Amphiphilic carbohydrate compounds

An amphiphilic carbohydrate compound of average molecular weight 1-50 kDa of formula (I):

• wherein:
• the level of unit A is from 2% to 27 mole %;
• the level of unit D is from 1% to 95.5 mole %;
• the level of unit H is from 1% to 95.5 mole %;
• the level of unit Q is from 1% to 90 mole %;
• the level of unit T is from 0% to 94.5 mole %;
• R1, R2, R3, R4 and R10 are independently hydrogen or any linear, branched or cyclo form of an alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, acyl group or polyoxyalkylene with C1-C3 alkylene units, optionally substituted with amine, amide or alcohol;
• R5 is a hydrophobic, substituted or unsubstituted, linear, branched or cyclo form of a C4-30 alkyl, C4-30 alkenyl, C4-30 alkynyl, C4-30 aryl, amine, C4-30 amide, C4-30 alcohol or C3-30 acyl group;
• R6, R7, and R8 are independently any linear, branched, or cyclo forms of any alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl or acyl group;
• R9 is present or absent and, when present, is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted amine group or a substituted or unsubstituted amide group;
• R11 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted ether group or a substituted or unsubstituted alkene group or hydrogen;
• and
• R12 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted ether group or a substituted or unsubstituted alkene group;
• R13 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted ether group or a substituted or unsubstituted alkene group or hydrogen;
• or a salt thereof;
• wherein the A, D, H and Q units form a linkage of any arrangement and * is used to represent the continuing polymer chain.