COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR MODULATING PKK EXPRESSION

SEQUENCE LISTING

The present application is being filed along with a Sequence Listing in electronic format. The Sequence Listing is provided as a file entitled BIOL0252SEQ_corrected created Feb. 1, 2024, which is approximately 2,175,816 bytes in size. The information in the electronic format of the sequence listing is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

Provided are compounds, compositions, and methods for reducing expression of human plasma prekallikrein (PKK) mRNA and protein in an animal. Such compositions and methods are useful to treat, prevent, or ameliorate inflammatory and thromboembolic conditions.

BACKGROUND

Plasma prekallikrein (PKK) is the precursor of plasma kallikrein (PK), which is encoded by the KLKB1 gene. PKK is a glycoprotein that participates in the surface-dependent activation of blood coagulation, fibrinolysis, kinin generation, and inflammation. PKK is converted to PK by Factor XIIa by the cleavage of an internal Arg-Ile peptide bond. PK liberates kinins from kininogens and also generates plasmin from plasminogen. PK is a member of the kinin-kallikrein pathway, which consists of several proteins that play a role in inflammation, blood pressure control, coagulation, and pain.

SUMMARY

Provided herein are compounds, compositions, and methods for modulating expression of PKK mRNA and protein. In certain embodiments, compounds useful for modulating expression of PKK mRNA and protein are antisense compounds. In certain embodiments, the antisense compounds are antisense oligonucleotides.

In certain embodiments, modulation can occur in a cell or tissue. In certain embodiments, the cell or tissue is in an animal. In certain embodiments, the animal is a human. In certain embodiments, PKK mRNA levels are reduced. In certain embodiments, PKK protein levels are reduced. Such reduction can occur in a time-dependent manner or in a dose-dependent manner.

Also provided are compounds, compositions, and methods useful for preventing, treating, and ameliorating diseases, disorders, and conditions associated with PKK. In certain embodiments, such PKK associated diseases, disorders, and conditions are inflammatory diseases. In certain embodiments, the inflammatory disease may be an acute or chronic inflammatory disease. In certain embodiments, such inflammatory diseases may include hereditary angioedema (HAE), edema, angioedema, swelling, angioedema of the lids, ocular edema, macular edema, and cerebral edema. In certain embodiments, such PKK associated diseases, disorders, and conditions are thromboembolic diseases. In certain embodiments, such thromboembolic diseases may include thrombosis, embolism, thromboembolism, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, stroke, and infarct.

Such diseases, disorders, and conditions can have one or more risk factors, causes, or outcomes in common.

Certain risk factors and causes for development of an inflammatory disease include genetic predisposition to an inflammatory disease and environmental factors. In certain embodiments, the subject has a mutated complement 1 esterase inhibitor (C1-INH) gene or mutated Factor 12 gene. In certain embodiments, the subject has taken or is on angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). In certain embodiments, the subject has had an allergic reaction leading to angioedema. In certain embodiments, the subject has type I HAE. In certain embodiments, the subject has type II HAE. In certain embodiments, the subject has type III HAE.

Certain outcomes associated with development of an inflammatory disease include edema/swelling in various body parts including the extremities (i.e., hands, feet, arms, legs), the intestines (abdomen), the face, the genitals, the larynx (i.e., voice box); vascular permeability; vascular leakage; generalized inflammation; abdominal pain; bloating; vomiting; diarrhea; itchy skin; respiratory (asthmatic) reactions; rhinitis; anaphylaxis; bronchoconstriction; hypotension; coma; and death.

Certain risk factors and causes for development of a thromboembolic disease include genetic predisposition to a thromboembolic disease, immobility, surgery (particularly orthopedic surgery), malignancy, pregnancy, older age, use of oral contraceptives, atrial fibrillation, previous thromboembolic condition, chronic inflammatory disease, and inherited or acquired prothrombotic clotting disorders. Certain outcomes associated with development of a thromboembolic condition include decreased blood flow through an affected vessel, death of tissue, and death.

In certain embodiments, methods of treatment include administering a PKK antisense compound to an individual in need thereof. In certain embodiments, methods of treatment include administering a PKK antisense oligonucleotide to an individual in need thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. Herein, the use of the singular includes the plural unless specifically stated otherwise. As used herein, the use of “or” means “and/or” unless stated otherwise. Furthermore, the use of the term “including” as well as other forms, such as “includes” and “included”, is not limiting. Also, terms such as “element” or “component” encompass both elements and components comprising one unit and elements and components that comprise more than one subunit, unless specifically stated otherwise.

Unless specific definitions are provided, the nomenclature used in connection with, and the procedures and techniques of, analytical chemistry, synthetic organic chemistry, and medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry described herein are those well known and commonly used in the art. Standard techniques may be used for chemical synthesis, and chemical analysis. Certain such techniques and procedures may be found for example in “Carbohydrate Modifications in Antisense Research” Edited by Sangvi and Cook, American Chemical Society, Washington D.C., 1994; “Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences,” Mack Publishing Co., Easton, Pa., 21^Stedition, 2005; and “Antisense Drug Technology, Principles, Strategies, and Applications” Edited by Stanley T. Crooke, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida; and Sambrook et al., “Molecular Cloning, A laboratory Manual,” 2^ndEdition, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1989, which are hereby incorporated by reference for any purpose. Where permitted, all patents, applications, published applications and other publications and other data referred to throughout in the disclosure are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

The section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter described. All documents, or portions of documents, cited in this application, including, but not limited to, patents, patent applications, articles, books, and treatises, are hereby expressly incorporated by reference for the portions of the document discussed herein, as well as in their entirety.

Definitions

Unless specific definitions are provided, the nomenclature utilized in connection with, and the procedures and techniques of, analytical chemistry, synthetic organic chemistry, and medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry described herein are those well known and commonly used in the art. Standard techniques may be used for chemical synthesis, and chemical analysis. Where permitted, all patents, applications, published applications and other publications, GENBANK Accession Numbers and associated sequence information obtainable through databases such as National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and other data referred to throughout in the disclosure herein are incorporated by reference for the portions of the document discussed herein, as well as in their entirety.

Unless otherwise indicated, the following terms have the following meanings:

“2′-O-methoxyethyl” (also 2′-MOE and 2′-OCH₂CH₂—OCH₃and MOE) refers to an O-methoxyethyl modification of the 2′ position of a furanose ring. A 2′-O-methoxyethyl modified sugar is a modified sugar.

“2′-O-methoxyethyl modified nucleoside” (also “2′-MOE nucleoside”) means a nucleoside comprising a 2′-MOE modified sugar moiety.

“2′-substituted nucleoside” means a nucleoside comprising a substituent at the 2′-position of the furanose ring other than H or OH. In certain embodiments, 2′ substituted nucleosides include nucleosides with bicyclic sugar modifications.

“2′-deoxynucleoside” means a nucleoside comprising a hydrogen at the 2′ position of the sugar portion of the nucleoside.

“3′ target site” refers to the nucleotide of a target nucleic acid which is complementary to the 3′-most nucleotide of a particular antisense compound.

“5′ target site” refers to the nucleotide of a target nucleic acid which is complementary to the 5′-most nucleotide of a particular antisense compound.

“5-methylcytosine” means a cytosine modified with a methyl group attached to the 5 position. A 5-methylcytosine is a modified nucleobase.

“About” means within ±7% of a value. For example, if it is stated, “the compounds affected at least about 70% inhibition of PKK”, it is implied that the PKK levels are inhibited within a range of 63% and 77%.

“Administered concomitantly” refers to the co-administration of two pharmaceutical agents in any manner in which the pharmacological effects of both are manifest in the patient at the same time. Concomitant administration does not require that both pharmaceutical agents be administered in a single pharmaceutical composition, in the same dosage form, or by the same route of administration. The effects of both pharmaceutical agents need not manifest themselves at the same time. The effects need only be overlapping for a period of time and need not be coextensive.

“Administering” means providing a pharmaceutical agent to an animal, and includes, but is not limited to administering by a medical professional and self-administering.

“Alkyl,” as used herein, means a saturated straight or branched hydrocarbon radical containing up to twenty four carbon atoms. Examples of alkyl groups include without limitation, methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, isopropyl, n-hexyl, octyl, decyl, dodecyl and the like. Alkyl groups typically include from 1 to about 24 carbon atoms, more typically from 1 to about 12 carbon atoms (C₁-C₁₂alkyl) with from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms being more preferred.

As used herein, “alkenyl,” means a straight or branched hydrocarbon chain radical containing up to twenty four carbon atoms and having at least one carbon-carbon double bond. Examples of alkenyl groups include without limitation, ethenyl, propenyl, butenyl, 1-methyl-2-buten-1-yl, dienes such as 1,3-butadiene and the like. Alkenyl groups typically include from 2 to about 24 carbon atoms, more typically from 2 to about 12 carbon atoms with from 2 to about 6 carbon atoms being more preferred. Alkenyl groups as used herein may optionally include one or more further substituent groups.

As used herein, “alkynyl,” means a straight or branched hydrocarbon radical containing up to twenty four carbon atoms and having at least one carbon-carbon triple bond. Examples of alkynyl groups include, without limitation, ethynyl, 1-propynyl, 1-butynyl, and the like. Alkynyl groups typically include from 2 to about 24 carbon atoms, more typically from 2 to about 12 carbon atoms with from 2 to about 6 carbon atoms being more preferred. Alkynyl groups as used herein may optionally include one or more further substituent groups.

As used herein, “acyl,” means a radical formed by removal of a hydroxyl group from an organic acid and has the general Formula —C(O)—X where X is typically aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic. Examples include aliphatic carbonyls, aromatic carbonyls, aliphatic sulfonyls, aromatic sulfinyls, aliphatic sulfinyls, aromatic phosphates, aliphatic phosphates and the like. Acyl groups as used herein may optionally include further substituent groups.

As used herein, “alicyclic” means a cyclic ring system wherein the ring is aliphatic. The ring system can comprise one or more rings wherein at least one ring is aliphatic. Preferred alicyclics include rings having from about 5 to about 9 carbon atoms in the ring. Alicyclic as used herein may optionally include further substituent groups.

As used herein, “aliphatic” means a straight or branched hydrocarbon radical containing up to twenty four carbon atoms wherein the saturation between any two carbon atoms is a single, double or triple bond. An aliphatic group preferably contains from 1 to about 24 carbon atoms, more typically from 1 to about 12 carbon atoms with from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms being more preferred. The straight or branched chain of an aliphatic group may be interrupted with one or more heteroatoms that include nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur and phosphorus. Such aliphatic groups interrupted by heteroatoms include without limitation, polyalkoxys, such as polyalkylene glycols, polyamines, and polyimines. Aliphatic groups as used herein may optionally include further substituent groups.

As used herein, “alkoxy” means a radical formed between an alkyl group and an oxygen atom wherein the oxygen atom is used to attach the alkoxy group to a parent molecule. Examples of alkoxy groups include without limitation, methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy, isopropoxy, n-butoxy, sec-butoxy, tert-butoxy, n-pentoxy, neopentoxy, n-hexoxy and the like. Alkoxy groups as used herein may optionally include further substituent groups.

As used herein, “aminoalkyl” means an amino substituted C₁-C₁₂alkyl radical. The alkyl portion of the radical forms a covalent bond with a parent molecule. The amino group can be located at any position and the aminoalkyl group can be substituted with a further substituent group at the alkyl and/or amino portions.

As used herein, “aralkyl” and “arylalkyl” mean an aromatic group that is covalently linked to a C₁-C₁₂alkyl radical. The alkyl radical portion of the resulting aralkyl (or arylalkyl) group forms a covalent bond with a parent molecule. Examples include without limitation, benzyl, phenethyl and the like. Aralkyl groups as used herein may optionally include further substituent groups attached to the alkyl, the aryl or both groups that form the radical group.

As used herein, “aryl” and “aromatic” mean a mono- or polycyclic carbocyclic ring system radicals having one or more aromatic rings. Examples of aryl groups include without limitation, phenyl, naphthyl, tetrahydronaphthyl, indanyl, idenyl and the like. Preferred aryl ring systems have from about 5 to about 20 carbon atoms in one or more rings. Aryl groups as used herein may optionally include further substituent groups.

“Amelioration” refers to a lessening, slowing, stopping, or reversing of at least one indicator of the seventy of a condition or disease. The severity of indicators may be determined by subjective or objective measures, which are known to those skilled in the art.

“Animal” refers to a human or non-human animal, including, but not limited to, mice, rats, rabbits, dogs, cats, pigs, and non-human primates, including, but not limited to, monkeys and chimpanzees.

“Antisense activity” means any detectable or measurable activity attributable to the hybridization of an antisense compound to its target nucleic acid. In certain embodiments, antisense activity is a decrease in the amount or expression of a target nucleic acid or protein encoded by such target nucleic acid. “Antisense compound” means an oligomeric compound that is is capable of undergoing hybridization to a target nucleic acid through hydrogen bonding. Examples of antisense compounds include single-stranded and double-stranded compounds, such as, antisense oligonucleotides, siRNAs, shRNAs, ssRNAs, and occupancy-based compounds.

“Antisense compound” means an oligomeric compound that is capable of undergoing hybridization to a target nucleic acid through hydrogen bonding. Examples of antisense compounds include single-stranded and double-stranded compounds, such as, antisense oligonucleotides, siRNAs, shRNAs, ssRNAs, and occupancy-based compounds.

“Antisense inhibition” means reduction of target nucleic acid levels in the presence of an antisense compound complementary to a target nucleic acid compared to target nucleic acid levels or in the absence of the antisense compound. “Antisense mechanisms” are all those mechanisms involving hybridization of a compound with target nucleic acid, wherein the outcome or effect of the hybridization is either target degradation or target occupancy with concomitant stalling of the cellular machinery involving, for example, transcription or splicing.

“Antisense mechanisms” are all those mechanisms involving hybridization of a compound with a target nucleic acid, wherein the outcome or effect of the hybridization is either target degradation or target occupancy with concomitant stalling of the cellular machinery involving, for example, transcription or splicing.

“Antisense oligonucleotide” means a single-stranded oligonucleotide having a nucleobase sequence that permits hybridization to a corresponding segment of a target nucleic acid. “Base complementarity” refers to the capacity for the precise base pairing of nucleobases of an antisense oligonucleotide with corresponding nucleobases in a target nucleic acid (i.e., hybridization), and is mediated by Watson-Crick, Hoogsteen or reversed Hoogsteen hydrogen binding between corresponding nucleobases.

“Base complementarity” refers to the capacity for the precise base pairing of nucleobases of an antisense oligonucleotide with corresponding nucleobases in a target nucleic acid (i.e., hybridization), and is mediated by Watson-Crick, Hoogsteen or reversed Hoogsteen hydrogen binding between corresponding nucleobases.

“Bicyclic sugar” means a furanose ring modified by the bridging of two atoms. A bicyclic sugar is a modified sugar.

“Bicyclic nucleoside” (also BNA) means a nucleoside having a sugar moiety comprising a bridge connecting two carbon atoms of the sugar ring, thereby forming a bicyclic ring system. In certain embodiments, the bridge connects the 4′-carbon and the 2′-carbon of the sugar ring.

“Cap structure” or “terminal cap moiety” means chemical modifications, which have been incorporated at either terminus of an antisense compound.

“Carbohydrate” means a naturally occurring carbohydrate, a modified carbohydrate, or a carbohydrate derivative.

“Carbohydrate cluster” means a compound having one or more carbohydrate residues attached to a scaffold or linker group. (see, e.g., Maier et al., “Synthesis of Antisense Oligonucleotides Conjugated to a Multivalent Carbohydrate Cluster for Cellular Targeting,” Bioconjugate Chemistry, 2003, (14): 18-29, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, or Rensen et al., “Design and Synthesis of Novel N-Acetylgalactosamine-Terminated Glycolipids for Targeting of Lipoproteins to the Hepatic Asiaglycoprotein Receptor,” J. Med. Chem. 2004, (47): 5798-5808, for examples of carbohydrate conjugate clusters).

“Carbohydrate derivative” means any compound which may be synthesized using a carbohydrate as a starting material or intermediate.

“cEt” or “constrained ethyl” means a bicyclic nucleoside having a sugar moiety comprising a bridge connecting the 4′-carbon and the 2′-carbon, wherein the bridge has the formula: 4′-CH(CH₃)—O-2′.

“cEt modified nucleoside” (also “constrained ethyl nucleoside”) means a nucleoside comprising a bicyclic sugar moiety comprising a 4′-CH(CH₃)—O-2′ bridge.

“Chemically distinct region” refers to a region of an antisense compound that is in some way chemically different than another region of the same antisense compound. For example, a region having 2′-O-methoxyethyl nucleosides is chemically distinct from a region having nucleosides without 2′-O-methoxyethyl modifications.

“Chemical modification” means a chemical difference in a compound when compared to a naturally occurring counterpart. Chemical modifications of oligonucleotides include nucleoside modifications (including sugar moiety modifications and nucleobase modifications) and internucleoside linkage modifications. In reference to an oligonucleotide, chemical modification does not include differences only in nucleobase sequence.

“Chimeric antisense compound” means an antisense compound that has at least two chemically distinct regions, each position having a plurality of subunits.

“Cleavable bond” means any chemical bond capable of being split. In certain embodiments, a cleavable bond is selected from among: an amide, a polyamide, an ester, an ether, one or both esters of a phosphodiester, a phosphate ester, a carbamate, a di-sulfide, or a peptide.

“Cleavable moiety” means a bond or group that is capable of being split under physiological conditions. In certain embodiments, a cleavable moiety is cleaved inside a cell or sub-cellular compartments, such as a lysosome. In certain embodiments, a cleavable moiety is cleaved by endogenous enzymes, such as nucleases. In certain embodiments, a cleavable moiety comprises a group of atoms having one, two, three, four, or more than four cleavable bonds.

“Co-administration” means administration of two or more pharmaceutical agents to an individual. The two or more pharmaceutical agents may be in a single pharmaceutical composition, or may be in separate pharmaceutical compositions. Each of the two or more pharmaceutical agents may be administered through the same or different routes of administration. Co-administration encompasses parallel or sequential administration.

“Complementarity” means the capacity for pairing between nucleobases of a first nucleic acid and a second nucleic acid.

“Comprise,” “comprises,” and “comprising” will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated step or element or group of steps or elements but not the exclusion of any other step or element or group of steps or elements.

