Poly(amine-co-ester) polymers, methods of forming active agent-load polyplexes and particles therefrom, and methods of using them for delivery of nucleic acid agents with optimal uptake have been developed. Examples demonstrate critical molecular weights in combination with exposed carboxylic and/or hydroxyl groups, and methods of making. Typically, the compositions are less toxic, more efficient at drug delivery, or a combination thereof compared to a control other transfection reagents. In some embodiments, the compositions are suitable for in vivo delivery, and can be administered systemically to a subject to treat a disease or condition.

Implantable compositions are based on polymers bearing pendant groups on the polymer backbone functionalized with short chain fatty acid groups, such as one or more of acetate, n-propionate, and n-butyrate by a degradable linkage. Upon a composition being implanted in a subject, such as a human, degradation of degradable linkage liberates the short chain fatty acid groups. The liberated short chain fatty acid groups may then participate in biochemical processes in the subject, which may produce a therapeutic benefit such as resolving inflammation, promoting tissue healing, and/or promoting tolerating self-antigens and neoantigens.

Disclosed are synthetic nanocarrier compositions, and related methods, comprising MHC Class II-restricted epitopes and immunosuppressants that provide tolerogenic immune responses, such as a reduction in CD4+ T cell help specific to an antigen.

In an embodiment of the invention, a composition for treating a cell population comprises an Affinity Medicant Conjugate (AMC). The medicant moiety can be a toxin including an acylfulvene or a drug moiety. The affinity moiety can be an antibody, a binding protein, a steroid, a lipid, a growth factor, a protein, a peptide or non peptidic. The affinity moiety can be covalently bound to the medicant via a linker. Novel linkers that can be directed to cysteine, arginine or lysine residues based on solution pH allow greater flexibility in preserving and/or generating specific epitopes in the AMC.

A polymeric delivery system delivers a biologic to cells. In some embodiments, the polymeric delivery system includes polyplexes. Each polyplex includes at least one charged polymer and at least one biologic. The at least one charged polymer includes a polyester copolymer of a polyol and a polycarboxylic acid modified with at least one charged moiety having an opposite charge from a net charge of the at least one biologic. In other embodiments, the polymeric delivery system includes self-assembled particles including a block copolymer and a biologic associated with the block copolymer. The block copolymer includes a first block of a polyester copolymer of a polyol and a polycarboxylic acid and a second block of a second monomer or a second polymer.

This invention provides methods for producing a polymer particle which contains unusually high negative charges on the surface of the particle. Preferably, the polymer is pharmaceutically acceptable. The negative charges can be conferred by chemical groups such as carboxyl, sulfonate, nitrate, fluorate, chloride, iodide, persulfate, and many others, with carboxyl group being preferred. The invention also provides polymer particle produced by the methods of the invention.

This invention provides methods for producing a polymer particle which contains unusually high negative charges on the surface of the particle. Preferably, the polymer is pharmaceutically acceptable. The negative charges can be conferred by chemical groups such as carboxyl, sulfonate, nitrate, fluorate, chloride, iodide, persulfate, and many others, with carboxyl group being preferred. The invention also provides polymer particle produced by the methods of the invention.

The invention relates to a ligand-effector moiety provided with at least one saponin and antibody-effector moiety provided with at least one saponin. An aspect of the invention is a composition comprising the ligand-effector moiety provided with at least one saponin or the antibody-effector moiety provided with at least one saponin of the invention. The invention also relates to an antibody-drug conjugate comprising covalently linked saponin and to an antibody-oligonucleotide conjugate comprising covalently linked saponin. An aspect of the invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the ligand-effector moiety provided with at least one saponin or the antibody-effector moiety provided with at least one saponin of the invention, and optionally further comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. The invention also relates to the ligand-effector moiety provided with at least one saponin or the antibody-effector moiety provided with at least one saponin, for use as a medicament. The invention also relates to the ligand-effector moiety provided with at least one saponin or the antibody-effector moiety provided with at least one saponin of the invention for use in the treatment or prophylaxis of a cancer.

The invention relates to antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) that are potentiated by co-administration of the ADC with a moiety comprising covalently linked saponin. The invention also relates to antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates (AOC) that are potentiated by co-administration of the AOC with a moiety comprising covalently linked saponin. The invention also relates to ADCs and AOCs which are conjugated with a saponin via a covalent linker. The invention further relates to an effector moiety such as a toxin or an antisense oligonucleotide such as for example a BNA, conjugated with a saponin via a covalent linkage. The invention also relates to a BNA covalently conjugated with a targeting moiety such as an antibody. The invention also relates to therapeutic combinations comprising a first pharmaceutical composition comprising a conjugate of a cell-targeting moiety such as an antibody and an antisense oligonucleotide such as a BNA covalently bound thereto, and comprising a second pharmaceutical composition comprising either a free saponin, or a conjugate of a cell-targeting moiety such as an antibody with a saponin covalently linked thereto. Furthermore, the invention relates to any of these conjugates or therapeutic compositions or therapeutic combinations, for use as a medicament. The invention also relates to any of these conjugates or therapeutic compositions or therapeutic combinations, for use in a method for the treatment or the prophylaxis of a cancer. Finally, the invention relates to methods for producing any of these conjugates of the invention.

The invention relates to an endosomal and/or lysosomal escape enhancing conjugate comprising a saponin optionally linked to a targeting molecule such as an antibody and optionally linked to an effector molecule such as a toxin or an oligonucleotide. The invention also relates to a therapeutic combination of such an endosomal and/or lysosomal escape enhancing conjugate of the invention and a functionalized binding molecule comprising an effector molecule, wherein the endosomal and/or lysosomal escape enhancing conjugate comprises an enhancer of said effector molecule, i.e. a saponin. In particular the invention relates to such a therapeutic combination for use as a medicament, in particular for use in the treatment of a tumour. The invention further relates to a method of treating cancer or an autoimmune disease by administering an effective dose of the therapeutic combination to a patient in need thereof or by administering an effective dose of the endosomal and/or lysosomal escape enhancing conjugate comprising a saponin complexed with a targeting molecule such as an immunoglobulin specific for a tumor-cell surface molecule and complexed with an effector molecule, to a patient in need thereof. The invention also relates to a functionalized saponin with endosomal/lysosomal escape enhancing activity.