GalNAc is a carbohydrate ligand recognized by ASGPR, a receptor highly expressed on hepatocytes.
By attaching GalNAc (often as a multivalent cluster) to an oligonucleotide, developers can bias systemic exposure toward the liver,
enabling efficient hepatocyte uptake without lipid nanoparticles in many use cases.
[1,2]
GalNAc conjugation enables hepatocyte-selective delivery via ASGPR. We support mono‑ and tri‑GalNAc formats, 3′/5′/internal placement, custom linkers, and client‑supplied ligands for siRNA duplexes and ASO single‑strands.
In discovery and preclinical phases, GalNAc conjugation is often explored as a
screenable targeting handle to compare constructs (mono vs tri-GalNAc),
attachment sites, and linker stability across in vitro hepatocyte assays and in vivo liver exposure studies.
The goal is to identify a manufacturable lead architecture that preserves activity
while remaining analytically verifiable and scalable.
Bio-Synthesis supports 3′, 5′, and internal GalNAc placement, with options to incorporate
single GalNAc or triantennary (Tri‑GalNAc) formats. We can also evaluate
client-supplied GalNAc ligands or alternative GalNAc variants as required by program design and IP strategy.
[2,3]