“Conjugate” or “conjugate group” means an atom or group of atoms bound to an oligonucleotide or oligomeric compound. In general, conjugate groups modify one or more properties of the compound to which they are attached, including, but not limited to pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic, binding, absorption, cellular distribution, cellular uptake, charge and/or clearance properties.

“conjugate linker” or “linker” in the context of a conjugate group means a portion of a conjugate group comprising any atom or group of atoms and which covalently link (1) an oligonucleotide to another portion of the conjugate group or (2) two or more portions of the conjugate group.

Conjugate groups are shown herein as radicals, providing a bond for forming covalent attachment to an oligomeric compound such as an antisense oligonucleotide. In certain embodiments, the point of attachment on the oligomeric compound is the 3′-oxygen atom of the 3-hydroxyl group of the 3′ terminal nucleoside of the oligomeric compound. In certain embodiments the point of attachment on the oligomeric compound is the 5′-oxygen atom of the 5-hydroxyl group of the 5′ terminal nucleoside of the oligomeric compound. In certain embodiments, the bond for forming attachment to the oligomeric compound is a cleavable bond. In certain such embodiments, such cleavable bond constitutes all or part of a cleavable moiety.

In certain embodiments, conjugate groups comprise a cleavable moiety (e.g., a cleavable bond or cleavable nucleoside) and a carbohydrate cluster portion, such as a GalNAc cluster portion. Such carbohydrate cluster portion comprises: a targeting moiety and, optionally, a conjugate linker. In certain embodiments, the carbohydrate cluster portion is identified by the number and identity of the ligand. For example, in certain embodiments, the carbohydrate cluster portion comprises 3 GalNAc groups and is designated “GalNAc₃”. In certain embodiments, the carbohydrate cluster portion comprises 4 GalNAc groups and is designated “GalNAc₄”. Specific carbohydrate cluster portions (having specific tether, branching and conjugate linker groups) are described herein and designated by Roman numeral followed by subscript “a”. Accordingly “GalNac3-1_a” refers to a specific carbohydrate cluster portion of a conjugate group having 3 GalNac groups and specifically identified tether, branching and linking groups. Such carbohydrate cluster fragment is attached to an oligomeric compound via a cleavable moiety, such as a cleavable bond or cleavable nucleoside.

“Conjugate compound” means any atoms, group of atoms, or group of linked atoms suitable for use as a conjugate group. In certain embodiments, conjugate compounds may possess or impart one or more properties, including, but not limited to pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic, binding, absorption, cellular distribution, cellular uptake, charge and/or clearance properties.

“Contiguous nucleobases” means nucleobases immediately adjacent to each other.

“Designing” or “Designed to” refer to the process of creating an oligomeric compound that specifically hybridizes with a selected nucleic acid molecule.

“Diluent” means an ingredient in a composition that lacks pharmacological activity, but is pharmaceutically necessary or desirable. For example, in drugs that are injected, the diluent may be a liquid, e.g. saline solution.

“Dose” means a specified quantity of a pharmaceutical agent provided in a single administration, or in a specified time period. In certain embodiments, a dose may be administered in one, two, or more boluses, tablets, or injections. For example, in certain embodiments where subcutaneous administration is desired, the desired dose requires a volume not easily accommodated by a single injection, therefore, two or more injections may be used to achieve the desired dose. In certain embodiments, the pharmaceutical agent is administered by infusion over an extended period of time or continuously. Doses may be stated as the amount of pharmaceutical agent per hour, day, week, or month.

“Downstream” refers to the relative direction toward the 3′ end or C-terminal end of a nucleic acid.

“Effective amount” in the context of modulating an activity or of treating or preventing a condition means the administration of that amount of pharmaceutical agent to a subject in need of such modulation, treatment, or prophylaxis, either in a single dose or as part of a series, that is effective for modulation of that effect, or for treatment or prophylaxis or improvement of that condition. The effective amount may vary among individuals depending on the health and physical condition of the individual to be treated, the taxonomic group of the individuals to be treated, the formulation of the composition, assessment of the individual's medical condition, and other relevant factors.

“Efficacy” means the ability to produce a desired effect.

“Expression” includes all the functions by which a gene's coded information is converted into structures present and operating in a cell. Such structures include, but are not limited to the products of transcription and translation.

“Fully complementary” or “100% complementary” means each nucleobase of a first nucleic acid has a complementary nucleobase in a second nucleic acid. In certain embodiments, a first nucleic acid is an antisense compound and a target nucleic acid is a second nucleic acid.

“Gapmer” means a chimeric antisense compound in which an internal region having a plurality of nucleosides that support RNase H cleavage is positioned between external regions having one or more nucleosides, wherein the nucleosides comprising the internal region are chemically distinct from the nucleoside or nucleosides comprising the external regions. The internal region may be referred to as a “gap” and the external regions may be referred to as the “wings.”

“Halo” and “halogen,” mean an atom selected from fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine.

“Heteroaryl,” and “heteroaromatic,” mean a radical comprising a mono- or poly-cyclic aromatic ring, ring system or fused ring system wherein at least one of the rings is aromatic and includes one or more heteroatoms. Heteroaryl is also meant to include fused ring systems including systems where one or more of the fused rings contain no heteroatoms. Heteroaryl groups typically include one ring atom selected from sulfur, nitrogen or oxygen. Examples of heteroaryl groups include without limitation, pyridinyl, pyrazinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrrolyl, pyrazolyl, imidazolyl, thiazolyl, oxazolyl, isooxazolyl, thiadiazolyl, oxadiazolyl, thiophenyl, furanyl, quinolinyl, isoquinolinyl, benzimidazolyl, benzooxazolyl, quinoxalinyl and the like. Heteroaryl radicals can be attached to a parent molecule directly or through a linking moiety such as an aliphatic group or hetero atom. Heteroaryl groups as used herein may optionally include further substituent groups.

“Hybridization” means the annealing of complementary nucleic acid molecules. In certain embodiments, complementary nucleic acid molecules include, but are not limited to, an antisense compound and a target nucleic acid. In certain embodiments, complementary nucleic acid molecules include, but are not limited to, an antisense oligonucleotide and a nucleic acid target.

“Identifying an animal having an inflammatory disease” means identifying an animal having been diagnosed with an inflammatory disease or predisposed to develop an inflammatory disease. Individuals predisposed to develop an inflammatory disease include those having one or more risk factors for developing an inflammatory disease including environmental factors, having a personal or family history, or genetic predisposition to one or more inflammatory disease. Such identification may be accomplished by any method including evaluating an individual's medical history and standard clinical tests or assessments, such as genetic testing.

“Identifying an animal having a PKK associated disease” means identifying an animal having been diagnosed with a PKK associated disease or predisposed to develop a PKK associated disease. Individuals predisposed to develop a PKK associated disease include those having one or more risk factors for developing a PKK associated disease including having a personal or family history, or genetic predisposition of one or more PKK associated diseases. Such identification may be accomplished by any method including evaluating an individual's medical history and standard clinical tests or assessments, such as genetic testing.

“Identifying an animal having a thromboembolic disease” means identifying an animal having been diagnosed with a thromboembolic disease or predisposed to develop a thromboembolic disease. Individuals predisposed to develop a thromboembolic disease include those having one or more risk factors for developing a thromboembolic disease including having a personal or family history, or genetic predisposition of one or more thromboembolic diseases, immobility, surgery (particularly orthopedic surgery), malignancy, pregnancy, older age, use of oral contraceptives, atrial fibrillation, previous thromboembolic condition, chronic inflammatory disease, and inherited or acquired prothrombotic clotting disorders. Such identification may be accomplished by any method including evaluating an individual's medical history and standard clinical tests or assessments, such as genetic testing.

“Immediately adjacent” means there are no intervening elements between the immediately adjacent elements. “Individual” means a human or non-human animal selected for treatment or therapy.

“Individual” means a human or non-human animal selected for treatment or therapy.

“Inhibiting PKK” means reducing the level or expression of a PKK mRNA and/or protein. In certain embodiments, PKK mRNA and/or protein levels are inhibited in the presence of an antisense compound targeting PKK, including an antisense oligonucleotide targeting PKK, as compared to expression of PKK mRNA and/or protein levels in the absence of a PKK antisense compound, such as an antisense oligonucleotide.

“Inhibiting the expression or activity” refers to a reduction or blockade of the expression or activity and does not necessarily indicate a total elimination of expression or activity.

“Internucleoside linkage” refers to the chemical bond between nucleosides.

“Internucleoside neutral linking group” means a neutral linking group that directly links two nucleosides.

“Internucleoside phosphorus linking group” means a phosphorus linking group that directly links two nucleosides.

“Linkage motif” means a pattern of linkage modifications in an oligonucleotide or region thereof. The nucleosides of such an oligonucleotide may be modified or unmodified. Unless otherwise indicated, motifs herein describing only linkages are intended to be linkage motifs. Thus, in such instances, the nucleosides are not limited.

“Linked nucleosides” means adjacent nucleosides linked together by an internucleoside linkage. “Locked nucleic acid” or “LNA” or “LNA nucleosides” means nucleic acid monomers having a bridge connecting two carbon atoms between the 4′ and 2′ position of the nucleoside sugar unit, thereby forming a bicyclic sugar. Examples of such bicyclic sugar include, but are not limited to A) α-L-Methyleneoxy (4′-CH₂—O-2′) LNA, (B) β-D-Methyleneoxy (4′-CH₂—O-2′) LNA, (C) Ethyleneoxy (4′—(CH₂)₂-O-2′) LNA, (D) Aminooxy (4′-CH₂—O—N(R)-2′) LNA and (E) Oxyamino (4′-CH₂—N(R)—O-2′) LNA, as depicted below.

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As used herein, LNA compounds include, but are not limited to, compounds having at least one bridge between the 4′ and the 2′ position of the sugar wherein each of the bridges independently comprises 1 or from 2 to 4 linked groups independently selected from —[C(R₁)(R₂)]_n—, —C(R₁)═C(R₂)—, —C(R₁)=N—, —C(═NR₁)—, —C(═O)—, —C(═S)—, —O—, —Si(R₁)₂—, —S(═O)_r— and —N(R₁)—; wherein: x is 0, 1, or 2; n is 1, 2, 3, or 4; each R₁and R₂is, independently, H, a protecting group, hydroxyl, C₁-C₁₂alkyl, substituted C₁-C₁₂alkyl, C₂-C₁₂alkenyl, substituted C₂-C₁₂alkenyl, C₂-C₁₂alkynyl, substituted C₂-C₁₂alkynyl, C₅-C₂₀aryl, substituted C₅-C₂₀aryl, a heterocycle radical, a substituted heterocycle radical, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, C₅-C₇alicyclic radical, substituted C₅-C₇alicyclic radical, halogen, OJ₁, NJ₁J₂, SJ₁, N₃, COOJ₁, acyl (C(═O)—H), substituted acyl, CN, sulfonyl (S(═O)₂-J₁), or sulfoxyl (S(═O)-J₁); and each J₁and J₂is, independently, H, C₁-C₁₂alkyl, substituted C₁-C₁₂alkyl, C₂-C₁₂alkenyl, substituted C₂-C₁₂alkenyl, C₂-C₁₂alkynyl, substituted C₂-C₁₂alkynyl, C₅-C₂₀aryl, substituted C₅-C₂₀aryl, acyl (C(═O)—H), substituted acyl, a heterocycle radical, a substituted heterocycle radical, C₁-C₁₂aminoalkyl, substituted C₁-C₁₂aminoalkyl or a protecting group.

Examples of 4′-2′ bridging groups encompassed within the definition of LNA include, but are not limited to one of formulae: —[C(R₁)(R₂)]_n—, —[C(R₁)(R₂)]_n—O—, —C(R₁R₂)—N(R₁)—O— or —C(R₁R₂)—O—N(R₁)—. Furthermore, other bridging groups encompassed with the definition of LNA are 4′-CH₂-2′, 4′—(CH₂)₂-2′, 4′—(CH₂)₃-2′, 4′—CH₂—O-2′, 4′—(CH₂)₂-O-2′, 4′—CH₂—O—N(R₁)-2′ and 4′-CH₂—N(R₁)—O-2′-bridges, wherein each R₁and R₂is, independently, H, a protecting group or C₁-C₁₂alkyl.

Also included within the definition of LNA according to the invention are LNAs in which the 2′-hydroxyl group of the ribosyl sugar ring is connected to the 4′ carbon atom of the sugar ring, thereby forming a methyleneoxy (4′-CH₂—O-2′) bridge to form the bicyclic sugar moiety. The bridge can also be a methylene (—CH₂—) group connecting the 2′ oxygen atom and the 4′ carbon atom, for which the term methyleneoxy (4′-CH₂—O-2′) LNA is used. Furthermore; in the case of the bicylic sugar moiety having an ethylene bridging group in this position, the term ethyleneoxy (4′-CH₂CH₂—O-2′) LNA is used. α-L-methyleneoxy (4′-CH₂—O-2′), an isomer of methyleneoxy (4′-CH₂—O-2′) LNA is also encompassed within the definition of LNA, as used herein.

“Mismatch” or “non-complementary nucleobase” refers to the case when a nucleobase of a first nucleic acid is not capable of pairing with the corresponding nucleobase of a second or target nucleic acid.

“Modified internucleoside linkage” refers to a substitution or any change from a naturally occurring internucleoside bond (i.e. a phosphodiester internucleoside bond).

“Modified nucleobase” means any nucleobase other than adenine, cytosine, guanine, thymidine (also known as 5-methyluracil), or uracil. An “unmodified nucleobase” means the purine bases adenine (A) and guanine (G), and the pyrimidine bases thymine (T), cytosine (C), and uracil (U).

“Modified nucleoside” means a nucleoside having, independently, a modified sugar moiety and/or modified nucleobase.

“Modified nucleotide” means a nucleotide having, independently, a modified sugar moiety, modified internucleoside linkage, and/or modified nucleobase.

“Modified oligonucleotide” means an oligonucleotide comprising at least one modified internucleoside linkage, modified sugar, and/or modified nucleobase.

“Modified sugar” means substitution and/or any change from a natural sugar moiety.

“Mono or polycyclic ring system” is meant to include all ring systems selected from single or polycyclic radical ring systems wherein the rings are fused or linked and is meant to be inclusive of single and mixed ring systems individually selected from aliphatic, alicyclic, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, arylalkyl, heterocyclic, heteroaryl, heteroaromatic and heteroarylalkyl. Such mono and poly cyclic structures can contain rings that each have the same level of saturation or each, independently, have varying degrees of saturation including fully saturated, partially saturated or fully unsaturated. Each ring can comprise ring atoms selected from C, N, O and S to give rise to heterocyclic rings as well as rings comprising only C ring atoms which can be present in a mixed motif such as for example benzimidazole wherein one ring has only carbon ring atoms and the fused ring has two nitrogen atoms. The mono or polycyclic ring system can be further substituted with substituent groups such as for example phthalimide which has two=0 groups attached to one of the rings. Mono or polycyclic ring systems can be attached to parent molecules using various strategies such as directly through a ring atom, fused through multiple ring atoms, through a substituent group or through a bifunctional linking moiety.

“Monomer” means a single unit of an oligomer. Monomers include, but are not limited to, nucleosides and nucleotides, whether naturally occurring or modified.

“Motif” means the pattern of unmodified and modified nucleosides in an antisense compound.

“Natural sugar moiety” means a sugar moiety found in DNA (2′-H) or RNA (2′-OH).

“Naturally occurring internucleoside linkage” means a 3′ to 5′ phosphodiester linkage.

“Neutral linking group” means a linking group that is not charged. Neutral linking groups include without limitation phosphotriesters, methylphosphonates, MMI (—CH₂—N(CH₃)—O—), amide-3 (—CH₂—C(═O)—N(H)—), amide-4 (—CH₂—N(H)—C(═O)—), formacetal (—O—CH₂—O—), and thioformacetal (—S—CH₂—O—). Further neutral linking groups include nonionic linkages comprising siloxane (dialkylsiloxane), carboxylate ester, carboxamide, sulfide, sulfonate ester and amides (See for example: Carbohydrate Modifications in Antisense Research; Y. S. Sanghvi and P. D. Cook Eds. ACS Symposium Series 580; Chapters 3 and 4, (pp. 40-65)). Further neutral linking groups include nonionic linkages comprising mixed N, O, S and CH₂component parts.

“Non-complementary nucleobase” refers to a pair of nucleobases that do not form hydrogen bonds with one another or otherwise support hybridization.

“Non-internucleoside neutral linking group” means a neutral linking group that does not directly link two nucleosides. In certain embodiments, a non-internucleoside neutral linking group links a nucleoside to a group other than a nucleoside. In certain embodiments, a non-internucleoside neutral linking group links two groups, neither of which is a nucleoside.

“Non-internucleoside phosphorus linking group” means a phosphorus linking group that does not directly link two nucleosides. In certain embodiments, a non-internucleoside phosphorus linking group links a nucleoside to a group other than a nucleoside. In certain embodiments, a non-internucleoside phosphorus linking group links two groups, neither of which is a nucleoside.

“Nucleic acid” refers to molecules composed of monomeric nucleotides. A nucleic acid includes, but is not limited to, ribonucleic acids (RNA), deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA), single-stranded nucleic acids, double-stranded nucleic acids, small interfering ribonucleic acids (siRNA), and microRNAs (miRNA).

“Nucleobase” means a heterocyclic moiety capable of pairing with a base of another nucleic acid.

“Nucleobase complementarity” refers to a nucleobase that is capable of base pairing with another nucleobase. For example, in DNA, adenine (A) is complementary to thymine (T). For example, in RNA, adenine (A) is complementary to uracil (U). In certain embodiments, complementary nucleobase refers to a nucleobase of an antisense compound that is capable of base pairing with a nucleobase of its target nucleic acid. For example, if a nucleobase at a certain position of an antisense compound is capable of hydrogen bonding with a nucleobase at a certain position of a target nucleic acid, then the position of hydrogen bonding between the oligonucleotide and the target nucleic acid is considered to be complementary at that nucleobase pair.

“Nucleobase modification motif” means a pattern of modifications to nucleobases along an oligonucleotide. Unless otherwise indicated, a nucleobase modification motif is independent of the nucleobase sequence.

“Nucleobase sequence” means the order of contiguous nucleobases independent of any sugar, linkage, and/or nucleobase modification.

“Nucleoside” means a nucleobase linked to a sugar.

