Cationic/Ionizable Lipids

In the past five years, DC Chemicals has focused on research and development in the RNA delivery field, successfully developing over 500 cationic lipid structures and maintaining an inventory of over 200 cationic lipids. We collaborate with leading gene delivery companies and research institutions worldwide, and our products and services have received widespread acclaim.
DC Chemicals has accumulated substantial experience in the synthesis of lipids, particularly for highly complex lipid molecules. Our unique chemical synthesis and purification processes often circumvent patented and literature-reported routes, allowing us to design new synthetic routes that yield lipid molecules with higher purity than those reported in literature and patents. Our representative molecules, such as LP-01, SM-102, ALC-0315, and DLIN-MC3-DMA, have purities exceeding 98% as tested by CAD-HPLC, placing them among the top purity products available.We have the capability to scale production from grams to kilograms.

Cationic ionizable lipids play a major role in the LNP formulation and its ability to transfect target cells with its cargo. The ionizable lipids are used to complex negatively charged nucleic acid cargo. The mRNA-cationic lipid complex fuses with the cell membrane and is then delivered into the cytosol. To be able to play these roles efficiently, a cationic ionizable lipid must be engineered with a suitable apparent acid dissociation constant (pKa). The apparent pKa of a cationic ionizable lipid is the likely pKa at the LNP surface. Currently, the cationic ionizable lipids in FDA-approved therapeutics all have an apparent pKa between 6-7. This is crucial for the cationic ionizable lipid to maintain a neutral charge while in systemic circulation (pH above the pKa of the lipid, pH ~7.5), as well as its ability to become positively charged in the endosome (pH ~6.5) and facilitate membrane fusion and subsequent cytosolic release.

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Cat. No.	Product Name	Field of Application
DC65427	BP-28079	Bis(N-2-ethoxyethyl 2-hexyldecanoate)amine is a cationic lipid-like PEG compound containing a polar alcohol head group, four hydrophobic tails bound by esters, and a tertiary amine linker. The hydrophilic PEG linker increases the water solubility of the compound in aqueous media. Reagent grade, for research purpose. Please contact us for GMP-grade inquiries. More description
DC60670	CL4F11-ζ-2	CL4F11_ζ-2 is an ionizable lipid for hepatic delivery of CRISPR/Cas ribonucleoprotein (RNP). CL4F11_ζ-2 LNP shows an extremely strong inhibitory effect of serum TTR protein levels compared with all the approved ionizable lipids including DLin-MC3-DMA (MC3), SM-102, and ALC-0315. More description
DC60662	Si6-C14b	Si6-C14b is a siloxane-incorporated lipid for livertargeting mRNA delivery. The siloxane moieties enhance cellular internalization of mRNA-LNPs and improve their endosomal escape capacity, augmenting their mRNA delivery efficacy. More description
DC13056	E4i-200	E4i-200 is a branched ionizable lipid designed for efficient mRNA and CRISPR-Cas9 delivery. It features a 4-carbon (C4) lipid tail with an isopropyl (i) branch at the terminal position, enhancing its ability to disrupt endosomal membranes. The lipid is built around the 200 core, a polyamine structure (N1-(2-(4-(2-aminoethyl)piperazin-1-yl)ethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine), which facilitates mRNA encapsulation and delivery. E4i-200 excels in liver-targeted delivery, significantly improving mRNA translation and gene editing efficiency in vivo. In experiments, it outperformed linear lipids, achieving 1.5-fold higher liver luminescence compared to the gold standard C12-200. Its isopropyl branch promotes deeper membrane penetration, enhancing endosomal escape and cargo release. This lipid is particularly effective for hepatic gene editing, reducing target gene expression (e.g., TTR) by up to 90% in mouse models. Its modular design and low toxicity make it a promising candidate for mRNA-based therapies and CRISPR applications in the liver. More description
