Oligonucleotide-functionalized hydrophobic polymer nanoparticles

An oligonucleotide-functionalized hydrophobic polymer nanoparticle, said nanoparticle being a hydrophobic polymeric nanoparticle, comprising:

• a hydrophobic polymer chain, said chain bearing at least one moiety of formula (I′),
• wherein:
• A represents a spacer chosen from:
• —(CH2)m—, —(CH2)pNH—CO(CH2)q—, —(CH2)pCO—NH(CH2)q—, —(CH2)PO(CH2)q—, —(CH2)pNH(CH2)qO—, —(CH2)mCO—, or —CO(CH2)m—, each of m, p and q represent, independently from each other, an integer chosen from 0 to 8,
• D represents a group chosen from:
• wherein R′ represents a hydrogen, a halogen, or a (C1-C8) alkyl,
• a cyclo(C3-C7) alkyl, a cyclo (C3-C7) alkyl monosubstituted, a monocyclic non-aromatic heterocyclic group, a monocyclic non-aromatic heterocyclic group monosubstituted, a monocyclic aromatic group, or a monocyclic aromatic group monosubstituted,
• E represents YNRa, where Ra is H or an (C1-C8) alkyl,
• X, Y, Z are identical or different and each represent independently of the other a spacer chosen from —(CH2)r—, —(CH2—CH2—O)r—, —(CH2—CH2—NH)r—, —(CH2)sNH—CO(CH2)t—, or —(CH2)sCO—NH(CH2)t—, r, s and t represent independently from each other an integer chosen from 0 to 8,
• R1 is selected from the group consisting of:
• —COOH,
• —PO(OH)2, —PO(ORb)OH, —O—PO(OH)2, —O—PO(ORb)OH, where Rb is methyl or ethyl,
• —S(═O)2—OH, and —OS(═O)2OH,
• n represents an integer chosen from 1 to 10,
• when D represents
• E can be absent;
• said moiety of formula (I′) being bound to a carboxyl group of the hydrophobic polymer chain and being positioned on the surface of the nanoparticle, and
• wherein at least some of any azide groups present, are transformable into triazole groups or derivatives thereof and functionalizable by:
• (a) target-specific oligonucleotides,
• (b) non-specific oligonucleotides, or
• (c) any combination thereof.