“Nucleoside mimetic” includes those structures used to replace the sugar or the sugar and the base and not necessarily the linkage at one or more positions of an oligomeric compound such as for example nucleoside mimetics having morpholino, cyclohexenyl, cyclohexyl, tetrahydropyranyl, bicyclo, or tricyclo sugar mimetics, e.g., non furanose sugar units. Nucleotide mimetic includes those structures used to replace the nucleoside and the linkage at one or more positions of an oligomeric compound such as for example peptide nucleic acids or morpholinos (morpholinos linked by —N(H)—C(═O)—O— or other non-phosphodiester linkage). Sugar surrogate overlaps with the slightly broader term nucleoside mimetic but is intended to indicate replacement of the sugar unit (furanose ring) only. The tetrahydropyranyl rings provided herein are illustrative of an example of a sugar surrogate wherein the furanose sugar group has been replaced with a tetrahydropyranyl ring system. “Mimetic” refers to groups that are substituted for a sugar, a nucleobase, and/or internucleoside linkage. Generally, a mimetic is used in place of the sugar or sugar-internucleoside linkage combination, and the nucleobase is maintained for hybridization to a selected target.

“Nucleoside motif” means a pattern of nucleoside modifications in an oligonucleotide or a region thereof. The linkages of such an oligonucleotide may be modified or unmodified. Unless otherwise indicated, motifs herein describing only nucleosides are intended to be nucleoside motifs. Thus, in such instances, the linkages are not limited.

“Nucleotide” means a nucleoside having a phosphate group covalently linked to the sugar portion of the nucleoside.

“Off-target effect” refers to an unwanted or deleterious biological effect associated with modulation of RNA or protein expression of a gene other than the intended target nucleic acid.

“Oligomeric compound” or “oligomer” means a polymer of linked monomeric subunits which is capable of hybridizing to at least a region of a nucleic acid molecule.

“Oligonucleotide” means a polymer of linked nucleosides each of which can be modified or unmodified, independent one from another.

“Parenteral administration” means administration through injection (e.g., bolus injection) or infusion. Parenteral administration includes subcutaneous administration, intravenous administration, intramuscular administration, intraarterial administration, intraperitoneal administration, or intracranial administration, e.g., intrathecal or intracerebroventricular administration.

“Peptide” means a molecule formed by linking at least two amino acids by amide bonds. Without limitation, as used herein, peptide refers to polypeptides and proteins.

“Pharmaceutical agent” means a substance that provides a therapeutic benefit when administered to an individual. For example, in certain embodiments, an antisense oligonucleotide targeted to PKK is a pharmaceutical agent.

“Pharmaceutical composition” means a mixture of substances suitable for administering to a subject. For example, a pharmaceutical composition may comprise an antisense oligonucleotide and a sterile aqueous solution.

“Pharmaceutically acceptable derivative” encompasses pharmaceutically acceptable salts, conjugates, prodrugs or isomers of the compounds described herein.

“Pharmaceutically acceptable salts” means physiologically and pharmaceutically acceptable salts of antisense compounds, i.e., salts that retain the desired biological activity of the parent oligonucleotide and do not impart undesired toxicological effects thereto.

“Phosphorothioate linkage” means a linkage between nucleosides where the phosphodiester bond is modified by replacing one of the non-bridging oxygen atoms with a sulfur atom. A phosphorothioate linkage is a modified internucleoside linkage.

“Phosphorus linking group” means a linking group comprising a phosphorus atom. Phosphorus linking groups include without limitation groups having the formula:

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wherein:

- R_aand R_dare each, independently, O, S, CH₂, NH, or NJ₁wherein J₁is C₁-C₆alkyl or substituted C₁-C₆alkyl;
- R_bis O or S;
- R_cis OH, SH, C₁-C₆alkyl, substituted C₁-C₆alkyl, C₁-C₆alkoxy, substituted C₁-C₆alkoxy, amino or substituted amino; and
- J₁is R is O or S.

Phosphorus linking groups include without limitation, phosphodiester, phosphorothioate, phosphorodithioate, phosphonate, phosphoramidate, phosphorothioamidate, thionoalkylphosphonate, phosphotriesters, thionoalkylphosphotriester and boranophosphate.

“PKK” means mammalian plasma prekallikrein, including human plasma prekallikrein. Plasma prekallikrein (PKK) is the precursor of plasma kallikrein (PK), which is encoded by the KLKB1 gene.

“PKK associated disease” means any disease associated with any PKK nucleic acid or expression product thereof. Such diseases may include an inflammatory disease or a thromboembolic disease. Such diseases may include hereditary angioedema (HAE).

“PKK mRNA” means any messenger RNA expression product of a DNA sequence encoding PKK.

“PKK nucleic acid” means any nucleic acid encoding PKK. For example, in certain embodiments, a PKK nucleic acid includes a DNA sequence encoding PKK, an RNA sequence transcribed from DNA encoding PKK (including genomic DNA comprising introns and exons), and an mRNA sequence encoding PKK. “PKK mRNA” means an mRNA encoding a PKK protein.

“PKK protein” means the polypeptide expression product of a PKK nucleic acid.

“Portion” means a defined number of contiguous (i.e., linked) nucleobases of a nucleic acid. In certain embodiments, a portion is a defined number of contiguous nucleobases of a target nucleic acid. In certain embodiments, a portion is a defined number of contiguous nucleobases of an antisense compound.

“Prevent” or “preventing” refers to delaying or forestalling the onset or development of a disease, disorder, or condition for a period of time from minutes to days, weeks to months, or indefinitely.

“Prodrug” means a therapeutic agent that is prepared in an inactive form that is converted to an active form (i.e., drug) within the body or cells thereof by the action of endogenous enzymes or other chemicals and/or conditions.

“Prophylactically effective amount” refers to an amount of a pharmaceutical agent that provides a prophylactic or preventative benefit to an animal.

“Protecting group” means any compound or protecting group known to those having skill in the art. Non-limiting examples of protecting groups may be found in “Protective Groups in Organic Chemistry”, T. W. Greene, P. G. M. Wuts, ISBN 0-471-62301-6, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, New York, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

“Region” is defined as a portion of the target nucleic acid having at least one identifiable structure, function, or characteristic.

“Ribonucleotide” means a nucleotide having a hydroxy at the 2′ position of the sugar portion of the nucleotide. Ribonucleotides may be modified with any of a variety of substituents.

“RISC based antisense compound” means an antisense compound wherein at least some of the antisense activity of the antisense compound is attributable to the RNA Induced Silencing Complex (RISC).

“RNase H based antisense compound” means an antisense compound wherein at least some of the antisense activity of the antisense compound is attributable to hybridization of the antisense compound to a target nucleic acid and subsequent cleavage of the target nucleic acid by RNase H.

“Salts” mean a physiologically and pharmaceutically acceptable salts of antisense compounds, i.e., salts that retain the desired biological activity of the parent oligonucleotide and do not impart undesired toxicological effects thereto.

“Segments” are defined as smaller or sub-portions of regions within a target nucleic acid.

“Separate regions” means portions of an oligonucleotide wherein the chemical modifications or the motif of chemical modifications of any neighboring portions include at least one difference to allow the separate regions to be distinguished from one another.

“Sequence motif” means a pattern of nucleobases arranged along an oligonucleotide or portion thereof. Unless otherwise indicated, a sequence motif is independent of chemical modifications and thus may have any combination of chemical modifications, including no chemical modifications.

“Side effects” means physiological responses attributable to a treatment other than desired effects. In certain embodiments, side effects include, without limitation, injection site reactions, liver function test abnormalities, renal function abnormalities, liver toxicity, renal toxicity, central nervous system abnormalities, and myopathies.

“Single-stranded oligonucleotide” means an oligonucleotide which is not hybridized to a complementary strand.

“Sites,” as used herein, are defined as unique nucleobase positions within a target nucleic acid.

“Specifically hybridizable” or “specifically hybridizes” refers to an antisense compound having a sufficient degree of complementarity between an antisense oligonucleotide and a target nucleic acid to induce a desired effect, while exhibiting minimal or no effects on non-target nucleic acids under conditions in which specific binding is desired, i.e., under physiological conditions in the case of in vivo assays and therapeutic treatments.

“Stringent hybridization conditions” or “stringent conditions” refer to conditions under which an oligomeric compound will hybridize to its target sequence, but to a minimal number of other sequences.

“Subject” means a human or non-human animal selected for treatment or therapy.

“Substituent” and “substituent group,” means an atom or group that replaces the atom or group of a named parent compound. For example a substituent of a modified nucleoside is any atom or group that differs from the atom or group found in a naturally occurring nucleoside (e.g., a modified 2′-substuent is any atom or group at the 2′-position of a nucleoside other than H or OH). Substituent groups can be protected or unprotected. In certain embodiments, compounds of the present disclosure have substituents at one or at more than one position of the parent compound. Substituents may also be further substituted with other substituent groups and may be attached directly or via a linking group such as an alkyl or hydrocarbyl group to a parent compound.

Likewise, as used herein, “substituent” in reference to a chemical functional group means an atom or group of atoms that differs from the atom or a group of atoms normally present in the named functional group. In certain embodiments, a substituent replaces a hydrogen atom of the functional group (e.g., in certain embodiments, the substituent of a substituted methyl group is an atom or group other than hydrogen which replaces one of the hydrogen atoms of an unsubstituted methyl group). Unless otherwise indicated, groups amenable for use as substituents include without limitation, halogen, hydroxyl, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, acyl (—C(O)R_aa), carboxyl (—C(O)O—R_aa), aliphatic groups, alicyclic groups, alkoxy, substituted oxy (—O—R_aa), aryl, aralkyl, heterocyclic radical, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, amino (—N(R_bb)(R_cc)), imino(=NR_bb), amido (—C(O)N—(R_bb)(R_cc) or —N(R_bb)C(O)R_aa), azido (—N₃), nitro (—NO₂), cyano (—CN), carbamido (—OC(O)N(R_bb)(R_cc) or —N(R_bb)C(O)OR_aa), ureido (—N(R_bb)C(O)N(R_bb)(R_c)), thioureido (—N(R_bb)C(S)N(R_bb)(R_cc)), guanidinyl (—N(R_bb)C(=NR_bb)N(R_bb)(R_cc)), amidinyl (—C(═NR_bb)N(R_bb)(R_cc) or —N(R_bb)C(=NR_bb)(R_aa)), thiol (—SR_bb), sulfinyl (—S(O)R_bb), sulfonyl (—S(O)₂R_bb) and sulfonamidyl (—S(O)₂N(R_bb)(R_cc) or —N(R_bb)S(O)₂R_bb). Wherein each R_aa, R_bband R_ccis, independently, H, an optionally linked chemical functional group or a further substituent group with a preferred list including without limitation, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aliphatic, alkoxy, acyl, aryl, aralkyl, heteroaryl, alicyclic, heterocyclic and heteroarylalkyl. Selected substituents within the compounds described herein are present to a recursive degree.

“Substituted sugar moiety” means a furanosyl that is not a naturally occurring sugar moiety. Substituted sugar moieties include, but are not limited to furanosyls comprising substituents at the 2′-position, the 3′-position, the 5′-position and/or the 4′-position. Certain substituted sugar moieties are bicyclic sugar moieties.

“Sugar moiety” means a naturally occurring sugar moiety or a modified sugar moiety of a nucleoside.

“Sugar motif” means a pattern of sugar modifications in an oligonucleotide or a region thereof.

“Sugar surrogate” means a structure that does not comprise a furanosyl and that is capable of replacing the naturally occurring sugar moiety of a nucleoside, such that the resulting nucleoside sub-units are capable of linking together and/or linking to other nucleosides to form an oligomeric compound which is capable of hybridizing to a complementary oligomeric compound. Such structures include rings comprising a different number of atoms than furanosyl (e.g., 4, 6, or 7-membered rings); replacement of the oxygen of a furanosyl with a non-oxygen atom (e.g., carbon, sulfur, or nitrogen); or both a change in the number of atoms and a replacement of the oxygen. Such structures may also comprise substitutions corresponding to those described for substituted sugar moieties (e.g., 6-membered carbocyclic bicyclic sugar surrogates optionally comprising additional substituents). Sugar surrogates also include more complex sugar replacements (e.g., the non-ring systems of peptide nucleic acid). Sugar surrogates include without limitation morpholinos, cyclohexenyls and cyclohexitols.

“Target” refers to a protein, the modulation of which is desired.

“Target gene” refers to a gene encoding a target.

“Targeting” or “targeted” means the process of design and selection of an antisense compound that will specifically hybridize to a target nucleic acid and induce a desired effect.

“Target nucleic acid,” “target RNA,” and “target RNA transcript” and “nucleic acid target” all mean a nucleic acid capable of being targeted by antisense compounds.

“Target region” means a portion of a target nucleic acid to which one or more antisense compounds is targeted.

“Target segment” means the sequence of nucleotides of a target nucleic acid to which an antisense compound is targeted. “5′ target site” refers to the 5′-most nucleotide of a target segment. “3′ target site” refers to the 3′-most nucleotide of a target segment.

“Terminal group” means one or more atom attached to either, or both, the 3′ end or the 5′ end of an oligonucleotide. In certain embodiments a terminal group is a conjugate group. In certain embodiments, a terminal group comprises one or more terminal group nucleosides.

“Terminal internucleoside linkage” means the linkage between the last two nucleosides of an oligonucleotide or defined region thereof.

“Therapeutically effective amount” means an amount of a pharmaceutical agent that provides a therapeutic benefit to an individual.

“Treat” or “treating” or “treatment” refers to administering a composition to effect an improvement of the disease or condition.

“Type of modification” in reference to a nucleoside or a nucleoside of a “type” means the chemical modification of a nucleoside and includes modified and unmodified nucleosides. Accordingly, unless otherwise indicated, a “nucleoside having a modification of a first type” may be an unmodified nucleoside.

“Unmodified nucleobases” mean the purine bases adenine (A) and guanine (G), and the pyrimidine bases thymine (T), cytosine (C) and uracil (U).

“Unmodified nucleotide” means a nucleotide composed of naturally occurring nucleobases, sugar moieties, and internucleoside linkages. In certain embodiments, an unmodified nucleotide is an RNA nucleotide (i.e. β-D-ribonucleosides) or a DNA nucleotide (i.e. β-D-deoxyribonucleoside).

“Upstream” refers to the relative direction toward the 5′ end or N-terminal end of a nucleic acid.

“Wing segment” means a plurality of nucleosides modified to impart to an oligonucleotide properties such as enhanced inhibitory activity, increased binding affinity for a target nucleic acid, or resistance to degradation by in vivo nucleases.

Certain Embodiments

Certain embodiments provide compounds, compositions, and methods for inhibiting plasma prekallikrein (PKK) mRNA and protein expression. Certain embodiments provide compounds, compositions, and methods for decreasing PKK mRNA and protein levels.

Certain embodiments provide antisense compounds targeted to a plasma prekallikrein (PKK) nucleic acid. In certain embodiments, the PKK nucleic acid is the sequence set forth in GENBANK Accession No. NM_000892.3 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 1), GENBANK Accession No. DC412984.1 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 2), GENBANK Accession No. CN265612.1 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 3), GENBANK Accession No. AK297672.1 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 4), GENBANK Accession No. DC413312.1 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 5), GENBANK Accession No. AV688858.2 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 6), GENBANK Accession No. CD652077.1 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 7), GENBANK Accession No. BC143911.1 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 8), GENBANK Accession No. CB162532.1 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 9), GENBANK Accession No. NT_016354.19 truncated from nucleobases 111693001 to 111730000 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 10), GENBANK Accession No. NM_008455.2 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 11), GENBANK Accession No. BB598673.1 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 12), GENBANK Accession No. NT_039460.7 truncated from nucleobases 6114001 to U.S. Pat. No. 6,144,000 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 13), GENBANK Accession No. NM_012725.2 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 14), GENBANK Accession No. NW_047473.1 truncated from nucleobases 10952001 to 10982000 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 15), GENBANK Accession No. XM_002804276.1 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 17), and GENBANK Accession No. NW_001118167.1 truncated from nucleobases 2358000 to U.S. Pat. No. 2,391,000 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 18).

Certain embodiments provide compounds, comprising a modified oligonucleotide and a conjugate group, wherein the modified oligonucleotide consists of 20 linked nucleosides and has the nucleobase sequence of SEQ ID NO: 570.

Certain embodiments provide compounds, comprising a modified oligonucleotide and a conjugate group, wherein the modified oligonucleotide consists of 16 linked nucleosides and has the nucleobase sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1666.

Certain embodiments provide compounds, comprising a modified oligonucleotide and a conjugate group, wherein the modified oligonucleotide consists of 12 to 30 linked nucleosides and has a nucleobase sequence comprising at least 8, at least 9, at least 10, at least 11, at least 12, at least 13, at least 14, at least 15, or at least 16 consecutive nucleobases of any of the nucleobase sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 62, 72, 103, 213, 312, 334-339, 344, 345, 346, 348, 349, 351, 369, 373, 381, 382, 383, 385, 387-391, 399, 411, 412, 414, 416, 444, 446-449, 452, 453, 454, 459, 460, 462-472, 473, 476, 477, 479, 480, 481, 484, 489-495, 497, 500, 504, 506, 522, 526, 535, 558, 559, 560, 564, 566, 568-571, 573, 576, 577, 578, 587, 595, 597-604, 607, 608, 610, 613, 615, 618, 619, 622, 623, 624, 633, 635, 636, 638, 639, 640, 642, 643, 645, 652, 655-658, 660, 661, 670, 674-679, 684, 685, 698, 704, 705, 707, 708, 713, 716, 717, 728, 734, 736, 767, 768, 776, 797, 798, 800, 802, 810, 815, 876, 880, 882, 883, 886, 891, 901-905, 908-911, 922, 923, 924, 931, 942, 950-957, 972, 974, 978, 979, 980, 987-991, 1005, 1017-1021, 1025, 1026, 1029, 1030, 1032, 1034, 1035, 1037, 1040, 1041, 1045, 1046, 1051, 1054, 1059, 1060, 1061, 1064, 1065, 1066, 1075, 1076, 1087, 1089, 1111, 1114, 1116, 1117, 1125, 1133, 1153, 1169, 1177, 1181, 1182, 1187, 1196, 1200, 1214, 1222, 1267, 1276, 1277, 1285, 1286, 1289, 1290, 1291, 1303, 1367, 1389, 1393, 1398-1401, 1406, 1407, 1408, 1411, 1419-1422, 1426, 1430, 1431, 1432, 1434-1437, 1439, 1440, 1443, 1444, 1451, 1452, 1471, 1516, 1527, 1535, 1537, 1538, 1539, 1540, 1541, 1563, 1564, 1567, 1568, 1616, 1617, 1623, 1629, 1664, 1665, 1666, 1679, 1687, 1734, 1804, 1876, 1886, 1915, 2008, 2018, 2100, 2101, 2115, and 2116. In certain embodiments, the modified oligonucleotide achieves at least 80% mRNA inhibition of PKK.

