Nanocomplexes of modified peptides or proteins

1. A nanocomplex comprising a delivery agent and a pharmaceutical agent, wherein the nanocomplex has a particle size of 50 to 1000 nm, the delivery agent binds to the pharmaceutical agent via non-covalent interaction or covalent bonding, and

the pharmaceutical agent is a modified peptide or protein, comprising a peptide or protein and an added chemical moiety, wherein the added chemical moiety comprises a reactive oxygen species responsive group, wherein the reactive oxygen species responsive group comprises a boronic ester group; and

the added chemical moiety is:

wherein:

W is the boronic ester group;

X is O, S, or NR e , wherein R e , is H, OH, an amino acid radical, a peptide radical, a C 1 -C 10 monovalent aliphatic radical, a C 1 -C 10 monovalent heteroaliphatic radical, a monovalent aryl radical, or a monovalent heteroaryl radical;

Y is a bond, O, S, or NR f , wherein R f is H, OH, an amino acid radical, a peptide radical, a C 1 -C 10 monovalent aliphatic radical, a C 1 -C 10 monovalent heteroaliphatic radical, a monovalent aryl radical, or a monovalent heteroaryl radical; and

Z is R h -A 7 -A 8 -R i , wherein R h and R i , independently, are a bond or a C 1 aliphatic radical; A 7 is a bivalent aryl radical or a bivalent heteroaryl radical; and A 8 is a bond; and

the delivery agent is a surfactant, a lipid, a lipid-like compound, a polymer, a dendrimer, an inorganic nanoparticle, a polymer nanoparticle, an inorganic nanowire, a polymer nanowire, a nanotube, or a combination thereof; wherein

the lipid-like compound has the following formula:

wherein:

V is a hydrophilic head:

E is a C 1 -C 24 monovalent aliphatic radical, a C 1 -C 24 monovalent heteroaliphatic radical, a monovalent aryl radical, a monovalent heteroaryl radical, or T 4 -U 2 -T 5 -S—S-T 6 ; T 2 -S—S-T 3 is a hydrophobic tail; and

U 1 and U 2 are each a linker,

wherein each of T 1 and T 4 , independently, is a bond, a C 1 -C 10 bivalent aliphatic radical, a C 1 -C 10 bivalent heteroaliphatic radical, a bivalent aryl radical, or a bivalent heteroaryl radical; each of T 2 and T 5 , independently, is a bond, a C 1 -C 20 bivalent aliphatic radical, a C 1 -C 20 bivalent heteroaliphatic radical, a bivalent aryl radical, or a bivalent heteroaryl radical; each of T 3 and T 6 , independently, is a C 1 -C 20 monovalent aliphatic radical, a C 1 -C 20 monovalent heteroaliphatic radical, a monovalent aryl radical, or a monovalent heteroaryl radical; and S—S stands for a disulfide moiety.

2. The nanocomplex of claim 1 , wherein the added chemical moiety is linked to the peptide or protein via an amide group, an ester group, an amidine group, a urea group, a carbamate group, an imidoester group, or a carbonate group.

3. The nanocomplex of claim 2 , wherein the added chemical moiety is linked to the peptide or protein via an amide group, an ester group, or a carbamate group.

4. The nanocomplex of claim 1 , wherein the added chemical moiety is:

5. The nanocomplex of claim 1 , wherein the delivery agent is a surfactant, a lipid, a lipid-like compound, a polymer, or a combination thereof.