Patent ID: 7115581

Claim:
A conjugate comprising: a polynucleotide bound to a chemically-defined valency platform molecule, wherein the chemically-defined valency platform molecule is formable by a reaction selected from the group consisting of: (a) reacting an amino modified-polyethylene glycol with 3-carboxypropionamide-N,N-bis-[(6′-N′-carbobenzyloxyaminohexyl)acetamide]4″-nitrophenyl ester; (b) reacting an amino modified-polyethylene glycol with 3-carboxypropionamide-N,N-bis-[(8′-N′-carbobenzyloxyamino-3′,6′-dioxaoctyl)acetamide]4″-nitrophenyl ester; or (c) reacting polyethylene glycol-bis-chloroformate with N,N-di(2-[6′-N′-carbobenzyloxyamino hexanoamido]ethyl)amine; wherein the product of reaction (a), (b) or (c) is derivatized to provide attachment sites at termini of the valency platform molecule prior to binding the polynucleotide; and the conjugate optionally comprises a linker moiety linking the polynucleotide and the chemically-defined valency platform molecule.