Certain embodiments provide compounds, comprising a modified oligonucleotide and a conjugate group, wherein the modified oligonucleotide consists of 12 to 30 linked nucleosides and has a nucleobase sequence comprising at least 8, at least 9, at least 10, at least 11, at least 12, at least 13, at least 14, at least 15, or at least 16 consecutive nucleobases of any of the nucleobase sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 62, 72, 103, 213, 334-339, 344, 346, 348, 349, 351, 381, 382, 383, 385, 389, 390, 391, 446, 448, 452, 453, 454, 466-473, 476, 481, 484, 491, 492, 494, 495, 497, 504, 526, 558, 559, 566, 568-571, 576, 578, 587, 595, 597, 598, 600-604, 607, 610, 613, 618, 619, 624, 635, 638, 639, 645, 652, 656, 657, 658, 660, 674, 675, 676, 684, 698, 704, 705, 707, 713, 716, 768, 876, 880, 901-905, 908-911, 922, 923, 924, 931, 942, 951, 954-957, 972, 974, 978, 979, 987, 988, 990, 1005, 1019, 1020, 1021, 1025, 1032, 1037, 1040, 1041, 1045, 1054, 1059, 1060, 1061, 1064, 1065, 1066, 1075, 1111, 1116, 1117, 1125, 1133, 1153, 1169, 1177, 1200, 1222, 1267, 1285, 1290, 1291, 1303, 1367, 1398, 1399, 1401, 1406, 1408, 1411, 1419, 1420, 1421, 1426, 1430, 1431, 1432, 1434-1437, 1440, 1443, 1444, 1451, 1537-1540, 1563, 1616, 1679, 1687, 1804, 2008, 2101, 2115, and 2116. In certain embodiments, the modified oligonucleotide achieves at least 85% mRNA inhibition of PKK.

In certain embodiments the nucleobase sequence of the modified oligonucleotide is at least 80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100% complementary to SEQ ID NO: 10.

In certain embodiments, the compound consists of a single-stranded modified oligonucleotide.

In certain embodiments, at least one internucleoside linkage of the modified oligonucleotide is a modified internucleoside linkage.

In certain embodiments, at least one modified internucleoside linkage of the modified oligonucleotide is a phosphorothioate internucleoside linkage.

In certain embodiments, the modified oligonucleotide comprises at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 phosphodiester internucleoside linkages.

In certain embodiments, each internucleoside linkage of the modified oligonucleotide is selected from a phosphodiester internucleoside linkage and a phosphorothioate internucleoside linkage.

In certain embodiments, each internucleoside linkage of the modified oligonucleotide is a phosphorothioate linkage.

In certain embodiments, at least one nucleoside of the modified oligonucleotide comprises a modified nucleobase.

In certain embodiments, the modified nucleobase is a 5-methylcytosine.

In certain embodiments, the modified oligonucleotide comprises at least one modified sugar.

In certain embodiments, the modified sugar is a 2′ modified sugar, a BNA, or a THP.

In certain embodiments, the modified sugar is any of a 2′-O-methoxyethyl, 2′-O-methyl, a constrained ethyl, a LNA, or a 3′-fluoro-HNA.

In certain embodiments, the compound comprises at least one 2′-O-methoxyethyl nucleoside, 2′-O-methyl nucleoside, constrained ethyl nucleoside, LNA nucleoside, or 3′-fluoro-HNA nucleoside.

In certain embodiments, the modified oligonucleotide comprises:

- a gap segment consisting of 10 linked deoxynucleosides;
- a 5′ wing segment consisting of 5 linked nucleosides; and
- a 3′ wing segment consisting of 5 linked nucleosides;
- wherein the gap segment is positioned between the 5′ wing segment and the 3′ wing segment and wherein each nucleoside of each wing segment comprises a modified sugar.

In certain embodiments, the modified oligonucleotide consists of 20 linked nucleosides.

In certain embodiments, the modified oligonucleotide consists of 19 linked nucleosides.

In certain embodiments, the modified oligonucleotide consists of 18 linked nucleosides.

Certain embodiments provide compounds consisting of a conjugate group and a modified oligonucleotide according to the following formula: Tes Ges mCes Aes Aes Gds Tds mCds Tds mCds Tds Tds Gds Gds mCds Aes Aes Aes mCes Ae; wherein,

- A=an adenine,
- mC=a 5′-methylcytosine
- G=a guanine,
- T=a thymine,
- e=a 2′-O-methoxyethyl modified nucleoside,
- d=a 2′-deoxynucleoside, and
- s=a phosphorothioate internucleoside linkage.

Certain embodiments provide compounds consisting of a conjugate group and a modified oligonucleotide according to the following formula: mCes mCes mCes mCes mCes Tds Tds mCds Tds Tds Tds Ads Tds Ads Gds mCes mCes Aes Ges mCe; wherein,

- A=an adenine,
- mC=a 5′-methylcytosine;
- G=a guanine,
- T=a thymine,
- e=a 2′-O-methoxyethyl modified nucleoside,
- d=a 2′-deoxynucleoside, and
- s=a phosphorothioate internucleoside linkage.

Certain embodiments provide compounds consisting of a conjugate group and a modified oligonucleotide according to the following formula: mCes Ges Aks Tds Ads Tds mCds Ads Tds Gds Ads Tds Tds mCks mCks mCe; wherein,

- A=an adenine,
- mC=a 5′-methylcytosine;
- G=a guanine,
- T=a thymine,
- e=a 2′-O-methoxyethyl modified nucleoside,
- k=a cEt modified nucleoside,
- d=a 2′-deoxynucleoside, and
- s=a phosphorothioate internucleoside linkage.

In certain embodiments, the conjugate group is linked to the modified oligonucleotide at the 5′ end of the modified oligonucleotide. In certain embodiments, the conjugate group is linked to the modified oligonucleotide at the 3′ end of the modified oligonucleotide. In certain embodiments, the conjugate group comprises at least one N-Acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc), at least two N-Acetylgalactosamines (GalNAcs), or at least three N-Acetylgalactosamines (GalNAcs).

Certain embodiments provide compounds according to the following formula:

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Certain embodiments provide compounds according to the following formula:

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Certain embodiments provide compounds according to the following formula:

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In certain embodiments, a compound can comprise or consist of any modified oligonucleotide described herein and a conjugate group. In certain embodiments, a compound can comprise or consist of a modified oligonucleotide consisting of 12 to 30 linked nucleosides and having a nucleobase sequence comprising at least 8, at least 9, at least 10, at least 11, at least 12, at least 13, at least 14, at least 15, at least 16, at least 17, at least 18, at least 19, or at least 20 consecutive nucleobases of any of the nucleobase sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 30-2226, and a conjugate group.

In certain embodiments, a compound having the following chemical structure comprises or consists of ISIS 721744 with a 5′-X, wherein X is a conjugate group comprising GalNAc as described herein:

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In certain embodiments, a compound having the following chemical structure comprises or consists of ISIS 546254 with a 5′-X, wherein X is a conjugate group comprising GalNAc as described herein:

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Certain embodiments provide a compound comprising or consisting of the following formula:

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Certain embodiments provide a compound comprising or consisting of the following formula:

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Certain embodiments provide a compound comprising or consisting of the following formula:

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- wherein either R¹is —OCH₂CH₂OCH₃(MOE) and R²is H; or R¹and R²together form a bridge, wherein R¹is —O— and R²is —CH₂—, —CH(CH₃)—, or —CH₂CH₂—, and R¹and R²are directly connected such that the resulting bridge is selected from: —O—CH₂—, —O—CH(CH₃)—, and —O—CH₂CH₂—;
- and for each pair of R₃and R⁴on the same ring, independently for each ring: either R₃is selected from H and —OCH₂CH₂OCH₃and R⁴is H; or R₃and R⁴together form a bridge, wherein R₃is —O—, and R⁴is —CH₂—, —CH(CH₃)—, or —CH₂CH₂— and R₃and R⁴are directly connected such that the resulting bridge is selected from: —O—CH₂—, —O—CH(CH₃)—, and —O—CH₂CH₂—;
- and R⁵is selected from H and —CH₃;
- and Z is selected from S⁻ and O⁻.

Certain embodiments provide compositions comprising the compound of any preceding claim or salt thereof and at least one of a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent.

Certain embodiments provide methods comprising administering to an animal the compound or composition of any preceding claim.

In certain embodiments, the animal is a human.

In certain embodiments, administering the compound prevents, treats, or ameliorates a PKK associated disease, disorder or condition.

In certain embodiments, the PKK associated disease, disorder or condition is a hereditary angioedema (HAE), edema, angioedema, swelling, angioedema of the lids, ocular edema, macular edema, cerebral edema, thrombosis, embolism, thromboembolism, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, stroke, or infarct.

Certain embodiments provide use of the compound or composition of any preceding claim for the manufacture of a medicament for treating an inflammatory disease or a thromboembolic disease.

Antisense Compounds

Oligomeric compounds include, but are not limited to, oligonucleotides, oligonucleosides, oligonucleotide analogs, oligonucleotide mimetics, antisense compounds, antisense oligonucleotides, and siRNAs. An oligomeric compound may be “antisense” to a target nucleic acid, meaning that is is capable of undergoing hybridization to a target nucleic acid through hydrogen bonding.

In certain embodiments, an antisense compound has a nucleobase sequence that, when written in the 5′ to 3′ direction, comprises the reverse complement of the target segment of a target nucleic acid to which it is targeted. In certain such embodiments, an antisense oligonucleotide has a nucleobase sequence that, when written in the 5′ to 3′ direction, comprises the reverse complement of the target segment of a target nucleic acid to which it is targeted.

In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 12 to 30 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to PKK nucleic acid is 12 to 25 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to PKK nucleic acid is 12 to 22 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to PKK nucleic acid is 14 to 20 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to PKK nucleic acid is 15 to 25 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to PKK nucleic acid is 18 to 22 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to PKK nucleic acid is 19 to 21 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, the antisense compound is 8 to 80, 12 to 50, 13 to 30, 13 to 50, 14 to 30, 14 to 50, 15 to 30, 15 to 50, 16 to 30, 16 to 50, 17 to 30, 17 to 50, 18 to 30, 18 to 50, 19 to 30, 19 to 50, or 20 to 30 linked subunits in length.

In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 12 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 13 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 14 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 15 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 16 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 17 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 18 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 19 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 20 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 21 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 22 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 23 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 24 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 25 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 26 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 27 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 28 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 29 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, an antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 30 subunits in length. In certain embodiments, the antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid is 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, or 80 linked subunits in length, or a range defined by any two of the above values. In certain embodiments the antisense compound is an antisense oligonucleotide, and the linked subunits are nucleosides.

In certain embodiments antisense oligonucleotides targeted to a PKK nucleic acid may be shortened or truncated. For example, a single subunit may be deleted from the 5′ end (5′ truncation), or alternatively from the 3′ end (3′ truncation). A shortened or truncated antisense compound targeted to a PKK nucleic acid may have two subunits deleted from the 5′ end, or alternatively may have two subunits deleted from the 3′ end, of the antisense compound. Alternatively, the deleted nucleosides may be dispersed throughout the antisense compound, for example, in an antisense compound having one nucleoside deleted from the 5′ end and one nucleoside deleted from the 3′ end.

When a single additional subunit is present in a lengthened antisense compound, the additional subunit may be located at the 5′ or 3′ end of the antisense compound. When two or more additional subunits are present, the added subunits may be adjacent to each other, for example, in an antisense compound having two subunits added to the 5′ end (5′ addition), or alternatively to the 3′ end (3′ addition), of the antisense compound. Alternatively, the added subunits may be dispersed throughout the antisense compound, for example, in an antisense compound having one subunit added to the 5′ end and one subunit added to the 3′ end.

It is possible to increase or decrease the length of an antisense compound, such as an antisense oligonucleotide, and/or introduce mismatch bases without eliminating activity. For example, in Woolf et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:7305-7309, 1992), a series of antisense oligonucleotides 13-25 nucleobases in length were tested for their ability to induce cleavage of a target RNA in an oocyte injection model. Antisense oligonucleotides 25 nucleobases in length with 8 or 11 mismatch bases near the ends of the antisense oligonucleotides were able to direct specific cleavage of the target mRNA, albeit to a lesser extent than the antisense oligonucleotides that contained no mismatches. Similarly, target specific cleavage was achieved using 13 nucleobase antisense oligonucleotides, including those with 1 or 3 mismatches.

Gautschi et al (J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 93:463-471, March 2001) demonstrated the ability of an oligonucleotide having 100% complementarity to the bcl-2 mRNA and having 3 mismatches to the bcl-xL mRNA to reduce the expression of both bcl-2 and bcl-xL in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, this oligonucleotide demonstrated potent anti-tumor activity in vivo.

Maher and Dolnick (Nuc. Acid. Res. 16:3341-3358, 1988) tested a series of tandem 14 nucleobase antisense oligonucleotides, and a 28 and 42 nucleobase antisense oligonucleotides comprised of the sequence of two or three of the tandem antisense oligonucleotides, respectively, for their ability to arrest translation of human DHFR in a rabbit reticulocyte assay. Each of the three 14 nucleobase antisense oligonucleotides alone was able to inhibit translation, albeit at a more modest level than the 28 or 42 nucleobase antisense oligonucleotides.

Antisense Compound Motifs

In certain embodiments, antisense compounds targeted to a PKK nucleic acid have chemically modified subunits arranged in patterns, or motifs, to confer to the antisense compounds properties such as enhanced inhibitory activity, increased binding affinity for a target nucleic acid, or resistance to degradation by in vivo nucleases.

Chimeric antisense compounds typically contain at least one region modified so as to confer increased resistance to nuclease degradation, increased cellular uptake, increased binding affinity for the target nucleic acid, and/or increased inhibitory activity. A second region of a chimeric antisense compound may optionally serve as a substrate for the cellular endonuclease RNase H, which cleaves the RNA strand of an RNA:DNA duplex.

Antisense compounds having a gapmer motif are considered chimeric antisense compounds. In a gapmer an internal region having a plurality of nucleotides that supports RNaseH cleavage is positioned between external regions having a plurality of nucleotides that are chemically distinct from the nucleosides of the internal region. In the case of an antisense oligonucleotide having a gapmer motif, the gap segment generally serves as the substrate for endonuclease cleavage, while the wing segments comprise modified nucleosides. In certain embodiments, the regions of a gapmer are differentiated by the types of sugar moieties comprising each distinct region. The types of sugar moieties that are used to differentiate the regions of a gapmer may in some embodiments include β-D-ribonucleosides, β-D-deoxyribonucleosides, 2′-modified nucleosides (such 2′-modified nucleosides may include 2′-MOE, and 2′-O—CH₃, among others), and bicyclic sugar modified nucleosides (such bicyclic sugar modified nucleosides may include those having a 4′-(CH₂)n-O-2′ bridge, where n=1 or n=2 and 4′-CH₂—O—CH₂-2′). In certain embodiments, wings may include several modified sugar moieties, including, for example 2′-MOE. In certain embodiments, wings may include several modified and unmodified sugar moieties. In certain embodiments, wings may include various combinations of 2′-MOE nucleosides and 2′-deoxynucleosides.

Each distinct region may comprise uniform sugar moieties, variant, or alternating sugar moieties. The wing-gap-wing motif is frequently described as “X—Y—Z”, where “X” represents the length of the 5′ wing, “Y” represents the length of the gap, and “Z” represents the length of the 3′ wing. “X” and “Z” may comprise uniform, variant, or alternating sugar moieties. In certain embodiments, “X” and “Y” may include one or more 2′-deoxynucleosides. “Y” may comprise 2′-deoxynucleosides. As used herein, a gapmer described as “X—Y—Z” has a configuration such that the gap is positioned immediately adjacent to each of the 5′ wing and the 3′ wing. Thus, no intervening nucleotides exist between the 5′ wing and gap, or the gap and the 3′ wing. Any of the antisense compounds described herein can have a gapmer motif. In certain embodiments, “X” and “Z” are the same; in other embodiments they are different.

In certain embodiments, gapmers provided herein include, for example 20-mers having a motif of 5-10-5.

Target Nucleic Acids, Target Regions and Nucleotide Sequences

Nucleotide sequences that encode human plasma prekallikrein (PKK) include, without limitation, the following: GENBANK Accession No. NM_000892.3 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 1), GENBANK Accession No. DC412984.1 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 2), GENBANK Accession No. CN265612.1 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 3), GENBANK Accession No. AK297672.1 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 4), GENBANK Accession No. DC413312.1 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 5), GENBANK Accession No. AV688858.2 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 6), GENBANK Accession No. CD652077.1 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 7), GENBANK Accession No. BC143911.1 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 8), GENBANK Accession No. CB162532.1 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 9), GENBANK Accession No. NT_016354.19 truncated from nucleobases 111693001 to 111730000 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 10), GENBANK Accession No. NM_008455.2 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 11), GENBANK Accession No. BB598673.1 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 12), GENBANK Accession No. NT_039460.7 truncated from nucleobases 6114001 to U.S. Pat. No. 6,144,000 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 13), GENBANK Accession No. NM_012725.2 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 14), GENBANK Accession No. NW_047473.1 truncated from nucleobases 10952001 to 10982000 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 15), GENBANK Accession No. XM_002804276.1 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 17), and GENBANK Accession No. NW_001118167.1 truncated from nucleobases 2358000 to U.S. Pat. No. 2,391,000 (incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 18).

It is understood that the sequence set forth in each SEQ ID NO in the Examples contained herein is independent of any modification to a sugar moiety, an internucleoside linkage, or a nucleobase. As such, antisense compounds defined by a SEQ ID NO may comprise, independently, one or more modifications to a sugar moiety, an internucleoside linkage, or a nucleobase. Antisense compounds described by Isis Number (Isis No) indicate a combination of nucleobase sequence and motif.

