Patent ID: 8242089

Claim:
A method for transfecting a cell with a nucleic acid molecule comprising contacting said cell with a sphingoid-polyalkylamine conjugate together with said nucleic acid molecule, wherein said sphingoid-polyalkylamine conjugate has the following formula (I): wherein R 1 represents a hydrogen, a branched or linear alkyl, aryl, alkylamine, or a group —C(O)R 5 ; R 2 and R 5 represent, independently, a branched or linear C 10 -C 24 alkyl, alkenyl or polyenyl group; R 3 and R 4 represent a group —C(O)—NR 6 R 7 , in which R 6 and R 7 , being the same or different for R 3 and R 4 , represent, independently, a hydrogen, or a saturated or unsaturated branched or linear polyalkylamine, wherein one or more amine units in said polyalkylamine may be a quaternary ammonium; or R 3 and R 4 form, together with the oxygen atoms to which they are bound, a heterocyclic ring comprising —C(O)—NR 9 -[R 8 —NR 9 ] m —C(O)—, in which R 8 represents a saturated or unsaturated C 1 -C 4 alkyl and R 9 represents a hydrogen or a polyalkylamine of the formula —[R 8 —NR 9 ] n —, wherein said R 9 or each alkylamine unit —R 8 NR 9 may be the same or different in said polyalkylamine; and n and m represent, independently, an integer from 1 to 10; and W represents a—CH═CH—, —CH 2 —CH(OH)—or —CH 2 —CH 2 —group.