What is described is a compound of formula I

##STR00001##

consisting of a compound in which R.sub.1 is a branched chain alkyl consisting of 10 to 31 carbons; R.sub.2 is a linear alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl consisting of 2 to 20 carbons; L.sub.1 and L.sub.2 are the same or different, each a linear alkylene or alkenylene consisting of 2 to 20 carbons; X.sub.1 is S or O; R.sub.3 is a linear or branched alkylene consisting of 1 to 6 carbons; and R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 are the same or different, each a hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl consisting of 1 to 6 carbons; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

The present invention relates to administration of gene therapy, in particular the development of effective combinatorial strategies for gene delivery in inter alia monogenetic diseases. More specifically, the present invention relates to a combination therapy, methods of producing the combination therapy, as well as various related embodiments.

The present invention provides, among other things, a method of intra-articular delivery of messenger RNA (mRNA), comprising administering into a joint of a subject in need of delivery a composition comprising an mRNA encoding a protein, such that the administering of the composition results in expression of the protein encoded by the mRNA in the joint.

Provided herein are variant adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid proteins having one or more modifications in amino acid sequence relative to a parental AAV capsid protein, which, when present in an AAV virion, confer increased infectivity of one or more types of retinal cells as compared to the infectivity of the retinal cells by an AAV virion comprising the unmodified parental AAV capsid protein. Also provided are recombinant AAV virions and pharmaceutical compositions thereof comprising a variant AAV capsid protein as described herein, methods of making these rAAV capsid proteins and virions, and methods for using these rAAV capsid proteins and virions in research and in clinical practice, for example in, e.g., the delivery of nucleic acid sequences to one or more cells of the retina for the treatment of retinal disorders and diseases.

Disclosed are methods and constructs for engineering circular RNA. Disclosed is a vector for making circular RNA, said vector comprising the following elements operably connected to each other and arranged in the following sequence:

a.) a 5′ homology arm, b.) a 3′ group I intron fragment containing a 3′ splice site dinucleotide, c.) optionally, a 5′ spacer sequence, d.) a protein coding or noncoding region, e.) optionally, a 3′ spacer sequence, f) a 5′ Group I intron fragment containing a 5′ splice site dinucleotide, and g.) a 3′ homology arm, said vector allowing production of a circular RNA that is translatable or biologically active inside eukaryotic cells. In another embodiment, the vector can comprise the 5′ spacer sequence, but not the 3′ spacer sequence. In yet another embodiment, the vector can comprise the 3′ spacer sequence, but not the 5′ spacer sequence. Also disclosed is a method for purifying the circular RNA produced by the vector and the use of nucleoside modifications in circular RNA produced by the vector.

The present disclosure provides donor polynucleotides, genome editing systems, methods, and kits which correct or induce a mutation in a gDNA.

The present invention provides an improved process for lipid nanoparticle formulation and mRNA encapsulation. In some embodiments, the present invention provides a process of encapsulating messenger RNA (mRNA) in lipid nanoparticles comprising a step of mixing a suspension of preformed lipid nanoparticles and mRNA.

Provided herein are modified adeno-associated viral (AAV) capsid proteins, compositions (e.g., rAAV) comprising the capsid proteins, and nucleic acids encoding the capsid proteins. The AAV capsids provided herein confer retinal cell tropism and/or corneal cell tropism, and mediate improved transduction efficiency in clinically relevant ocular cell types such as photoreceptors and/or corneal endothelial cells. Also provided are nucleic acids encoding the capsid proteins, and AAV particles comprising the capsid proteins.

Therapeutic methods for cancer treatments using a combined prokaryotic-eukaryotic delivery and expression system for the delivery of multiple therapeutic factors via a modified tumor-targeted bacteria. A targeted bacteria-vector system elicits an inter-kingdom dual expression (IKDE) of antitumor agents, in the nucleus or cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells, with priming and maintenance of the vector in the bacterium. The therapeutic factors include small interfering RNAs, tumoricidal proteins, DNA molecules, or a combination thereof. The system provides direct killing of tumor cells and alters the tumor microenvironment by expressing anti-angiogenic factors and cytokines in intracellular and/or extracellular environments. Also provided are methods of using natural exosomes comprising cargoes obtained from the bacterially infected cells. The bacteria-vector system is useful for many types of tumor and cancer as well as recombinant vaccines. The method causes significant regression of tumor and prolongs survival of tumor-bearing mice and subject without detectable systemic toxicity.

Provided herein are variant adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid proteins having one or more modifications in amino acid sequence relative to a parental AAV capsid protein, which, when present in an AAV virion, confer increased infectivity of one or more types of retinal cells as compared to the infectivity of the retinal cells by an AAV virion comprising the unmodified parental AAV capsid protein. Also provided are recombinant AAV virions and pharmaceutical compositions thereof comprising a variant AAV capsid protein as described herein, methods of making these rAAV capsid proteins and virions, and methods for using these rAAV capsid proteins and virions in research and in clinical practice, for example in, e.g., the delivery of nucleic acid sequences to one or more cells of the retina for the treatment of retinal disorders and diseases.