In certain embodiments, a target region is a structurally defined region of the target nucleic acid. For example, a target region may encompass a 3′ UTR, a 5′ UTR, an exon, an intron, an exon/intron junction, a coding region, a translation initiation region, translation termination region, or other defined nucleic acid region. The structurally defined regions for PKK can be obtained by accession number from sequence databases such as NCBI and such information is incorporated herein by reference. In certain embodiments, a target region may encompass the sequence from a 5′ target site of one target segment within the target region to a 3′ target site of another target segment within the same target region.

Targeting includes determination of at least one target segment to which an antisense compound hybridizes, such that a desired effect occurs. In certain embodiments, the desired effect is a reduction in mRNA target nucleic acid levels. In certain embodiments, the desired effect is reduction of levels of protein encoded by the target nucleic acid or a phenotypic change associated with the target nucleic acid.

A target region may contain one or more target segments. Multiple target segments within a target region may be overlapping. Alternatively, they may be non-overlapping. In certain embodiments, target segments within a target region are separated by no more than about 300 nucleotides. In certain embodiments, target segments within a target region are separated by a number of nucleotides that is, is about, is no more than, is no more than about, 250, 200, 150, 100, 90, 80, 70, 60, 50, 40, 30, 20, or 10 nucleotides on the target nucleic acid, or is a range defined by any two of the preceeding values. In certain embodiments, target segments within a target region are separated by no more than, or no more than about, 5 nucleotides on the target nucleic acid. In certain embodiments, target segments are contiguous. Contemplated are target regions defined by a range having a starting nucleic acid that is any of the 5′ target sites or 3′ target sites listed herein.

Suitable target segments may be found within a 5′ UTR, a coding region, a 3′ UTR, an intron, an exon, or an exon/intron junction. Target segments containing a start codon or a stop codon are also suitable target segments. A suitable target segment may specifically exclude a certain structurally defined region such as the start codon or stop codon.

The determination of suitable target segments may include a comparison of the sequence of a target nucleic acid to other sequences throughout the genome. For example, the BLAST algorithm may be used to identify regions of similarity amongst different nucleic acids. This comparison can prevent the selection of antisense compound sequences that may hybridize in a non-specific manner to sequences other than a selected target nucleic acid (i.e., non-target or off-target sequences).

There may be variation in activity (e.g., as defined by percent reduction of target nucleic acid levels) of the antisense compounds within an active target region. In certain embodiments, reductions in PKK mRNA levels are indicative of inhibition of PKK expression. Reductions in levels of a PKK protein are also indicative of inhibition of target mRNA expression. Further, phenotypic changes are indicative of inhibition of PKK expression. For example, reduced or prevented inflammation can be indicative of inhibition of PKK expression. In another example, reduced or prevented edema/swelling can be indicative of inhibition of PKK expression. In another example, reduced or prevented vascular permeability can be indicative of inhibition of PKK expression. In another example, reduced or prevented vascular leakage can be indicative of inhibition of PKK expression. In certain embodiments, vascular permeability is measured by quantification of a dye, such as Evans Blue.

Hybridization

In some embodiments, hybridization occurs between an antisense compound disclosed herein and a target nucleic acid. The most common mechanism of hybridization involves hydrogen bonding (e.g., Watson-Crick, Hoogsteen or reversed Hoogsteen hydrogen bonding) between complementary nucleobases of the nucleic acid molecules.

Hybridization can occur under varying conditions. Stringent conditions are sequence-dependent and are determined by the nature and composition of the nucleic acid molecules to be hybridized.

Methods of determining whether a sequence is specifically hybridizable to a target nucleic acid are well known in the art. In certain embodiments, the antisense compounds provided herein are specifically hybridizable with a target nucleic acid.

Complementarity

An antisense compound and a target nucleic acid are complementary to each other when a sufficient number of nucleobases of the antisense compound can hydrogen bond with the corresponding nucleobases of the target nucleic acid, such that a desired effect will occur (e.g., antisense inhibition of a target nucleic acid, such as a PKK nucleic acid).

Non-complementary nucleobases between an antisense compound and a PKK nucleic acid may be tolerated provided that the antisense compound remains able to specifically hybridize to a target nucleic acid. Moreover, an antisense compound may hybridize over one or more segments of a PKK nucleic acid such that intervening or adjacent segments are not involved in the hybridization event (e.g., a loop structure, mismatch or hairpin structure).

In certain embodiments, the antisense compounds provided herein, or a specified portion thereof, are, or are at least, 70%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or 100% complementary to an PKK nucleic acid, a target region, target segment, or specified portion thereof. Percent complementarity of an antisense compound with a target nucleic acid can be determined using routine methods.

For example, an antisense compound in which 18 of 20 nucleobases of the antisense compound are complementary to a target region, and would therefore specifically hybridize, would represent 90 percent complementarity. In this example, the remaining noncomplementary nucleobases may be clustered or interspersed with complementary nucleobases and need not be contiguous to each other or to complementary nucleobases. As such, an antisense compound which is 18 nucleobases in length having four noncomplementary nucleobases which are flanked by two regions of complete complementarity with the target nucleic acid would have 77.8% overall complementarity with the target nucleic acid and would thus fall within the scope of the present invention. Percent complementarity of an antisense compound with a region of a target nucleic acid can be determined routinely using BLAST programs (basic local alignment search tools) and PowerBLAST programs known in the art (Altschul et al., J. Mol. Biol., 1990, 215, 403 410; Zhang and Madden, Genome Res., 1997, 7, 649 656). Percent homology, sequence identity or complementarity, can be determined by, for example, the Gap program (Wisconsin Sequence Analysis Package, Version 8 for Unix, Genetics Computer Group, University Research Park, Madison Wis.), using default settings, which uses the algorithm of Smith and Waterman (Adv. Appl. Math., 1981, 2, 482 489).

In certain embodiments, the antisense compounds provided herein, or specified portions thereof, are fully complementary (i.e. 100% complementary) to a target nucleic acid, or specified portion thereof. For example, an antisense compound may be fully complementary to a plasma prekallikrein nucleic acid, or a target region, or a target segment or target sequence thereof. As used herein, “fully complementary” means each nucleobase of an antisense compound is capable of precise base pairing with the corresponding nucleobases of a target nucleic acid. For example, a 20 nucleobase antisense compound is fully complementary to a target sequence that is 400 nucleobases long, so long as there is a corresponding 20 nucleobase portion of the target nucleic acid that is fully complementary to the antisense compound. Fully complementary can also be used in reference to a specified portion of the first and/or the second nucleic acid. For example, a 20 nucleobase portion of a 30 nucleobase antisense compound can be “fully complementary” to a target sequence that is 400 nucleobases long. The 20 nucleobase portion of the 30 nucleobase oligonucleotide is fully complementary to the target sequence if the target sequence has a corresponding 20 nucleobase portion wherein each nucleobase is complementary to the 20 nucleobase portion of the antisense compound. At the same time, the entire 30 nucleobase antisense compound may or may not be fully complementary to the target sequence, depending on whether the remaining 10 nucleobases of the antisense compound are also complementary to the target sequence.

The location of a non-complementary nucleobase may be at the 5′ end or 3′ end of the antisense compound. Alternatively, the non-complementary nucleobase or nucleobases may be at an internal position of the antisense compound. When two or more non-complementary nucleobases are present, they may be contiguous (i.e. linked) or non-contiguous. In one embodiment, a non-complementary nucleobase is located in the wing segment of a gapmer antisense oligonucleotide.

In certain embodiments, antisense compounds that are, or are up to 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20 nucleobases in length comprise no more than 4, no more than 3, no more than 2, or no more than 1 non-complementary nucleobase(s) relative to a target nucleic acid or specified portion thereof. In certain embodiments, antisense compounds that are, or are up to 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, or 30 nucleobases in length comprise no more than 6, no more than 5, no more than 4, no more than 3, no more than 2, or no more than 1 non-complementary nucleobase(s) relative to a target nucleic acid or specified portion thereof.

The antisense compounds provided also include those which are complementary to a portion of a target nucleic acid. As used herein, “portion” refers to a defined number of contiguous (i.e. linked) nucleobases within a region or segment of a target nucleic acid. A “portion” can also refer to a defined number of contiguous nucleobases of an antisense compound. In certain embodiments, the antisense compounds, are complementary to at least an 8 nucleobase portion of a target segment. In certain embodiments, the antisense compounds are complementary to at least a 9 nucleobase portion of a target segment. In certain embodiments, the antisense compounds are complementary to at least a 10 nucleobase portion of a target segment. In certain embodiments, the antisense compounds are complementary to at least an 11 nucleobase portion of a target segment. In certain embodiments, the antisense compounds are complementary to at least a 12 nucleobase portion of a target segment. In certain embodiments, the antisense compounds are complementary to at least a 13 nucleobase portion of a target segment. In certain embodiments, the antisense compounds are complementary to at least a 14 nucleobase portion of a target segment. In certain embodiments, the antisense compounds are complementary to at least a 15 nucleobase portion of a target segment. Also contemplated are antisense compounds that are complementary to at least a 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, or more nucleobase portion of a target segment, or a range defined by any two of these values.

Identity

The antisense compounds provided herein may also have a defined percent identity to a particular nucleotide sequence, SEQ ID NO, or compound represented by a specific Isis number, or portion thereof. As used herein, an antisense compound is identical to the sequence disclosed herein if it has the same nucleobase pairing ability. For example, a RNA which contains uracil in place of thymidine in a disclosed DNA sequence would be considered identical to the DNA sequence since both uracil and thymidine pair with adenine. Shortened and lengthened versions of the antisense compounds described herein as well as compounds having non-identical bases relative to the antisense compounds provided herein also are contemplated. The non-identical bases may be adjacent to each other or dispersed throughout the antisense compound. Percent identity of an antisense compound is calculated according to the number of bases that have identical base pairing relative to the sequence to which it is being compared.

In certain embodiments, the antisense compounds, or portions thereof, are at least 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or 100% identical to one or more of the antisense compounds or SEQ ID NOs, or a portion thereof, disclosed herein.

In certain embodiments, a portion of the antisense compound is compared to an equal length portion of the target nucleic acid. In certain embodiments, an 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, or 25 nucleobase portion is compared to an equal length portion of the target nucleic acid.

In certain embodiments, a portion of the antisense oligonucleotide is compared to an equal length portion of the target nucleic acid. In certain embodiments, an 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, or 25 nucleobase portion is compared to an equal length portion of the target nucleic acid.

Modifications

A nucleoside is a base-sugar combination. The nucleobase (also known as base) portion of the nucleoside is normally a heterocyclic base moiety. Nucleotides are nucleosides that further include a phosphate group covalently linked to the sugar portion of the nucleoside. For those nucleosides that include a pentofuranosyl sugar, the phosphate group can be linked to the 2′, 3′ or 5′ hydroxyl moiety of the sugar. Oligonucleotides are formed through the covalent linkage of adjacent nucleosides to one another, to form a linear polymeric oligonucleotide. Within the oligonucleotide structure, the phosphate groups are commonly referred to as forming the internucleoside linkages of the oligonucleotide.

Modifications to antisense compounds encompass substitutions or changes to internucleoside linkages, sugar moieties, or nucleobases. Modified antisense compounds are often preferred over native forms because of desirable properties such as, for example, enhanced cellular uptake, enhanced affinity for nucleic acid target, increased stability in the presence of nucleases, or increased inhibitory activity.

Chemically modified nucleosides may also be employed to increase the binding affinity of a shortened or truncated antisense oligonucleotide for its target nucleic acid. Consequently, comparable results can often be obtained with shorter antisense compounds that have such chemically modified nucleosides.

Modified Internucleoside Linkages

The naturally occurring internucleoside linkage of RNA and DNA is a 3′ to 5′ phosphodiester linkage. Antisense compounds having one or more modified, i.e. non-naturally occurring, internucleoside linkages are often selected over antisense compounds having naturally occurring internucleoside linkages because of desirable properties such as, for example, enhanced cellular uptake, enhanced affinity for target nucleic acids, and increased stability in the presence of nucleases.

Oligonucleotides having modified internucleoside linkages include internucleoside linkages that retain a phosphorus atom as well as internucleoside linkages that do not have a phosphorus atom. Representative phosphorus containing internucleoside linkages include, but are not limited to, phosphodiesters, phosphotriesters, methylphosphonates, phosphoramidate, and phosphorothioates. Methods of preparation of phosphorous-containing and non-phosphorous-containing linkages are well known.

In certain embodiments, antisense compounds targeted to a plasma prekallikrein nucleic acid comprise one or more modified internucleoside linkages. In certain embodiments, the modified internucleoside linkages are phosphorothioate linkages. In certain embodiments, each internucleoside linkage of an antisense compound is a phosphorothioate internucleoside linkage.

In certain embodiments, oligonucleotides comprise modified internucleoside linkages arranged along the oligonucleotide or region thereof in a defined pattern or modified internucleoside linkage motif. In certain embodiments, internucleoside linkages are arranged in a gapped motif. In such embodiments, the internucleoside linkages in each of two wing regions are different from the internucleoside linkages in the gap region. In certain embodiments the internucleoside linkages in the wings are phosphodiester and the internucleoside linkages in the gap are phosphorothioate. The nucleoside motif is independently selected, so such oligonucleotides having a gapped internucleoside linkage motif may or may not have a gapped nucleoside motif and if it does have a gapped nucleoside motif, the wing and gap lengths may or may not be the same.

In certain embodiments, oligonucleotides comprise a region having an alternating internucleoside linkage motif. In certain embodiments, oligonucleotides of the present invention comprise a region of uniformly modified internucleoside linkages. In certain such embodiments, the oligonucleotide comprises a region that is uniformly linked by phosphorothioate internucleoside linkages. In certain embodiments, the oligonucleotide is uniformly linked by phosphorothioate. In certain embodiments, each internucleoside linkage of the oligonucleotide is selected from phosphodiester and phosphorothioate. In certain embodiments, each internucleoside linkage of the oligonucleotide is selected from phosphodiester and phosphorothioate and at least one internucleoside linkage is phosphorothioate.

In certain embodiments, the oligonucleotide comprises at least 6 phosphorothioate internucleoside linkages. In certain embodiments, the oligonucleotide comprises at least 8 phosphorothioate internucleoside linkages. In certain embodiments, the oligonucleotide comprises at least 10 phosphorothioate internucleoside linkages. In certain embodiments, the oligonucleotide comprises at least one block of at least 6 consecutive phosphorothioate internucleoside linkages. In certain embodiments, the oligonucleotide comprises at least one block of at least 8 consecutive phosphorothioate internucleoside linkages. In certain embodiments, the oligonucleotide comprises at least one block of at least 10 consecutive phosphorothioate internucleoside linkages. In certain embodiments, the oligonucleotide comprises at least block of at least one 12 consecutive phosphorothioate internucleoside linkages. In certain such embodiments, at least one such block is located at the 3′ end of the oligonucleotide. In certain such embodiments, at least one such block is located within 3 nucleosides of the 3′ end of the oligonucleotide.

In certain embodiments, oligonucleotides comprise one or more methylphosponate linkages. In certain embodiments, oligonucleotides having a gapmer nucleoside motif comprise a linkage motif comprising all phosphorothioate linkages except for one or two methylphosponate linkages. In certain embodiments, one methylphosponate linkage is in the central gap of an oligonucleotide having a gapmer nucleoside motif.

In certain embodiments, it is desirable to arrange the number of phosphorothioate internucleoside linkages and phosphodiester internucleoside linkages to maintain nuclease resistance. In certain embodiments, it is desirable to arrange the number and position of phosphorothioate internucleoside linkages and the number and position of phosphodiester internucleoside linkages to maintain nuclease resistance. In certain embodiments, the number of phosphorothioate internucleoside linkages may be decreased and the number of phosphodiester internucleoside linkages may be increased. In certain embodiments, the number of phosphorothioate internucleoside linkages may be decreased and the number of phosphodiester internucleoside linkages may be increased while still maintaining nuclease resistance. In certain embodiments it is desirable to decrease the number of phosphorothioate internucleoside linkages while retaining nuclease resistance. In certain embodiments it is desirable to increase the number of phosphodiester internucleoside linkages while retaining nuclease resistance.

Modified Sugar Moieties

Antisense compounds can optionally contain one or more nucleosides wherein the sugar group has been modified. Such sugar modified nucleosides may impart enhanced nuclease stability, increased binding affinity, or some other beneficial biological property to the antisense compounds. In certain embodiments, nucleosides comprise chemically modified ribofuranose ring moieties. Examples of chemically modified ribofuranose rings include without limitation, addition of substitutent groups (including 5′ and 2′ substituent groups, bridging of non-geminal ring atoms to form bicyclic nucleic acids (BNA), replacement of the ribosyl ring oxygen atom with S, N(R), or C(R₁)(R₂) (R, R₁and R₂are each independently H, C₁-C₁₂alkyl or a protecting group) and combinations thereof. Examples of chemically modified sugars include 2′-F-5′-methyl substituted nucleoside (see PCT International Application WO 2008/101157 Published on Aug. 21, 2008 for other disclosed 5′,2′-bis substituted nucleosides) or replacement of the ribosyl ring oxygen atom with S with further substitution at the 2′-position (see published U.S. Patent Application US2005-0130923, published on Jun. 16, 2005) or alternatively 5′-substitution of a BNA (see PCT International Application WO 2007/134181 Published on Nov. 22, 2007 wherein LNA is substituted with for example a 5′-methyl or a 5′-vinyl group).

Examples of nucleosides having modified sugar moieties include without limitation nucleosides comprising 5′-vinyl, 5′-methyl (R or S), 4-S, 2′-F, 2′-OCH₃, 2′-OCH₂CH₃, 2′—OCH₂CH₂F and 2′-O(CH₂)₂OCH₃substituent groups. The substituent at the 2′ position can also be selected from allyl, amino, azido, thio, O-allyl, O—C₁-C₁₀alkyl, OCF₃, OCH₂F, O(CH₂)₂SCH₃, O(CH₂)₂-O—N(R_m)(R_n), 0-CH₂—C(═O)—N(R_m)(R_n), and O—CH₂—C(═O)—N(R₁)—(CH₂)₂-N(R_m)(R_n), where each R₁, R_mand R_nis, independently, H or substituted or unsubstituted C₁-C₁₀alkyl.

