Inflammation imaging and therapy

An imaging agent comprising a conjugate of an oligosaccharide with an imaging moiety, wherein the oligosaccharide is of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or PEGylated form thereof:

• wherein each Z is the same or different and is selected from OH, hydrogen, halogen, C1-6 alkoxy, —NR′R″, —NR′COR″, —N(COR′)(COR″), —SR′, —COR′, —COOR′, —OC(O)R′,—OC(O)OR′, —OC(O)NR′R″, —OC(O)SR′, —OP(O)(OR′)(OR″), —OSO3H, or C1-12 alkyl, C2-12 alkenyl or C2-12 alkynyl, which is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from halogen, NH2, N3, CN, COOH, COO(C1-4 alkyl), OH and C1-4 alkoxy;
• each X is the same or different and is selected from OH, hydrogen, halogen, C1-6 alkoxy, —NR′R″, —NR′COR″, —N(COR′)(COR″), —SR′, —COR′, —COOR′, —OC(O)R′, —OC(O)OR′, —OC(O)NR′R″, —OC(O)SR′, —OP(O)(OR′)(OR″), —OSO3H, or C1-12 alkyl, C2-12 alkenyl or C2-12 alkynyl, which is optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from halogen, NH2, N3, CN, COOH, COO(C1-4 alkyl), OH and C1-4 alkoxy;
• each A is the same or different and is selected from CR′R″, O, S and NR′;
• n is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4;
• a dotted line indicates a bond selected from a saturated bond and an unsaturated bond;
• Y is either a group Z as defined above or a saccharide unit of formula (II):
• wherein X, Z and A are as defined above;
• R represents the point of attachment to the imaging moiety;
• and
• R′ and R″ are identical or different and are selected from hydrogen and C1-12 alkyl groups which are optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from halogen, NH2, N3, CN, COOH, COO(C1-4 alkyl), OH and C1-4 alkoxy.