DC60686	313oi10	313oi10 is an ionizable lipid with amine headgroups which drives LNP immunogenicity by binding to Toll-like receptor 4 and CD1d and by promoting lipid-raft formation. 313oi10 prevents the often-observed loss of efcacy in the LNP-mediated delivery of siRNA and mRNA. More description
DC60685	313O13	313O13 is an ionizable lipid with amine headgroups which drives LNP immunogenicity by binding to Toll-like receptor 4 and CD1d and by promoting lipid-raft formation. 313O13 prevents the often-observed loss of efcacy in the LNP-mediated delivery of siRNA and mRNA. More description
DC67290	ATX-231	ATX-231 which is from Arcturus RNA delivery platform, is a novel ionizable lipid used in the formulation of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for the delivery of RNA. More description
DC60505	IR-19-Py(A20-0l)	More description
DC67519	Lipid SL01	SL01 is an ionizable cationic lipid compound pKa 6.31）developed by Seqirus, characterized by a biodegradable ester backbone and tertiary amine headgroup, enabling pH-dependent charge modulation. Its structure incorporates twin hydrophobic tails with unsaturated carbon chains, enhancing membrane fluidity and promoting endosomal escape. The lipid’s pKa (~6.5–7.0) optimizes nucleic acid complexation at physiological pH while minimizing cytotoxicity. SL01 demonstrates robust mRNA encapsulation efficiency (~90%) in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) and facilitates intracellular delivery via endocytosis. Preclinical studies highlight its efficacy in inducing potent humoral and cellular immune responses, particularly in influenza mRNA vaccines. Its ester linkages ensure gradual metabolic clearance, reducing long-term toxicity. SL01-based LNPs exhibit stability in serum and compatibility with scalable manufacturing processes, making it a versatile candidate for therapeutic mRNA delivery. More description
DC67518	Lipid SL02	SL02 is a next-generation ionizable lipid featuring a unique branched hydrophobic domain and a pH-sensitive dimethylaminoethyl headgroup（pKa 6.25）developed by Seqirus. Its asymmetric lipid tails, combining unsaturated and saturated chains, enhance LNP fusogenicity and endosomal membrane disruption. With a slightly lower pKa than SL01, SL02 achieves efficient mRNA binding at acidic pH while maintaining neutral charge in circulation, reducing nonspecific interactions. In vitro, SL02-LNPs show superior transfection potency in BHK-V cells, attributed to improved cellular uptake and endosomal escape kinetics. In vivo, it elicits high neutralizing antibody titers (comparable to MF59-adjuvanted vaccines) and robust CD8+ T-cell activation. The lipid’s ester-based design ensures biodegradability, while PEGylation compatibility enhances colloidal stability. SL02’s tailored balance of hydrophobicity and ionization enables precise control over nanoparticle size (70–120 nm) and low polydispersity, positioning it as a leading candidate for saRNA-based vaccines and gene therapies. More description
DC67520	nor-MC3	nor-MC3 is a novel ionizable lipid develoed by Nanovation, derived from the MC3 structural framework, characterized by two C17 alkyl chains (each containing two Z-geometry double bonds) conjugated to a 4-(dimethylamino)butanoate headgroup. Synthesized via a streamlined route involving Claisen condensation of methyl linoleate, hydrolysis/decarboxylation to generate a C17 ketone, reduction to the corresponding alcohol, and final esterification with 4-(dimethylamino)butanoic acid, nor-MC3 retains the ionizable amine functionality critical for pH-dependent nucleic acid binding and endosomal escape. Compared to the benchmark lipid MC3 (C18 chains), nor-MC3 demonstrates superior mRNA delivery efficiency in vitro (2-fold higher luciferase expression at 10 μg/mL mRNA) and enhanced in vivo biodistribution (higher liver and spleen targeting in mice). Notably, its shortened C17 chains challenge conventional assumptions about optimal hydrophobic chain length, offering improved synthetic scalability while maintaining or exceeding MC3's encapsulation efficiency (~95%), nanoparticle size (~80 nm), and low polydispersity (PDI ~0.08). For siRNA delivery, nor-MC3 achieves comparable EC₅₀ values (0.1644 μg/mL vs. MC3’s 0.1308 μg/mL), highlighting its versatility as a next-generation lipid nanoparticle (LNP) component for nucleic acid therapeutics. More description
