| abstract |
The invention pertains to a new cholesterol derivative for liposomal gene transfer, applicable in the fields of medicine and genetic engineering. The new cholesterol derivative 3 beta N-(N,N'-dimethylaminoethane)-carbamoyl cholesterol (DAC-chol) is produced by reacting N,N'-dimethylethylenediamine and chloroformyl cholesterol in equimolar amounts and is purified by chromatography. DAC-chol is nontoxic and can be used advantageously for direct liposomal gene transfer. The invention also pertains to new methods of direct liposomal gene transfer in vivo, characterized in that liposome-DNA complexes can be applied repeatedly using automatic or reprimable pump systems either continuously or with purposeful time intervals. |