Abstract: The present invention provides a family of branched fatty acids and their derivatives, which improve and enable the penetration and absorption of active ingredients through biomembranes, such as blood brain barrier. The invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising these branched fatty acids and methods of using these compositions to permeabilize biological membranes thereby improving the administration of bioactive or therapeutic substances to cells or organs. According to a more preferred embodiment of this invention the methods are particularly useful to treat certain kinds of CNS lesions and diseases including tumors, infections, abscesses and degenerative and behavioral disorders.

Abstract: A compound having formula (I): wherein R1 is a saturated or unsaturated chain of 1-5 carbons in length; and R2 is a saturated or unsaturated chain of 3-10 carbons in length; and A is selected from the group consisting of COOL and CONR′—R″, wherein L is a lipid moiety selected from the group consisting of glycerol, C3-20 fatty acid monoglycerides, C3-20 fatty acid diglycerides, hydroxy-C2-6-alkyl esters of C3-20 fatty acids, hydroxy-C2-6-alkyl esters of lysophosphatidic acids, lyso plasmalogens, lysophospholipids, lysophosphatidic acid amides, glycerophosphoric acids, sphingolipids, lysophosphatidylethanolamines, and N-mono and N,N-di-(C1-4)alkyl derivatives of the amines thereof; and R′ and R″ are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and a lower alkyl group comprising 1-5 carbon atoms; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. In addition, there is provided methods for using these compositions.