Charged Polymers via Controlled Radical Polymerization and their Implications for Gene Delivery

Non‐viral gene delivery agents are notorious for their poor nucleic acid transfection efficiency and relatively high cell cytotoxicity. Thus, many investigators are exploring the important parameters involved in charged polymer‐mediated gene delivery, such as chemical composition, molecular weight, structural architecture, surface charge, etc. It is important to develop clear structure‐property relationships in order to design successful nucleic acid delivery agents for gene therapy. To elucidate these relationships, well‐defined materials are necessary. Controlled radical polymerization methods offer a facile route to systematically produce well‐defined, structurally distinct gene delivery agents. The use of charged polymers prepared via controlled radical polymerizations to elucidate transfection mechanisms or develop new delivery vectors will be reviewed herein. magnified image