As used herein, “bicyclic nucleosides” refer to modified nucleosides comprising a bicyclic sugar moiety. Examples of bicyclic nucleosides include without limitation nucleosides comprising a bridge between the 4′ and the 2′ ribosyl ring atoms. In certain embodiments, antisense compounds provided herein include one or more bicyclic nucleosides comprising a 4′ to 2′ bridge. Examples of such 4′ to 2′ bridged bicyclic nucleosides, include but are not limited to one of the formulae: 4′-(CH₂)—O-2′ (LNA); 4′-(CH₂)—S-2′; 4′—(CH₂)₂-O-2′ (ENA); 4′-CH(CH₃)—O-2′ (also referred to as constrained ethyl or cEt) and 4′-CH(CH₂OCH₃)-0-2′ (and analogs thereof see U.S. Pat. No. 7,399,845, issued on Jul. 15, 2008); 4′-C(CH₃)(CH₃)—O-2′ (and analogs thereof see published International Application WO/2009/006478, published Jan. 8, 2009); 4′-CH₂—N(OCH₃)-2′ (and analogs thereof see published International Application WO/2008/150729, published Dec. 11, 2008); 4′-CH₂—O—N(CH₃)-2′ (see published U.S. Patent Application US2004-0171570, published Sep. 2, 2004); 4′-CH₂—N(R)—O-2′, wherein R is H, C₁-C₁₂alkyl, or a protecting group (see U.S. Pat. No. 7,427,672, issued on Sep. 23, 2008); 4′-CH₂—C(H)(CH₃)-2′ (see Zhou et al., J. Org. Chem., 2009, 74, 118-134); and 4′-CH₂—C(═CH₂)-2′ (and analogs thereof see published International Application WO 2008/154401, published on Dec. 8, 2008).

Further reports related to bicyclic nucleosides can also be found in published literature (see for example: Singh et al., Chem. Commun., 1998, 4, 455-456; Koshkin et al., Tetrahedron, 1998, 54, 3607-3630; Wahlestedt et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A, 2000, 97, 5633-5638; Kumar et al., Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett., 1998, 8, 2219-2222; Singh et al., J. Org. Chem., 1998, 63, 10035-10039; Srivastava et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2007, 129(26) 8362-8379; Elayadi et al., Curr. Opinion Invest. Drugs, 2001, 2, 558-561; Braasch et al., Chem. Biol., 2001, 8, 1-7; and Orum et al., Curr. Opinion Mol. Ther., 2001, 3, 239-243; U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,268,490; 6,525,191; 6,670,461; 6,770,748; 6,794,499; 7,034,133; 7,053,207; 7,399,845; 7,547,684; and 7,696,345; U.S. Patent Publication No. US2008-0039618; US2009-0012281; U.S. Patent Serial Nos. 61/026,995 and 61/097,787; Published PCT International applications WO 1999/014226; WO 2004/106356; WO 2005/021570; WO 2007/134181; WO 2008/150729; WO 2008/154401; WO 2009/006478; WO 2010/036698; WO 2011/017521; WO 2009/067647; WO 2009/100320. Each of the foregoing bicyclic nucleosides can be prepared having one or more stereochemical sugar configurations including for example α-L-ribofuranose and β-D-ribofuranose (see PCT international application PCT/DK98/00393, published on Mar. 25, 1999 as WO 99/14226).

In certain embodiments, bicyclic sugar moieties of BNA nucleosides include, but are not limited to, compounds having at least one bridge between the 4′ and the 2′ position of the pentofuranosyl sugar moiety wherein such bridges independently comprises 1 or from 2 to 4 linked groups independently selected from —[C(R_a)(R_b)]_n—, —C(R_a)═C(R_b)—, —C(R_a)=N—, —C(═O)—, —C(═NR_a)—, —C(═S)—, —O—, —Si(R_a)₂—, —S(═O)_r—, and —N(R_a)—; wherein:

- x is 0, 1, or 2;
- n is 1, 2, 3, or 4;
- each R_aand R_bis, independently, H, a protecting group, hydroxyl, C₁-C₁₂alkyl, substituted C₁-C₁₂alkyl, C₂-C₁₂alkenyl, substituted C₂-C₁₂alkenyl, C₂-C₁₂alkynyl, substituted C₂-C₁₂alkynyl, C₅-C₂₀aryl, substituted C₅-C₂₀aryl, heterocycle radical, substituted heterocycle radical, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, C₅-C₇alicyclic radical, substituted C₅-C₇alicyclic radical, halogen, OJ₁, NJ₁J₂, SJ₁, N₃, COOJ₁, acyl (C(═O)—H), substituted acyl, CN, sulfonyl (S(═O)₂-J₁), or sulfoxyl (S(═O)-J₁); and
- each J₁and J₂is, independently, H, C₁-C₁₂alkyl, substituted C₁-C₁₂alkyl, C₂-C₁₂alkenyl, substituted C₂-C₁₂alkenyl, C₂-C₁₂alkynyl, substituted C₂-C₁₂alkynyl, C₅-C₂₀aryl, substituted C₅-C₂₀aryl, acyl (C(═O)—H), substituted acyl, a heterocycle radical, a substituted heterocycle radical, C₁-C₁₂aminoalkyl, substituted C₁-C₁₂aminoalkyl or a protecting group.

In certain embodiments, the bridge of a bicyclic sugar moiety is —[C(R_a)(R_b)]_n—, —[C(R_a)(R_b)]_n—O—, —C(R_aR_b)—N(R)—O— or —C(R_aR_b)—O—N(R)—. In certain embodiments, the bridge is 4′-CH₂-2′, 4′—(CH₂)₂-2′, 4′—(CH₂)₃-2′, 4′—CH₂—O-2′, 4′—(CH₂)₂-O-2′, 4′—CH₂—O—N(R)-2′ and 4′-CH₂—N(R)—O-2′- wherein each R is, independently, H, a protecting group or C₁-C₁₂alkyl.

In certain embodiments, bicyclic nucleosides are further defined by isomeric configuration. For example, a nucleoside comprising a 4′-2′ methylene-oxy bridge, may be in the α-L configuration or in the 3-D configuration. Previously, α-L-methyleneoxy (4′-CH₂—O-2′) BNA's have been incorporated into antisense oligonucleotides that showed antisense activity (Frieden et al., Nucleic Acids Research, 2003, 21, 6365-6372).

In certain embodiments, bicyclic nucleosides include, but are not limited to, (A) α-L-methyleneoxy (4′-CH₂—O-2′) BNA, (B) β-D-methyleneoxy (4′-CH₂—O-2′) BNA, (C) ethyleneoxy (4′-(CH₂)₂-O-2′) BNA, (D) aminooxy (4′-CH₂—O—N(R)-2′) BNA, (E) oxyamino (4′-CH₂—N(R)—O-2′) BNA, and (F) methyl(methyleneoxy) (4′-CH(CH₃)—O-2′) BNA, (G) methylene-thio (4′-CH₂—S-2′) BNA, (H) methylene-amino (4′-CH₂—N(R)-2′) BNA, (I) methyl carbocyclic (4′-CH₂—CH(CH₃)-2′) BNA, (J) propylene carbocyclic (4′-(CH₂)₃-2′) BNA and (K) vinyl BNA as depicted below:

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- wherein Bx is the base moiety and R is independently H, a protecting group, C₁-C₁₂alkyl or C₁-C₁₂alkoxy.

In certain embodiments, bicyclic nucleosides are provided having Formula I:

embedded image

wherein:

- Bx is a heterocyclic base moiety;
- -Q_a-Q_b-Q_c- is —CH₂—N(R_c)—CH₂—, —C(═O)—N(R_c)—CH₂—, —CH₂—O—N(R_c)—, —CH₂—N(R_c)—O— or —N(R_c)—O—CH₂;
- R_cis C₁-C₁₂alkyl or an amino protecting group; and
- T_aand T_bare each, independently H, a hydroxyl protecting group, a conjugate group, a reactive phosphorus group, a phosphorus moiety or a covalent attachment to a support medium.

In certain embodiments, bicyclic nucleosides are provided having Formula II:

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wherein:

- Bx is a heterocyclic base moiety;
- T_aand T_bare each, independently H, a hydroxyl protecting group, a conjugate group, a reactive phosphorus group, a phosphorus moiety or a covalent attachment to a support medium;
- Z_ais C₁-C₆alkyl, C₂-C₆alkenyl, C₂-C₆alkynyl, substituted C₁-C₆alkyl, substituted C₂-C₆alkenyl, substituted C₂-C₆alkynyl, acyl, substituted acyl, substituted amide, thiol or substituted thio.

In one embodiment, each of the substituted groups is, independently, mono or poly substituted with substituent groups independently selected from halogen, oxo, hydroxyl, OJ_c, NJ_cJ_d, SJ_c, N₃, OC(=X)J_c, and NJ_eC(=X)NJ_cJ_d, wherein each J, J_dand J_eis, independently, H, C₁-C₆alkyl, or substituted C₁-C₆alkyl and X is O or NJ_c.

In certain embodiments, bicyclic nucleosides are provided having Formula III:

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wherein:

- Bx is a heterocyclic base moiety;
- T_aand T_bare each, independently H, a hydroxyl protecting group, a conjugate group, a reactive phosphorus group, a phosphorus moiety or a covalent attachment to a support medium;
- Z_bis C₁-C₆alkyl, C₂-C₆alkenyl, C₂-C₆alkynyl, substituted C₁-C₆alkyl, substituted C₂-C₆alkenyl, substituted C₂-C₆alkynyl or substituted acyl (C(═O)—).

In certain embodiments, bicyclic nucleosides are provided having Formula IV:

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wherein:

- Bx is a heterocyclic base moiety;
- T_aand T_bare each, independently H, a hydroxyl protecting group, a conjugate group, a reactive phosphorus group, a phosphorus moiety or a covalent attachment to a support medium;
- R_dis C₁-C₆alkyl, substituted C₁-C₆alkyl, C₂-C₆alkenyl, substituted C₂-C₆alkenyl, C₂-C₆alkynyl or substituted C₂-C₆alkynyl;
- each q_a, q_b, q_cand q_dis, independently, H, halogen, C₁-C₆alkyl, substituted C₁-C₆alkyl, C₂-C₆alkenyl, substituted C₂-C₆alkenyl, C₂-C₆alkynyl or substituted C₂-C₆alkynyl, C₁-C₆alkoxyl, substituted C₁-C₆alkoxyl, acyl, substituted acyl, C₁-C₆aminoalkyl or substituted C₁-C₆aminoalkyl;

In certain embodiments, bicyclic nucleosides are provided having Formula V:

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wherein:

- Bx is a heterocyclic base moiety;
- T_aand T_bare each, independently H, a hydroxyl protecting group, a conjugate group, a reactive phosphorus group, a phosphorus moiety or a covalent attachment to a support medium;
- q_a, q_b, q_eand q_fare each, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C₁-C₁₂alkyl, substituted C₁-C₁₂alkyl, C₂-C₁₂alkenyl, substituted C₂-C₁₂alkenyl, C₂-C₁₂alkynyl, substituted C₂-C₁₂alkynyl, C₁-C₁₂alkoxy, substituted C₁-C₁₂alkoxy, OJ_j, SJ_j, SOJ_j, SO₂J_j, NJ_jJ_k, N₃, CN, C(═O)OJ_j, C(═O)NJ_jJ_k, C(═O)J_j, O—C(═O)NJ_jJ_k, N(H)C(=NH)NJ_jJ_k, N(H)C(═O)NJ_jJ_kor N(H)C(═S)NJ_jJ_k;
- or q_eand q_ftogether are ═C(q_g)(q_h);
- q_gand q_hare each, independently, H, halogen, C₁-C₁₂alkyl or substituted C₁-C₁₂alkyl.

The synthesis and preparation of the methyleneoxy (4′-CH₂—O-2′) BNA monomers adenine, cytosine, guanine, 5-methyl-cytosine, thymine and uracil, along with their oligomerization, and nucleic acid recognition properties have been described (Koshkin et al., Tetrahedron, 1998, 54, 3607-3630). BNAs and preparation thereof are also described in WO 98/39352 and WO 99/14226.

Analogs of methyleneoxy (4′-CH₂—O-2′) BNA and 2′-thio-BNAs, have also been prepared (Kumar et al., Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett., 1998, 8, 2219-2222). Preparation of locked nucleoside analogs comprising oligodeoxyribonucleotide duplexes as substrates for nucleic acid polymerases has also been described (Wengel et al., WO 99/14226). Furthermore, synthesis of 2′-amino-BNA, a novel conformationally restricted high-affinity oligonucleotide analog has been described in the art (Singh et al., J. Org. Chem., 1998, 63, 10035-10039). In addition, 2′-amino- and 2′-methylamino-BNA's have been prepared and the thermal stability of their duplexes with complementary RNA and DNA strands has been previously reported.

In certain embodiments, bicyclic nucleosides are provided having Formula VI:

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wherein:

- Bx is a heterocyclic base moiety;
- T_aand T_bare each, independently H, a hydroxyl protecting group, a conjugate group, a reactive phosphorus group, a phosphorus moiety or a covalent attachment to a support medium;
- each q_i, q^j, q_kand q_lis, independently, H, halogen, C₁-C₁₂alkyl, substituted C₁-C₁₂alkyl, C₂-C₁₂alkenyl, substituted C₂-C₁₂alkenyl, C₂-C₁₂alkynyl, substituted C₂-C₁₂alkynyl, C₁-C₁₂alkoxyl, substituted C₁-C₁₂alkoxyl, OJ_j, SJ_j, SOJ_j, SO₂J_j, NJ_jJ_k, N₃, CN, C(═O)OJ_j, C(═O)NJ_jJ_k, C(═O)J_j, O—C(═O)NJ_jJ_k, N(H)C(=NH)NJ_jJ_k, N(H)C(═O)NJ_jJ_kor N(H)C(═S)NJ_jJ_k; and
- q_iand q, or q_iand q_ktogether are ═C(q_g)(q_h), wherein q_gand q_hare each, independently, H, halogen, C₁-C₁₂alkyl or substituted C₁-C₁₂alkyl.

One carbocyclic bicyclic nucleoside having a 4′-(CH₂)₃-2′ bridge and the alkenyl analog bridge 4′-CH═CH—CH₂-2′ have been described (Freier et al., Nucleic Acids Research, 1997, 25(22), 4429-4443 and Albaek et al., J. Org. Chem., 2006, 71, 7731-7740). The synthesis and preparation of carbocyclic bicyclic nucleosides along with their oligomerization and biochemical studies have also been described (Srivastava et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2007, 129(26), 8362-8379).

As used herein, “4′-2′ bicyclic nucleoside” or “4′ to 2′ bicyclic nucleoside” refers to a bicyclic nucleoside comprising a furanose ring comprising a bridge connecting two carbon atoms of the furanose ring connects the 2′ carbon atom and the 4′ carbon atom of the sugar ring.

As used herein, “monocylic nucleosides” refer to nucleosides comprising modified sugar moieties that are not bicyclic sugar moieties. In certain embodiments, the sugar moiety, or sugar moiety analogue, of a nucleoside may be modified or substituted at any position.

As used herein, “2′-modified sugar” means a furanosyl sugar modified at the 2′ position. In certain embodiments, such modifications include substituents selected from: a halide, including, but not limited to substituted and unsubstituted alkoxy, substituted and unsubstituted thioalkyl, substituted and unsubstituted amino alkyl, substituted and unsubstituted alkyl, substituted and unsubstituted allyl, and substituted and unsubstituted alkynyl. In certain embodiments, 2′ modifications are selected from substituents including, but not limited to: O[(CH₂)_nO]_mCH₃, O(CH₂)_nNH₂, O(CH₂)_nCH₃, O(CH₂)_nF, O(CH₂)_nONH₂, OCH₂C(═O)N(H)CH₃, and O(CH₂)_nON[(CH₂)_nCH₃]₂, where n and m are from 1 to about 10. Other 2′-substituent groups can also be selected from: C₁-C₁₂alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkaryl, aralkyl, O-alkaryl or O-aralkyl, SH, SCH₃, OCN, Cl, Br, CN, F, CF₃, OCF₃, SOCH₃, SO₂CH₃, ONO₂, NO₂, N₃, NH₂, heterocycloalkyl, heterocycloalkaryl, aminoalkylamino, polyalkylamino, substituted silyl, an RNA cleaving group, a reporter group, an intercalator, a group for improving pharmacokinetic properties, or a group for improving the pharmacodynamic properties of an antisense compound, and other substituents having similar properties. In certain embodiments, modified nucleosides comprise a 2′-MOE side chain (Baker et al., J. Biol. Chem., 1997, 272, 11944-12000). Such 2′-MOE substitution have been described as having improved binding affinity compared to unmodified nucleosides and to other modified nucleosides, such as 2′-O-methyl, O-propyl, and O-aminopropyl. Oligonucleotides having the 2′-MOE substituent also have been shown to be antisense inhibitors of gene expression with promising features for in vivo use (Martin, Helv. Chim. Acta, 1995, 78, 486-504; Altmann et al., Chimia, 1996, 50, 168-176; Altmann et al., Biochem. Soc. Trans., 1996, 24, 630-637; and Altmann et al., Nucleosides Nucleotides, 1997, 16, 917-926).

As used herein, a “modified tetrahydropyran nucleoside” or “modified THP nucleoside” means a nucleoside having a six-membered tetrahydropyran “sugar” substituted in for the pentofuranosyl residue in normal nucleosides (a sugar surrogate). Modified THP nucleosides include, but are not limited to, what is referred to in the art as hexitol nucleic acid (HNA), anitol nucleic acid (ANA), manitol nucleic acid (MNA) (see Leumann, Bioorg. Med. Chem., 2002, 10, 841-1954) or fluoro HNA (F-HNA) having a tetrahydropyran ring system as illustrated below:

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In certain embodiments, sugar surrogates are selected having Formula VII:

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wherein independently for each of said at least one tetrahydropyran nucleoside analog of Formula VII:

- Bx is a heterocyclic base moiety;
- T_aand T_bare each, independently, an internucleoside linking group linking the tetrahydropyran nucleoside analog to the antisense compound or one of T_aand T_bis an internucleoside linking group linking the tetrahydropyran nucleoside analog to the antisense compound and the other of T_aand T_bis H, a hydroxyl protecting group, a linked conjugate group or a 5′ or 3′-terminal group;
- q_i, q₂, q₃, q₄, q₅, q₆and q₇are each independently, H, C₁-C₆alkyl, substituted C₁-C₆alkyl, C₂-C₆alkenyl, substituted C₂-C₆alkenyl, C₂-C₆alkynyl or substituted C₂-C₆alkynyl; and each of R₁and R₂is selected from hydrogen, hydroxyl, halogen, substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy, NJ₁J₂, SJ₁, N₃, OC(=X)J₁, OC(=X)NJ₁J₂, NJ₃C(=X)NJ₁J₂and CN, wherein X is O, S or NJ₁and each J₁, J₂and J₃is, independently, H or C₁-C₆alkyl.