DC60486	IAJD 288	IAJD 288(IAJD-288) is a pentaerythritol-based one-component ionizable amphiphilic Janus Dendrimer (IAJD), delivery systems for mRNA delivery. More description
DC89030	SM-102 IMPURITY 1	More description
DC67522	AZD Lipid 17 Featured	Lipid 17 is a novel, highly potent ionizable lipid designed for mRNA delivery within lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) developed by AstraZeneca . Its structure features a secondary amine head group attached to a cyclic ether moiety (specifically, the 2-oxaspiro[3.3]heptan-6-amine head group). It possesses an asymmetric tail architecture: one tail is derived from heptadecan-9-ol (a branched C17 secondary alcohol), while the other tail is a modified nonyl chain (C9) with a key ethyl branch at the 3-position. The linker connecting the head group to the tails has a length equivalent to n=3 (three methylene units) as defined in the study. This specific combination of the secondary amine cyclic ether head group, asymmetric tails, and the ethyl branch at the 3-position of the nonyl chain proved critical for its exceptional performance. When formulated into LNPs and administered intravenously in mice, Lipid 17 demonstrated a remarkable 6-fold increase in functional protein (eGFP) expression in the liver compared to the benchmark lipid MC3, with high statistical significance (P < 0.0001). This makes Lipid 17 one of the most active lipids identified in the study and a promising candidate for liver-targeted mRNA therapeutics. More description
DC67524	Nitto Lipid 19 Featured	Lipid 19 is an engineered cationic lipid designed to optimize the delivery of RNA within lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) developed by Nitto. Its unique structure—featuring a dual-hydroxyl headgroup and tailored hydrophobic chains—enables highly efficient encapsulation of these fragile genetic payloads, protecting them from degradation. The resulting LNPs exhibit exceptional stability (<100 nm size), target the liver specifically for enhanced therapeutic impact, and support applications ranging from mRNA vaccines to gene-silencing therapies. This makes lipid 19 a pivotal advancement in precision nanomedicine for liver-related disorders. More description
DC67531	ATX-129(ATX-0129,10q)	ATX-129 is a novel ionizable lipid used in the formulation of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for the delivery of RNA developed by Arcturus. More description
DC67535	ATX-106	ATX-106 is a novel ionizable lipid used in the formulation of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for the delivery of RNA developed by Arcturus. More description
DC67533	ATX-132	ATX-132 is a novel ionizable lipid used in the formulation of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for the delivery of RNA developed by Arcturus. More description
DC67532	ATX-111	ATX-111 is a novel ionizable lipid used in the formulation of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for the delivery of RNA developed by Arcturus. More description
DC67541	Yoltech lipid 4	Yoltech lipid 4, a highly efficient ionizable lipid disclosed in patent PCT/CN2023/116607, features a central tertiary amine group flanked by hydrophobic tails—specifically, a bis(2-ethylhexyl) core and a linoleyl (C18:2) chain linked via ester bonds. This structure enables pH-responsive behavior critical for mRNA/LNP delivery: neutral in circulation (reducing toxicity) but protonated in endosomes to facilitate membrane disruption and payload release. In murine studies targeting liver PCSK9, Compound 4 achieved ~90% gene-editing efficiency. Its optimized formulation yields LNPs of 70–150 nm with >90% encapsulation, ideal for hepatocyte-specific delivery. More description
