Conjugation approaches for peptide-mediated delivery of oligonucleotides therapeutics

Oligonucleotide-based agents are versatile biomolecules that modulate gene expression. The last decade has seen the emergence of oligonucleotide-based tools for biochemical investigations. Importantly, several oligonucleotide-based drugs and vaccines are currently used for various therapeutic applications ranging from anti-inflammatory and anti-viral agents to those used in cardiovascular, ophthalmic, and neuro-muscular disorders. Despite a broad range of applications, achieving efficient oligonucleotide delivery remains a major limitation. A possible solution is to conjugate cell-penetrating peptides with oligonucleotides. This review provides an overview of chemical strategies used to synthesise peptide-oligonucleotide conjugates. The merits and liabilities of these strategies are discussed in the context of synthetic efficiency, and bio-reversible and -irreversible linkages.