendrimer, DAB-Am8 dendrimer, or DAB-Am 16 dendrimer; X is —CH 2 —, Y is —C(O)NH—, Z is oleyl, and m is at least 1.

3. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein A N) n is DAB-Am8 dendrimer, X is —CH 2 CH(OH)CH 2 —, Y is —O—, Z is oleyl, and m is at least 1.

4. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein said biologically active agent is a polynucleotide, polypeptide, protein, glycoprotein, polysaccharide, or any anionic small molecular weight drug.

5. The composition according to claim 4 , wherein said polynucleotide is a DNA that can be transcribed into a mRNA that codes for a polypeptide, an antisense RNA for a primary transcripted mRNA, or a microRNA which is expressed after said DNA is taken up into a cell.

6. The composition according to claim 4 , said polynucleotide is an oligonucleotide composed of up to 200 nucleotides in length, in single stranded form, or in fully or partially complementary double stranded form.

7. The composition according to claim 4 , wherein said polynucleotide is siRNA (small interfering RNA) or a microRNA.

8. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more helper lipids is selected from the group consisting of cholesterol or its derivatives, monoacyl or diacyl phosphatidyl choline, monoacyl or diacyl phosphatidyl ethanolamine, monoacyl or diacyl phosphatidyl serine, dioleolphasphotidyl ethanolamine (DOPE), single chain fatty alcohol, single chain fatty acid, and single chain fatty amine.

9. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the helper lipid is DOPE.

10. A composition which is useful for introducing a biologically active agent into a cell as a transfection agent, comprising: a lipopolyamine comprising:

wherein

A N) n is linear, branched or dendritic polyamine, wherein n=3-100 wherein n is the number of amino groups in the polyamine;

R 1 is independently H, or a substitute of structure (X—Y—Z) wherein

X=(CH 2 ) i , wherein i=1-12;

Y=—C(O)NH—, —NHC(O)—, —CH 2 —, —O—, —C(O)O—, or —C(O)—;

Z=linear or branched alkyl chain or alkenyl chain having 4-40 carbon atoms in length;

wherein the chain has zero to six double bonds;

R 2 is a substitute of structure of (X—Y—Z) m , wherein

X=—(CH 2 ) i —, wherein i=1-12,

Y=—C(O)NH—, —NHC(O)—, —CH 2 —, —O—, —C(O)O—, or —C(O)—;

Z=linear or branched alkyl chain or alkenyl chain having 4-40 carbon atoms in length;

wherein the chain has zero to six double bonds;

m is at least 1;

and wherein the lipopolyamine is mixed with one or more helper lipids which elevates transfection activity;

and further comprising one or more biologically active agents; and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable solvents, carriers and/or additives;

and wherein the composition is an aqueous liposome.

11. The composition according to claim 10 , wherein A N) n is spermidine (SPMD), spermine (SPM), tris-(2-aminoethyl)amine (TEA), pentaethylenehexamine (PEHA), branched polyethylenimine (PEI), PAMAM dendrimer G0, PAMAM dendrimer G1, DAB-Am4 dendrimer, DAB-Am8 dendrimer, or DAB-Am 16 dendrimer; X is —CH 2 —, Y is —C(O)NH—, Z is oleyl, and m is any integer between 1 to 2n.

12. The composition according to claim 10 , wherein A N) n is DAB-Am8 dendrimer, X is —CH 2 CH(OH)CH 2 —, Y is —O—, Z is oleyl, and m is any integer between 1 to 2n.