| abstract |
The present invention provides improved cell delivery compositions. In particular, the invention provides biocompatible endosomolytic agents. In a preferred embodiment, the endosomolytic agents are also biodegradable and can be broken down within cells into components that the cells can either reuse of dispose of. In one aspect, the present invention provides endosomolytic agents capable of effecting the lysis of an endosome in response to a change in pH, and methods for effecting the lysis of an endosome. These inventive endosomolytic agents obviate the need for known agents (i.e., chloroquine, fusogenic peptides, inactivated adenoviruses and polyethyleneimine) that can burst endosomes and have negative effects on cells. In another aspect, the present invention provides cell delivery compositions comprising an endosomolytic component that is capable of effecting the lysis of the endosome in response to a change in pH, and an encapsulating, or packaging, component capable of packaging a therapeutic agent to be delivered to cellular or subcellular components. |