DC67543	ATX L2	L2 is a redox-responsive lipid engineered for ultra-potent siRNA delivery. With shorter hexyl (C6) tails and a carbamate linker, it demonstrates the fastest biodegradation (liver half-life: 2.6 days) among tested lipids. L2 achieves >80% FVII gene knockdown at just 0.01 mg/kg—surpassing both L1 and MC3 in siRNA potency. Its higher apparent pKa (6.90) enhances endosomal disruption, correlating with strong in vitro hEPO expression. While slightly less effective for mRNA than L1, L2’s unmatched siRNA silencing efficiency, rapid cytosolic self-immolation, and low cytotoxicity position it as a leading candidate for RNAi therapeutics targeting hepatic diseases. More description
DC67552	MeTis Lipid 5	MeTis Lipid 5 is an ionizable lipid featuring a pyrazole-based headgroup and biodegradable C8-ester twin tails developed by MeTis Pharmaceuticals (Patent CN118290339B). It demonstrated breakthrough in vivo efficacy (7.08E+10 photons, luciferase assay), surpassing MC3 lipid by 8.8-fold in systemic mRNA delivery. The molecule achieves optimal safety-profile (96.4% cell viability) and encapsulation efficiency (96.4%), forming LNPs of 108.9 nm (PDI 0.17) at N/P 6. Its ester-enabled rapid metabolization and balanced hydrophobicity position lipid 5 as a candidate for next-gen mRNA therapeutics. More description
DC67551	Lipid CDL9	CDL9 is an original cyclic disulfide lipid first designed, synthesized, and functionally validated in the study "In Vivo Demonstration of Enhanced mRNA Delivery by Cyclic Disulfide-Containing Lipid Nanoparticles for Facilitating Endosomal Escape" published in RSC Medicinal Chemistry (DOI: 10.1039/D5MD00084J).Its molecular architecture—featuring a C18:2 di-unsaturated alkyl chain linked to a tertiary amine headgroup modified with an α-lipoic acid-derived cyclic disulfide unit—was explicitly detailed in the paper's lipid library. Experimental data from this study demonstrated CDL9’s capacity to boost mRNA delivery efficiency by 6-fold in vitro and 5-fold in vivo when integrated into SM102-based LNPs, leveraging thiol-disulfide exchange for enhanced endosomal escape. More description
DC67554	MeTis Lipid 1	MeTis Lipid 1 is an ionizable lipid featuring a pentacyclic core with geminal dimethyl groups and symmetrical C9 alkyl chains developed by Metis Pharm. According to Patent WO 2025/140421 A1, Lipid 1 demonstrated exceptional biological performance including: the highest SARS-CoV-2 neutralization titer (NT50 1:2146, 5.7-fold higher than ALC0315), potent humoral immunity with COVID-19 IgG titers reaching 1:1,000,000 post-boost and exclusive validation for VZV-gE IgG (1:1,000,000), favorable biophysical properties (124.5 nm LNP diameter, 0.2 PDI, 85% encapsulation efficiency), and excellent safety profile (hERG IC₅₀ >30 μM, Mini-Ames negative), establishing it as the lead compound in nucleic acid vaccine delivery. More description
DC49237	DODAP hydrochloride	DODAP (hydrochloride) is an ionizable lipid. DODAP (hydrochloride) has the potential for the research of gene delivery. More description
DC67118	PNI 132 Featured	PNI 132, an ionizable lipid derived from the patent WO2020252589A developed by Precision Nanosystem, is useful in the formulation of lipid nanoparticles. More description
DC60352	DDAB	More description
DC33635	DODAP Featured	DODAP, also known as 1,2-Dioleoyl-3-dimethylammonium-propane, is a cationic lipid. It has been used as a component in liposomes that can be used to encapsulate siRNA, immunostimulatory oligodeoxynucleotides, antisense oligonucleotides, or chemotherapeutic agents for in vitro and in vivo delivery. More description
DC33636	DOTAP Featured	DOTAP, also known as 1,2-Dioleoyl-3-trimethylammoniumpropane, is a cationic liposome-forming compound used for transfection of DNA, RNA, and other negatively charged molecules into eukaryotic cells. It has been used in gene delivery vectors for gene ther More description
DC65362	BP Lipid 114 Featured	BP Lipid 114 is a well-designed ionizable lipid optimized for mRNA encapsulation and delivery. Its ethanolamine headgroup, ester bonds at the C6 and C8 positions, and 9-carbon tail contribute to efficient mRNA complexation, stability during delivery, and improved biodegradability. These properties make it a valuable component in LNPs for gene therapy and other mRNA-based therapeutic applications. More description

Cationic/Ionizable Lipids

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