Cationic lipids for therapeutic agent delivery formulations

1. A stellate-cell-specific drug carrier comprising a stellate cell specific amount of a retinoid molecule and a liposomal composition wherein the liposomal composition comprises a cationic lipid of formula I

wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of C 10 to C 18 alkyl, C 12 to C 18 alkenyl, and oleyl; wherein R 3 and R 4 are independently selected from the group consisting of C 1 to C 6 alkyl, and C 2 to C 6 alkanol; wherein X is selected from the group consisting of —CH 2 —, —S—, and —O—, or is absent; wherein Y is selected from —(CH 2 ) n —, —S(CH 2 ) n —, —O(CH 2 ) n —, -thiophene-, —SO 2 (CH 2 ) n , and ester, wherein n=1-4; wherein a=1-4; wherein b=1-4; wherein c=1-4; and wherein Z is a counterion.

2. The drug carrier of claim 1 , wherein the liposomal composition comprises a lipid vesicle comprising a bilayer of lipid molecules.

3. The drug carrier of claim 1 , wherein the retinoid molecule is a compound of formula II:

wherein q, r, and s are each independently 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10; or an enantiomer, diastereomer, or mixture of stereoisomers thereof.

4. The drug carrier of claim 3 , wherein the retinoid molecule is

5. The drug carrier of claim 2 , wherein the retinoid molecule is at least partially exposed on the exterior of the drug carrier before the drug carrier reaches the stellate cell.

6. The drug carrier of claim 1 , wherein the retinoid molecule is 0.1 mol % to 20 mol % of the lipid molecules.

7. The drug carrier of claim 1 , wherein the cationic lipid is at a concentration of 5 mol % to 50 mol %.

8. The drug carrier of claim 2 , wherein cationic lipid is

9. The drug carrier of claim 2 , wherein the lipid molecules further comprise a PEG-lipid.

10. The drug carrier of claim 9 , wherein the PEG-lipid is at a concentration of 1 to 10 mol %.

11. The drug carrier of claim 9 , wherein the PEG-lipid is polyethyleneglycol-dimyristoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine.

12. The drug carrier of claim 2 , wherein the lipid molecules further comprise an ionizable cationic lipid.

13. The drug carrier of claim 12 , wherein the ionizable cationic lipid is

14. The drug carrier of claim 12 , wherein the ionizable cationic lipid is present at a concentration of 5 to 45 mol %.

15. The drug carrier of claim 2 , wherein the lipid molecules further comprise a combination of a quaternary amine cationic lipid and an ionizable cationic lipid.

16. The drug carrier of claim 15 , wherein the ionizable cationic lipid is the immediate synthetic precursor to the quaternary amine cationic lipid.

17. The drug carrier of claim 15 , wherein the quaternary amine cationic lipid is HEDC and the ionizable cationic lipid is S104.

18. The drug carrier of claim 2 , wherein the lipid molecules further comprise a non-cationic lipid.

19. The drug carrier of claim 18 , wherein the non-cationic lipid is a phospholipid.

20. The drug carrier of claim 19 , wherein the phospholipid is 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine.

21. The drug carrier of claim 19 , wherein the phospholipid is at a concentration of 0 to 55 mol %.

22. The drug carrier of claim 18 , wherein the non-cationic lipid is cholesterol.

23. The drug carrier of claim 22 , wherein cholesterol is at a concentration of 0 to 55 mol %.

24. The drug carrier of claim 1 , further comprising a nucleic acid.

25. The drug carrier of claim 24 , wherein the nucleic acid is an siRNA that is capable of knocking down expression of hsp47 mRNA in the stellate cell.

26. The drug carrier of claim 1 , further comprising siRNA.

27. The drug carrier of claim 26 , wherein the siRNA is encapsulated by the liposome and is inaccessible to an aqueous medium.

28. The drug carrier of claim 26 , wherein the siRNA is complexed on the outer surface of the liposome and accessible to an aqueous medium.

29. The drug carrier of claim 1 , wherein the cationic lipid is selected from the group consisting of