In certain embodiments, the modified THP nucleosides of Formula VII are provided wherein q₁, q₂, q₃, q₄, q₅, q₆and q₇are each H. In certain embodiments, at least one of q₁, q₂, q₃, q₄, q₅, q₆and q₇is other than H. In certain embodiments, at least one of q₁, q₂, q₃, q₄, q₅, q₆and q₇is methyl. In certain embodiments, THP nucleosides of Formula VII are provided wherein one of R₁and R₂is fluoro. In certain embodiments, R₁is fluoro and R₂is H; R₁is methoxy and R₂is H, and R₁is methoxyethoxy and R₂is H.

In certain embodiments, sugar surrogates comprise rings having more than 5 atoms and more than one heteroatom. For example nucleosides comprising morpholino sugar moieties and their use in oligomeric compounds has been reported (see for example: Braasch et al., Biochemistry, 2002, 41, 4503-4510; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,698,685; 5,166,315; 5,185,444; and 5,034,506). As used here, the term “morpholino” means a sugar surrogate having the following formula:

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In certain embodiments, morpholinos may be modified, for example by adding or altering various substituent groups from the above morpholino structure. Such sugar surrogates are referred to herein as “modified morpholinos.”

Combinations of modifications are also provided without limitation, such as 2′-F-5′-methyl substituted nucleosides (see PCT International Application WO 2008/101157 published on Aug. 21, 2008 for other disclosed 5′, 2′-bis substituted nucleosides) and replacement of the ribosyl ring oxygen atom with S and further substitution at the 2′-position (see published U.S. Patent Application US2005-0130923, published on Jun. 16, 2005) or alternatively 5′-substitution of a bicyclic nucleic acid (see PCT International Application WO 2007/134181, published on Nov. 22, 2007 wherein a 4′-CH₂—O-2′ bicyclic nucleoside is further substituted at the 5′ position with a 5′-methyl or a 5′-vinyl group). The synthesis and preparation of carbocyclic bicyclic nucleosides along with their oligomerization and biochemical studies have also been described (see, e.g., Srivastava et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129(26), 8362-8379).

In certain embodiments, antisense compounds comprise one or more modified cyclohexenyl nucleosides, which is a nucleoside having a six-membered cyclohexenyl in place of the pentofuranosyl residue in naturally occurring nucleosides. Modified cyclohexenyl nucleosides include, but are not limited to those described in the art (see for example commonly owned, published PCT Application WO 2010/036696, published on Apr. 10, 2010, Robeyns et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2008, 130(6), 1979-1984; Horvith et al., Tetrahedron Letters, 2007, 48, 3621-3623; Nauwelaerts et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2007, 129(30), 9340-9348; Gu et al., Nucleosides, Nucleotides & Nucleic Acids, 2005, 24(5-7), 993-998; Nauwelaerts et al., Nucleic Acids Research, 2005, 33(8), 2452-2463; Robeyns et al., Acta Crystallographica, Section F: Structural Biology and Crystallization Communications, 2005, F61(6), 585-586; Gu et al., Tetrahedron, 2004, 60(9), 2111-2123; Gu et al., Oligonucleotides, 2003, 13(6), 479-489; Wang et al., J. Org. Chem., 2003, 68, 4499-4505; Verbeure et al., Nucleic Acids Research, 2001, 29(24), 4941-4947; Wang et al., J. Org. Chem., 2001, 66, 8478-82; Wang et al., Nucleosides, Nucleotides & Nucleic Acids, 2001, 20(4-7), 785-788; Wang et al., J. Am. Chem., 2000, 122, 8595-8602; Published PCT application, WO 06/047842; and Published PCT Application WO 01/049687; the text of each is incorporated by reference herein, in their entirety). Certain modified cyclohexenyl nucleosides have Formula X.

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- wherein independently for each of said at least one cyclohexenyl nucleoside analog of Formula X:
- Bx is a heterocyclic base moiety;
- T₃and T₄are each, independently, an internucleoside linking group linking the cyclohexenyl nucleoside analog to an antisense compound or one of T₃and T₄is an internucleoside linking group linking the tetrahydropyran nucleoside analog to an antisense compound and the other of T₃and T₄is H, a hydroxyl protecting group, a linked conjugate group, or a 5′- or 3′-terminal group; and
- q₁, q₂, q₃, q₄, q₅, q₆, q₇, q₈and q₉are each, independently, H, C₁-C₆alkyl, substituted C₁-C₆alkyl, C₂-C₆alkenyl, substituted C₂-C₆alkenyl, C₂-C₆alkynyl, substituted C₂-C₆alkynyl or other sugar substituent group.

As used herein, “2′-modified” or “2′-substituted” refers to a nucleoside comprising a sugar comprising a substituent at the 2′ position other than H or OH. 2′-modified nucleosides, include, but are not limited to, bicyclic nucleosides wherein the bridge connecting two carbon atoms of the sugar ring connects the 2′ carbon and another carbon of the sugar ring; and nucleosides with non-bridging 2′ substituents, such as allyl, amino, azido, thio, 0-allyl, 0-C₁-C₁₀alkyl, —OCF₃, O—(CH₂)₂-O—CH₃, 2′—O(CH₂)₂SCH₃, O—(CH₂)₂-O—N(R_m)(R_n), or O—CH₂—C(═O)—N(R_m)(R_n), where each R_mand R_nis, independently, H or substituted or unsubstituted C₁-C₁₀alkyl. 2′-modified nucleosides may further comprise other modifications, for example at other positions of the sugar and/or at the nucleobase.

As used herein, “2′-F” refers to a nucleoside comprising a sugar comprising a fluoro group at the 2′ position of the sugar ring.

As used herein, “2′-OMe” or “2′-OCH₃” or “2′-O-methyl” each refers to a nucleoside comprising a sugar comprising an —OCH₃group at the 2′ position of the sugar ring. As used herein, “MOE” or “2′-MOE” or “2′-OCH₂CH₂OCH₃” or “2′-O-methoxyethyl” each refers to a nucleoside comprising a sugar comprising a —OCH₂CH₂OCH₃group at the 2′ position of the sugar ring. As used herein, “oligonucleotide” refers to a compound comprising a plurality of linked nucleosides.

In certain embodiments, one or more of the plurality of nucleosides is modified. In certain embodiments, an oligonucleotide comprises one or more ribonucleosides (RNA) and/or deoxyribonucleosides (DNA). Many other bicyclo and tricyclo sugar surrogate ring systems are also known in the art that can be used to modify nucleosides for incorporation into antisense compounds (see for example review article: Leumann, Bioorg. Med. Chem., 2002, 10, 841-1954). Such ring systems can undergo various additional substitutions to enhance activity.

Methods for the preparations of modified sugars are well known to those skilled in the art. Some representative U.S. patents that teach the preparation of such modified sugars include without limitation, U.S.: 4,981,957; 5,118,800; 5,319,080; 5,359,044; 5,393,878; 5,446,137; 5,466,786; 5,514,785; 5,519,134; 5,567,811; 5,576,427; 5,591,722; 5,597,909; 5,610,300; 5,627,053; 5,639,873; 5,646,265; 5,670,633; 5,700,920; 5,792,847 and 6,600,032 and International Application PCT/US2005/019219, filed Jun. 2, 2005 and published as WO 2005/121371 on Dec. 22, 2005, and each of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

In nucleotides having modified sugar moieties, the nucleobase moieties (natural, modified or a combination thereof) are maintained for hybridization with an appropriate nucleic acid target.

In certain embodiments, antisense compounds comprise one or more nucleosides having modified sugar moieties. In certain embodiments, the modified sugar moiety is 2′-MOE. In certain embodiments, the 2′-MOE modified nucleosides are arranged in a gapmer motif. In certain embodiments, the modified sugar moiety is a bicyclic nucleoside having a (4′-CH(CH₃)—O-2′) bridging group. In certain embodiments, the (4′-CH(CH₃)—O-2′) modified nucleosides are arranged throughout the wings of a gapmer motif.

Conjugated Antisense Compounds

In certain embodiments, the present disclosure provides conjugated antisense compounds. In certain embodiments, the present disclosure provides conjugated antisense compounds comprising an antisense oligonucleotide complementary to a nucleic acid transcript. In certain embodiments, the present disclosure provides methods comprising contacting a cell with a conjugated antisense compound comprising an antisense oligonucleotide complementary to a nucleic acid transcript. In certain embodiments, the present disclosure provides methods comprising contacting a cell with a conjugated antisense compound comprising an antisense oligonucleotide and reducing the amount or activity of a nucleic acid transcript in a cell.

The asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGP-R) has been described previously. See e.g., Park et al., PNAS vol. 102, No. 47, pp 17125-17129 (2005). Such receptors are expressed on liver cells, particularly hepatocytes. Further, it has been shown that compounds comprising clusters of three N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) ligands are capable of binding to the ASGP-R, resulting in uptake of the compound into the cell. See e.g., Khorev et al., Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, 16, 9, pp 5216-5231 (May 2008). Accordingly, conjugates comprising such GalNAc clusters have been used to facilitate uptake of certain compounds into liver cells, specifically hepatocytes. For example it has been shown that certain GalNAc-containing conjugates increase activity of duplex siRNA compounds in liver cells in vivo. In such instances, the GalNAc-containing conjugate is typically attached to the sense strand of the siRNA duplex. Since the sense strand is discarded before the antisense strand ultimately hybridizes with the target nucleic acid, there is little concern that the conjugate will interfere with activity. Typically, the conjugate is attached to the 3′ end of the sense strand of the siRNA. See e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,106,022. Certain conjugate groups described herein are more active and/or easier to synthesize than conjugate groups previously described.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, conjugates are attached to single-stranded antisense compounds, including, but not limited to RNase H based antisense compounds and antisense compounds that alter splicing of a pre-mRNA target nucleic acid. In such embodiments, the conjugate should remain attached to the antisense compound long enough to provide benefit (improved uptake into cells) but then should either be cleaved, or otherwise not interfere with the subsequent steps necessary for activity, such as hybridization to a target nucleic acid and interaction with RNase H or enzymes associated with splicing or splice modulation. This balance of properties is more important in the setting of single-stranded antisense compounds than in siRNA compounds, where the conjugate may simply be attached to the sense strand. Disclosed herein are conjugated single-stranded antisense compounds having improved potency in liver cells in vivo compared with the same antisense compound lacking the conjugate. Given the required balance of properties for these compounds such improved potency is surprising.

In certain embodiments, conjugate groups herein comprise a cleavable moiety. As noted, without wishing to be bound by mechanism, it is logical that the conjugate should remain on the compound long enough to provide enhancement in uptake, but after that, it is desirable for some portion or, ideally, all of the conjugate to be cleaved, releasing the parent compound (e.g., antisense compound) in its most active form. In certain embodiments, the cleavable moiety is a cleavable nucleoside. Such embodiments take advantage of endogenous nucleases in the cell by attaching the rest of the conjugate (the cluster) to the antisense oligonucleotide through a nucleoside via one or more cleavable bonds, such as those of a phosphodiester linkage. In certain embodiments, the cluster is bound to the cleavable nucleoside through a phosphodiester linkage. In certain embodiments, the cleavable nucleoside is attached to the antisense oligonucleotide (antisense compound) by a phosphodiester linkage. In certain embodiments, the conjugate group may comprise two or three cleavable nucleosides. In such embodiments, such cleavable nucleosides are linked to one another, to the antisense compound and/or to the cluster via cleavable bonds (such as those of a phosphodiester linkage). Certain conjugates herein do not comprise a cleavable nucleoside and instead comprise a cleavable bond. It is shown that that sufficient cleavage of the conjugate from the oligonucleotide is provided by at least one bond that is vulnerable to cleavage in the cell (a cleavable bond).

In certain embodiments, conjugated antisense compounds are prodrugs. Such prodrugs are administered to an animal and are ultimately metabolized to a more active form. For example, conjugated antisense compounds are cleaved to remove all or part of the conjugate resulting in the active (or more active) form of the antisense compound lacking all or some of the conjugate.

In certain embodiments, conjugates are attached at the 5′ end of an oligonucleotide. Certain such 5′-conjugates are cleaved more efficiently than counterparts having a similar conjugate group attached at the 3′ end. In certain embodiments, improved activity may correlate with improved cleavage. In certain embodiments, oligonucleotides comprising a conjugate at the 5′ end have greater efficacy than oligonucleotides comprising a conjugate at the 3′ end (see, for example, Examples 56, 81, 83, and 84). Further, 5′-attachment allows simpler oligonucleotide synthesis. Typically, oligonucleotides are synthesized on a solid support in the 3′ to 5′ direction. To make a 3′-conjugated oligonucleotide, typically one attaches a pre-conjugated 3′ nucleoside to the solid support and then builds the oligonucleotide as usual. However, attaching that conjugated nucleoside to the solid support adds complication to the synthesis. Further, using that approach, the conjugate is then present throughout the synthesis of the oligonucleotide and can become degraded during subsequent steps or may limit the sorts of reactions and reagents that can be used. Using the structures and techniques described herein for 5′-conjugated oligonucleotides, one can synthesize the oligonucleotide using standard automated techniques and introduce the conjugate with the final (5′-most) nucleoside or after the oligonucleotide has been cleaved from the solid support.

In view of the art and the present disclosure, one of ordinary skill can easily make any of the conjugates and conjugated oligonucleotides herein. Moreover, synthesis of certain such conjugates and conjugated oligonucleotides disclosed herein is easier and/or requires few steps, and is therefore less expensive than that of conjugates previously disclosed, providing advantages in manufacturing. For example, the synthesis of certain conjugate groups consists of fewer synthetic steps, resulting in increased yield, relative to conjugate groups previously described. Conjugate groups such as GalNAc3-10 in Example 46 and GalNAc3-7 in Example 48 are much simpler than previously described conjugates such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,106,022 or U.S. Pat. No. 7,262,177 that require assembly of more chemical intermediates. Accordingly, these and other conjugates described herein have advantages over previously described compounds for use with any oligonucleotide, including single-stranded oligonucleotides and either strand of double-stranded oligonucleotides (e.g., siRNA).

Similarly, disclosed herein are conjugate groups having only one or two GalNAc ligands. As shown, such conjugates groups improve activity of antisense compounds. Such compounds are much easier to prepare than conjugates comprising three GalNAc ligands. Conjugate groups comprising one or two GalNAc ligands may be attached to any antisense compounds, including single-stranded oligonucleotides and either strand of double-stranded oligonucleotides (e.g., siRNA).

In certain embodiments, the conjugates herein do not substantially alter certain measures of tolerability. For example, it is shown herein that conjugated antisense compounds are not more immunogenic than unconjugated parent compounds. Since potency is improved, embodiments in which tolerability remains the same (or indeed even if tolerability worsens only slightly compared to the gains in potency) have improved properties for therapy.

In certain embodiments, conjugation allows one to alter antisense compounds in ways that have less attractive consequences in the absence of conjugation. For example, in certain embodiments, replacing one or more phosphorothioate linkages of a fully phosphorothioate antisense compound with phosphodiester linkages results in improvement in some measures of tolerability. For example, in certain instances, such antisense compounds having one or more phosphodiester are less immunogenic than the same compound in which each linkage is a phosphorothioate. However, in certain instances, as shown in Example 26, that same replacement of one or more phosphorothioate linkages with phosphodiester linkages also results in reduced cellular uptake and/or loss in potency. In certain embodiments, conjugated antisense compounds described herein tolerate such change in linkages with little or no loss in uptake and potency when compared to the conjugated full-phosphorothioate counterpart. In fact, in certain embodiments, for example, in Examples 44, 57, 59, and 86, oligonucleotides comprising a conjugate and at least one phosphodiester internucleoside linkage actually exhibit increased potency in vivo even relative to a full phosphorothioate counterpart also comprising the same conjugate. Moreover, since conjugation results in substantial increases in uptake/potency a small loss in that substantial gain may be acceptable to achieve improved tolerability. Accordingly, in certain embodiments, conjugated antisense compounds comprise at least one phosphodiester linkage.

In certain embodiments, conjugation of antisense compounds herein results in increased delivery, uptake and activity in hepatocytes. Thus, more compound is delivered to liver tissue. However, in certain embodiments, that increased delivery alone does not explain the entire increase in activity. In certain such embodiments, more compound enters hepatocytes. In certain embodiments, even that increased hepatocyte uptake does not explain the entire increase in activity. In such embodiments, productive uptake of the conjugated compound is increased. For example, as shown in Example 102, certain embodiments of GalNAc-containing conjugates increase enrichment of antisense oligonucleotides in hepatocytes versus non-parenchymal cells. This enrichment is beneficial for oligonucleotides that target genes that are expressed in hepatocytes.

In certain embodiments, conjugated antisense compounds herein result in reduced kidney exposure. For example, as shown in Example 20, the concentrations of antisense oligonucleotides comprising certain embodiments of GalNAc-containing conjugates are lower in the kidney than that of antisense oligonucleotides lacking a GalNAc-containing conjugate. This has several beneficial therapeutic implications. For therapeutic indications where activity in the kidney is not sought, exposure to kidney risks kidney toxicity without corresponding benefit. Moreover, high concentration in kidney typically results in loss of compound to the urine resulting in faster clearance. Accordingly for non-kidney targets, kidney accumulation is undesired.

In certain embodiments, the present disclosure provides conjugated antisense compounds represented by the formula:

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- wherein
- A is the antisense oligonucleotide;
- B is the cleavable moiety
- C is the conjugate linker
- D is the branching group
- each E is a tether;
- each F is a ligand; and
- q is an integer between 1 and 5.

