WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1.

1 A polymeric delivery agent comprising a polymer conjugated to a modified amino acid or derivative thereof via a linkage group selected from the group consisting ofNHC (O) NH, C (O) NH,NHC (O),OOC,COO,NHC (O) O,OC (O) NH,CHNH ,NHCH2,CH2NHC (O) O,OC (O) NHCH2,CHzNHCOCH2O, OCHzC (O) NHCH2,NHC (O) CH2O,OCHzC (O) NH,NH,O, and carboncarbon bond, with the proviso that the polymeric delivery agent is not a polypeptide or polyamino acid.

2.	The polmeric delivery agent of claim 1 wherein the modified amino acids are acylated or sulfonated amino acids, ketones or aldehydes of acylated or sulfonated amino acids, salts thereof, or polyamino acids or polypeptides of any of the foregoing.

3.

The polymeric delivery agent of claim 1 wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene; polyacrylates; polymethacrylatesy poly (oxyethylene); poly (propylene); polypropylene glycol; polyethylene glycol (PEG); PEGmaleic anhydride copolymers; and derivatives and combinations thereof _.

4.	The polyrneric delivery agent of claim 1 wherein the polymer has a molecular weight of from about 100 to about 200,000 daltons.

5.	The polymeric delivery agent of claim 4 wherein the molecular weight is from 200 to about 10,000 daltons.

6.	The polyneric delivery agent of claim 5 wherein the molecular weight i: from about 200 to about 600 daltons.

7.

The polymeric delivery agent of claim 1 wherein the the polymeric delivery agent comprises units having the formula or salts thereof where R1 is a modified amino acid which is bonded to the polymer via a linkage group selected from the group consisting of NHC (O) NH,C (O) NH,NHC (O),OOC,COO,NHC (0) 0, OC(O)NH,(O)NH, CH2NH, NHCH2, CH2NHC(O)O, OC(O)NHCH2, CH2NHCOCH2O, OCH2C(O)NHCH2, NHC(O)CH2O, OCH2C(O)NH, NH, o, and carboncarbon bond; R2 is H orCH3; and d R19 is H orCOOH.

8.

The polymeric delivery agent of claim 7 wherein Ru ils R3R° where R3 isNHC (O) NH,C (O) NH,NHC (O),OOC,COO, NHC (O) O,OC (O) NH,CHZNH,NHCH2,CH2NHC (O) O, OC (O)NHCH2, CH2NHCOCH2O,OCH2C(O)NHCH2,NHC(O)CH2O, OCH2C (O) NH,NH,O, or carboncarbon bond; and R has the formula where R5, R, R', R8, and R9 are independently a bond to R3, or H, Cl, Br, F, OH, CH3, OCH3, or (CH2)mCH3; R10 is a bond to R orCOOH orC (O) NHR'1Rl2 ; R¹¹ is a substituted or unsubstituted, linear or branched alkylene having a chain length of from about 1 to about 11 or Riz is a bond to R3 or isCOOH,NH2,OH,C (o)Rl5, COOR16, NHR15, CR15, Cl, orBr; R, 3 is a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene; R14 is a substituted or unsubstituted, linear or branched alkylene: having a chain length of from about 1 to about5; R'$ is a bond to R3; and m is from about 1 to about 4.

9.	The polmeric delivery agent of claim 8 wherein R is selected from the group consisting of XI and salts thereof.

10.

The polymeric delivery agent of claim 1 wherein the polymeric delivery agent comprises units having the formula: R16R24CH2CH2R17 or salts thereof where R16 is a modified amino acid which is bonded to the polymer via a linkage group selected from the group consisting of NHC(O)NH, C(O)NH, NHC(O), OOC, COO, NHC(O)O, OC (O) NH,CHNH,NHCH,CHNHC (O) 0,OC (O) NHCH2, CH2NHCOCH2O, OCH2C(O)NHCH2, NHC(O)CH2O, OCH2C(O)NH, NH, O, and carboncarbon bond; R17 is OH, OCH3, or R18; R18 is defined as R15 above; and R24 is a polymer having units of (CH2CH2O), (CH(CH3)CH2O), or a combination thereof.

11.	The polymeric delivery agent of claim 10 wherein the polymeric delivery agent comprises units having the formula : or salts thereof where R23 is Il orCH< and n is from about 3 to about 200.

12.

The polymeric delivery agent of claim 11 wherein R16 and R18 are independently R³R4 where R³ isNHC (O)NH, C(O)NH ,NHC (O),OOC,COO, NHC(O)O,OC(O)NH, CH2NH, SCH2,CUHC(O)O,(O)O, OC (O)NHCH2, CH2NHCOCH2O,OCH2C(O)NHCH2<BR> <BR> , NHC(O)CH2O, (O)CH2O, NH, O, or carboncarbon bond; and R4 has the formula where R5, R6, R7, R8, and R9 are independently a bond to 30 or H, Cl, Br, F, OH, CH3, OCH3, or (CH2)mCH3; R10 is a bond to R'orCOOH orC (O) NHRltRt2 ; R"is a substituted or unsubstituted, linear or <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> branched alkylene h. aving a chain length of from about 1 to<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> about 11 orRl3Rl4 RI2 is a bond to R³ or is COOH, NH2, OH, C(O)R15, COOR15, NHR15, OR15, Cl, or Br; R13 is a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene; R14 is a substituted or unsubstituted, linear or branched alkylene having a chain length of from about 1 to about 5; R"is a bond to R³; and m is from about 2 to about 4.

