Synthetic Nucleic Acid Analogues in Gene Therapy: An Update for Peptide-Oligonucleotide Conjugates

The main objective of this work is to provide an update on synthetic nucleic acid analogues and nanoassemblies as tools in gene therapy. In particular, the synthesis and properties of peptide-oligonucleotide conjugates (POCs), which have high potential in research and as therapeutics, are described in detail. The exploration of POCs has already led to fruitful results in the treatment of neurological diseases, lung disorders, cancer, leukemia, viral, and bacterial infections. However, delivery and in vivo stability are the major barriers to the clinical application of POCs and other analogues that still have to be overcome. This review summarizes recent achievements in the delivery and in vivo administration of synthetic nucleic acid analogues, focusing on POCs, and compares their efficiency.