In the above diagram and in similar diagrams herein, the branching group “D” branches as many times as is necessary to accommodate the number of (E-F) groups as indicated by “q”. Thus, where q=1, the formula is:

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- where q=2, the formula is:

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- where q=3, the formula is:

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- where q=4, the formula is:

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- where q=5, the formula is:

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In certain embodiments, conjugated antisense compounds are provided having the structure:

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In certain embodiments, conjugated antisense compounds are provided having the structure:

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In certain embodiments, conjugated antisense compounds are provided having the structure:

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In certain embodiments, conjugated antisense compounds are provided having the structure:

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In embodiments having more than one of a particular variable (e.g., more than one “m” or “n”), unless otherwise indicated, each such particular variable is selected independently. Thus, for a structure having more than one n, each n is selected independently, so they may or may not be the same as one another.

i. Certain Cleavable Moieties

In certain embodiments, a cleavable moiety is a cleavable bond. In certain embodiments, a cleavable moiety comprises a cleavable bond. In certain embodiments, the conjugate group comprises a cleavable moiety. In certain such embodiments, the cleavable moiety attaches to the antisense oligonucleotide. In certain such embodiments, the cleavable moiety attaches directly to the cell-targeting moiety. In certain such embodiments, the cleavable moiety attaches to the conjugate linker. In certain embodiments, the cleavable moiety comprises a phosphate or phosphodiester. In certain embodiments, the cleavable moiety is a cleavable nucleoside or nucleoside analog. In certain embodiments, the nucleoside or nucleoside analog comprises an optionally protected heterocyclic base selected from a purine, substituted purine, pyrimidine or substituted pyrimidine. In certain embodiments, the cleavable moiety is a nucleoside comprising an optionally protected heterocyclic base selected from uracil, thymine, cytosine, 4-N-benzoylcytosine, 5-methylcytosine, 4-N-benzoyl-5-methylcytosine, adenine, 6-N-benzoyladenine, guanine and 2-N-isobutyrylguanine. In certain embodiments, the cleavable moiety is 2′-deoxy nucleoside that is attached to the 3′ position of the antisense oligonucleotide by a phosphodiester linkage and is attached to the linker by a phosphodiester or phosphorothioate linkage. In certain embodiments, the cleavable moiety is 2′-deoxy adenosine that is attached to the 3′ position of the antisense oligonucleotide by a phosphodiester linkage and is attached to the linker by a phosphodiester or phosphorothioate linkage. In certain embodiments, the cleavable moiety is 2′-deoxy adenosine that is attached to the 3′ position of the antisense oligonucleotide by a phosphodiester linkage and is attached to the linker by a phosphodiester linkage.

In certain embodiments, the cleavable moiety is attached to the 3′ position of the antisense oligonucleotide. In certain embodiments, the cleavable moiety is attached to the 5′ position of the antisense oligonucleotide. In certain embodiments, the cleavable moiety is attached to a 2′ position of the antisense oligonucleotide. In certain embodiments, the cleavable moiety is attached to the antisense oligonucleotide by a phosphodiester linkage. In certain embodiments, the cleavable moiety is attached to the linker by either a phosphodiester or a phosphorothioate linkage. In certain embodiments, the cleavable moiety is attached to the linker by a phosphodiester linkage. In certain embodiments, the conjugate group does not include a cleavable moiety.

In certain embodiments, the cleavable moiety is cleaved after the complex has been administered to an animal only after being internalized by a targeted cell. Inside the cell the cleavable moiety is cleaved thereby releasing the active antisense oligonucleotide. While not wanting to be bound by theory it is believed that the cleavable moiety is cleaved by one or more nucleases within the cell. In certain embodiments, the one or more nucleases cleave the phosphodiester linkage between the cleavable moiety and the linker. In certain embodiments, the cleavable moiety has a structure selected from among the following:

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wherein each of Bx, Bx₁, Bx₂, and Bx₃is independently a heterocyclic base moiety. In certain embodiments, the cleavable moiety has a structure selected from among the following:

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ii. Certain Linkers

In certain embodiments, the conjugate groups comprise a linker. In certain such embodiments, the linker is covalently bound to the cleavable moiety. In certain such embodiments, the linker is covalently bound to the antisense oligonucleotide. In certain embodiments, the linker is covalently bound to a cell-targeting moiety. In certain embodiments, the linker further comprises a covalent attachment to a solid support. In certain embodiments, the linker further comprises a covalent attachment to a protein binding moiety. In certain embodiments, the linker further comprises a covalent attachment to a solid support and further comprises a covalent attachment to a protein binding moiety. In certain embodiments, the linker includes multiple positions for attachment of tethered ligands. In certain embodiments, the linker includes multiple positions for attachment of tethered ligands and is not attached to a branching group. In certain embodiments, the linker further comprises one or more cleavable bond. In certain embodiments, the conjugate group does not include a linker.

In certain embodiments, the linker includes at least a linear group comprising groups selected from alkyl, amide, disulfide, polyethylene glycol, ether, thioether (—S—) and hydroxylamino (—O—N(H)—) groups. In certain embodiments, the linear group comprises groups selected from alkyl, amide and ether groups. In certain embodiments, the linear group comprises groups selected from alkyl and ether groups. In certain embodiments, the linear group comprises at least one phosphorus linking group. In certain embodiments, the linear group comprises at least one phosphodiester group. In certain embodiments, the linear group includes at least one neutral linking group. In certain embodiments, the linear group is covalently attached to the cell-targeting moiety and the cleavable moiety. In certain embodiments, the linear group is covalently attached to the cell-targeting moiety and the antisense oligonucleotide. In certain embodiments, the linear group is covalently attached to the cell-targeting moiety, the cleavable moiety and a solid support. In certain embodiments, the linear group is covalently attached to the cell-targeting moiety, the cleavable moiety, a solid support and a protein binding moiety. In certain embodiments, the linear group includes one or more cleavable bond.

In certain embodiments, the linker includes the linear group covalently attached to a scaffold group. In certain embodiments, the scaffold includes a branched aliphatic group comprising groups selected from alkyl, amide, disulfide, polyethylene glycol, ether, thioether and hydroxylamino groups. In certain embodiments, the scaffold includes a branched aliphatic group comprising groups selected from alkyl, amide and ether groups. In certain embodiments, the scaffold includes at least one mono or polycyclic ring system. In certain embodiments, the scaffold includes at least two mono or polycyclic ring systems. In certain embodiments, the linear group is covalently attached to the scaffold group and the scaffold group is covalently attached to the cleavable moiety and the linker. In certain embodiments, the linear group is covalently attached to the scaffold group and the scaffold group is covalently attached to the cleavable moiety, the linker and a solid support. In certain embodiments, the linear group is covalently attached to the scaffold group and the scaffold group is covalently attached to the cleavable moiety, the linker and a protein binding moiety. In certain embodiments, the linear group is covalently attached to the scaffold group and the scaffold group is covalently attached to the cleavable moiety, the linker, a protein binding moiety and a solid support. In certain embodiments, the scaffold group includes one or more cleavable bond.

In certain embodiments, the linker includes a protein binding moiety. In certain embodiments, the protein binding moiety is a lipid such as for example including but not limited to cholesterol, cholic acid, adamantane acetic acid, 1-pyrene butyric acid, dihydrotestosterone, 1,3-Bis-O(hexadecyl)glycerol, geranyloxyhexyl group, hexadecylglycerol, borneol, menthol, 1,3-propanediol, heptadecyl group, palmitic acid, myristic acid, O3-(oleoyl)lithocholic acid, O3-(oleoyl)cholenic acid, dimethoxytrityl, or phenoxazine), a vitamin (e.g., folate, vitamin A, vitamin E, biotin, pyridoxal), a peptide, a carbohydrate (e.g., monosaccharide, disaccharide, trisaccharide, tetrasaccharide, oligosaccharide, polysaccharide), an endosomolytic component, a steroid (e.g., uvaol, hecigenin, diosgenin), a terpene (e.g., triterpene, e.g., sarsasapogenin, friedelin, epifriedelanol derivatized lithocholic acid), or a cationic lipid. In certain embodiments, the protein binding moiety is a C16 to C22 long chain saturated or unsaturated fatty acid, cholesterol, cholic acid, vitamin E, adamantane or 1-pentafluoropropyl.

In certain embodiments, a linker has a structure selected from among:

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- wherein each n is, independently, from 1 to 20; and p is from 1 to 6.

In certain embodiments, a linker has a structure selected from among:

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- wherein each n is, independently, from 1 to 20.
- In certain embodiments, a linker has a structure selected from among:

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- wherein n is from 1 to 20.

In certain embodiments, a linker has a structure selected from among:

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- wherein each L is, independently, a phosphorus linking group or a neutral linking group; and
- each n is, independently, from 1 to 20.

In certain embodiments, a linker has a structure selected from among:

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In certain embodiments, a linker has a structure selected from among:

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In certain embodiments, a linker has a structure selected from among:

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In certain embodiments, a linker has a structure selected from among:

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- wherein n is from 1 to 20.

In certain embodiments, a linker has a structure selected from among:

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In certain embodiments, a linker has a structure selected from among:

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In certain embodiments, a linker has a structure selected from among:

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In certain embodiments, the conjugate linker has the structure:

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In certain embodiments, the conjugate linker has the structure:

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In certain embodiments, a linker has a structure selected from among:

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In certain embodiments, a linker has a structure selected from among:

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- wherein each n is independently, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7.
  
  iii. Certain Cell-Targeting Moieties

In certain embodiments, conjugate groups comprise cell-targeting moieties. Certain such cell-targeting moieties increase cellular uptake of antisense compounds. In certain embodiments, cell-targeting moieties comprise a branching group, one or more tether, and one or more ligand. In certain embodiments, cell-targeting moieties comprise a branching group, one or more tether, one or more ligand and one or more cleavable bond.

1. Certain Branching Groups

In certain embodiments, the conjugate groups comprise a targeting moiety comprising a branching group and at least two tethered ligands. In certain embodiments, the branching group attaches the conjugate linker. In certain embodiments, the branching group attaches the cleavable moiety. In certain embodiments, the branching group attaches the antisense oligonucleotide. In certain embodiments, the branching group is covalently attached to the linker and each of the tethered ligands. In certain embodiments, the branching group comprises a branched aliphatic group comprising groups selected from alkyl, amide, disulfide, polyethylene glycol, ether, thioether and hydroxylamino groups. In certain embodiments, the branching group comprises groups selected from alkyl, amide and ether groups. In certain embodiments, the branching group comprises groups selected from alkyl and ether groups. In certain embodiments, the branching group comprises a mono or polycyclic ring system. In certain embodiments, the branching group comprises one or more cleavable bond. In certain embodiments, the conjugate group does not include a branching group.

In certain embodiments, a branching group has a structure selected from among:

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- wherein each n is, independently, from 1 to 20;
- j is from 1 to 3; and
- m is from 2 to 6.

In certain embodiments, a branching group has a structure selected from among:

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- wherein each n is, independently, from 1 to 20; and
- m is from 2 to 6.

In certain embodiments, a branching group has a structure selected from among:

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In certain embodiments, a branching group has a structure selected from among:

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- wherein each A₁is independently, O, S, C═O or NH; and each n is, independently, from 1 to 20.

In certain embodiments, a branching group has a structure selected from among:

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- wherein each A₁is independently, O, S, C═O or NH; and
- each n is, independently, from 1 to 20.

In certain embodiments, a branching group has a structure selected from among:

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- wherein A₁is O, S, C═O or NH; and
- each n is, independently, from 1 to 20.

In certain embodiments, a branching group has a structure selected from among:

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In certain embodiments, a branching group has a structure selected from among:

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In certain embodiments, a branching group has a structure selected from among:

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2. Certain Tethers

In certain embodiments, conjugate groups comprise one or more tethers covalently attached to the branching group. In certain embodiments, conjugate groups comprise one or more tethers covalently attached to the linking group. In certain embodiments, each tether is a linear aliphatic group comprising one or more groups selected from alkyl, ether, thioether, disulfide, amide and polyethylene glycol groups in any combination. In certain embodiments, each tether is a linear aliphatic group comprising one or more groups selected from alkyl, substituted alkyl, ether, thioether, disulfide, amide, phosphodiester and polyethylene glycol groups in any combination. In certain embodiments, each tether is a linear aliphatic group comprising one or more groups selected from alkyl, ether and amide groups in any combination. In certain embodiments, each tether is a linear aliphatic group comprising one or more groups selected from alkyl, substituted alkyl, phosphodiester, ether and amide groups in any combination. In certain embodiments, each tether is a linear aliphatic group comprising one or more groups selected from alkyl and phosphodiester in any combination. In certain embodiments, each tether comprises at least one phosphorus linking group or neutral linking group.

In certain embodiments, the tether includes one or more cleavable bond. In certain embodiments, the tether is attached to the branching group through either an amide or an ether group. In certain embodiments, the tether is attached to the branching group through a phosphodiester group. In certain embodiments, the tether is attached to the branching group through a phosphorus linking group or neutral linking group. In certain embodiments, the tether is attached to the branching group through an ether group. In certain embodiments, the tether is attached to the ligand through either an amide or an ether group. In certain embodiments, the tether is attached to the ligand through an ether group. In certain embodiments, the tether is attached to the ligand through either an amide or an ether group. In certain embodiments, the tether is attached to the ligand through an ether group.

In certain embodiments, each tether comprises from about 8 to about 20 atoms in chain length between the ligand and the branching group. In certain embodiments, each tether group comprises from about 10 to about 18 atoms in chain length between the ligand and the branching group. In certain embodiments, each tether group comprises about 13 atoms in chain length.

In certain embodiments, a tether has a structure selected from among:

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- wherein each n is, independently, from 1 to 20; and
- each p is from 1 to about 6.

In certain embodiments, a tether has a structure selected from among:

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In certain embodiments, a tether has a structure selected from among:

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- wherein each n is, independently, from 1 to 20.

In certain embodiments, a tether has a structure selected from among:

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- wherein L is either a phosphorus linking group or a neutral linking group;
- Z₁is C(═O)O—R₂;
- Z₂is H, C₁-C₆alkyl or substituted C₁-C₆alky;
- R₂is H, C₁-C₆alkyl or substituted C₁-C₆alky; and
- each m₁is, independently, from 0 to 20 wherein at least one m₁is greater than 0 for
- each tether.

In certain embodiments, a tether has a structure selected from among:

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In certain embodiments, a tether has a structure selected from among:

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- wherein Z₂is H or CH₃; and
- each m₁is, independently, from 0 to 20 wherein at least one m₁is greater than 0 for
- each tether.

In certain embodiments, a tether has a structure selected from among:

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- wherein each n is independently, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7.

In certain embodiments, a tether comprises a phosphorus linking group. In certain embodiments, a tether does not comprise any amide bonds. In certain embodiments, a tether comprises a phosphorus linking group and does not comprise any amide bonds.

3. Certain Ligands

In certain embodiments, the present disclosure provides ligands wherein each ligand is covalently attached to a tether. In certain embodiments, each ligand is selected to have an affinity for at least one type of receptor on a target cell. In certain embodiments, ligands are selected that have an affinity for at least one type of receptor on the surface of a mammalian liver cell. In certain embodiments, ligands are selected that have an affinity for the hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGP-R). In certain embodiments, each ligand is a carbohydrate. In certain embodiments, each ligand is, independently selected from galactose, N-acetyl galactoseamine, mannose, glucose, glucosamone and fucose. In certain embodiments, each ligand is N-acetyl galactoseamine (GalNAc). In certain embodiments, the targeting moiety comprises 2 to 6 ligands. In certain embodiments, the targeting moiety comprises 3 ligands. In certain embodiments, the targeting moiety comprises 3 N-acetyl galactoseamine ligands.

In certain embodiments, the ligand is a carbohydrate, carbohydrate derivative, modified carbohydrate, multivalent carbohydrate cluster, polysaccharide, modified polysaccharide, or polysaccharide derivative. In certain embodiments, the ligand is an amino sugar or a thio sugar. For example, amino sugars may be selected from any number of compounds known in the art, for example glucosamine, sialic acid, α-D-galactosamine, N-Acetylgalactosamine, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactopyranose (GalNAc), 2-Amino-3-O—[(R)-1-carboxyethyl]-2-deoxy-β-D-glucopyranose (β-muramic acid), 2-Deoxy-2-methylamino-L-glucopyranose, 4,6-Dideoxy-4-formamido-2,3-di-O-methyl-D-mannopyranose, 2-Deoxy-2-sulfoamino-D-glucopyranose and N-sulfo-D-glucosamine, and N-Glycoloyl-α-neuraminic acid. For example, thio sugars may be selected from the group consisting of 5-Thio-β-D-glucopyranose, Methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-1-thio-6-O-trityl-α-D-glucopyranoside, 4-Thio-β-D-galactopyranose, and ethyl 3,4,6,7-tetra-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-1,5-dithio-α-D-gluco-heptopyranoside.

In certain embodiments, “GalNac” or “Gal-NAc” refers to 2-(Acetylamino)-2-deoxy-D-galactopyranose, commonly referred to in the literature as N-acetyl galactosamine. In certain embodiments, “N-acetyl galactosamine” refers to 2-(Acetylamino)-2-deoxy-D-galactopyranose. In certain embodiments, “GalNac” or “Gal-NAc” refers to 2-(Acetylamino)-2-deoxy-D-galactopyranose. In certain embodiments, “GalNac” or “Gal-NAc” refers to 2-(Acetylamino)-2-deoxy-D-galactopyranose, which includes both the β-form: 2-(Acetylamino)-2-deoxy-β-D-galactopyranose and α-form: 2-(Acetylamino)-2-deoxy-D-galactopyranose. In certain embodiments, both the β-form: 2-(Acetylamino)-2-deoxy-β-D-galactopyranose and α-form: 2-(Acetylamino)-2-deoxy-D-galactopyranose may be used interchangeably. Accordingly, in structures in which one form is depicted, these structures are intended to include the other form as well. For example, where the structure for an α-form: 2-(Acetylamino)-2-deoxy-D-galactopyranose is shown, this structure is intended to include the other form as well. In certain embodiments, In certain preferred embodiments, the β-form 2-(Acetylamino)-2-deoxy-D-galactopyranose is the preferred embodiment.

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In certain embodiments one or more ligand has a structure selected from among:

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- wherein each R₁is selected from OH and NHCOOH.

In certain embodiments one or more ligand has a structure selected from among:

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In certain embodiments one or more ligand has a structure selected from among:

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In certain embodiments one or more ligand has a structure selected from among:

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i. Certain Conjugates

In certain embodiments, conjugate groups comprise the structural features above. In certain such embodiments, conjugate groups have the following structure:

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- wherein each n is, independently, from 1 to 20.