13.	The polymeric delivery agent of claim 12 wherein R4 is selected from the group consisting of and salts thereof.

14.

The polymeric delivery agent of claim 1 wherein the polymeric delivery agent comprises units having the formula: or salts thereof where R20, R²¹, and R²² independently are H or a modified amino acid which is bonded to the polymer via a linkage group selected from the group consisting ofNHC (O) NH,C (O) NH,NHC (O), <BR> <BR> <BR> OOC,COO, NHC(O)O, OC(O)NH, CH2NH, NHCH2, <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> CH2NHC (O) 0, OC (O)NHCH2, CH2NHCOCH2O, OCH2C(O)NHCH2, NHC (O)CH2O, OCH2C(O)NH, NH, O, and carboncarbon bond ; a, b, and c indeper. dently are integers from about 1 to about 50; and d ranges from about. 2 to about 10.

15.

The polymeric delivery agent of claim 14 wherein R20, R²¹ and R²² are independently R³R4 where R³ is NHC(O)NH, C(O)NH, NHC (O), OOC, COO, NHC (O)O,OC (O) NH,CHNH, <BR> <BR> <BR> NHCHz,CH2NHC (O) O,OC (O) NHCH2,CH2NTCOCH20,<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> OCH2C (O) NHCH2,NH (O) CH20,OCHZC (O) NH,NH,0, or<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> carboncarbon bond; and 12 has the formula where R5, R6, R7, R8, and R9 are independently a bond to R3, or H, Cl, Br, F, CH, CH3, OCH3, or (CH2)mCH3; R10 is a bond to R3 orCOOH orC (0) NHR"R; R"is a substituted or unsubstituted, linear or branched alkylene having a chain length of from about 1 to about 11 or R12 is a bond to R'or isCOOH,NH2,OH,C (O)Rls, COOR15, NHR19, OR15, Cl, or Br; R ; 3 is a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene ; R'4 is a substituted or unsubstituted, linear or branched alkylene having a chain length of from about 1 to about 5; R"is a bond to R3; and m is from about 1 to about 4.

16.	The polymeric delivery agent of claim 15 wherein R4 is selected from the group consisting of and salts thereof.

17.	A composition comprising (a) an active agent; and (b) the polymeric delivery agent of claim 1.

18.	A composition comprising (a) an active agent; and (b) the polymeric delivery agent of claim 7.

19.	A composition comprising (a) an active agent; and (b) the polymeric delivery agent of claim 10.

20.	A composition comprising (a) an active agent; and (b) the polymeric delivery agent of claim 14.

21.	The composition of claim 17, wherein the active agent is selected from the group consisting of a biologically active agent, a chemically active agent, and a combination thereof.

22.	The composition of claim 21, wherein the biologically active agent comprises at least one protein, polypeptide, peptide, hormone, polysaccharide, mucopolysaccharide, carbohydrate, or l : pid.

23.

The composition of claim 22, wherein the biologically active agent is selected from the group consisting of human growth hormone, recombinant human growth hormone, bovine growth hormone, porcine growth hormone, growth hormonereleasing hormone, an interferon, ainterferon, pinterferon, y interferon, interleukin1, interleukin2, insulin, porcine insulin, bovine insulin, human insulin, human recombinant insulin, insulinlike growth factor (IGF), IGF1, heparin, unfractionated heparin, heparinoids, dermatans, chondroitins, low molecular weight heparin, very low molecular weight heparin, ultra low molecular weight heparin, calcitonin, salmon calcitonin, eel calcitonin, human calcitonin, erythropoietin, atrial naturetic factor, an antigen, a monoclonal antibody, somatostatin, protease inhibitors, adrenocorticotropin, gonadotropin releasing hormone, oxytocin, leutinizinghormone releasinghormone, follicle stimulating hormone, glucocerebrosidase, thrombopoietin, filgrastim, prostaglandins, cyclosporin, vasopiessin, cromolyn sodium, soium chromoglycate, disodium chromoglycate, vancomycin, parathyroid hormone, fragments of parathyroid hormone; desferrioxamine, antimicrobials, antifungal agents, vitamins; analogs, fragments, mimetics and polyethylene glycolmodified derivatives of these compounds; and any combination thereof.

24.

The composition of claim 23 wherein the active agent comprises insulin, unfractionated heparin, low molecular weight heparin, very low molecular weight heparin, ultra low molecular weight heparin, calcitonin, parathyroid hormone, erythropoietin, human growth hormone, recombinant human growth hormone, or combinations thereof.

25.	A dosage unit form comprising: (A) the composition of claim 17; and (B) (a) an excipient (b) a diluent, (c) a disintegrant, (d) a lubricant, (e) a plasticizer, (f) a cclorant, (g) a dosing vehicle, or (h) any combination thereof.

26.	The dosage unit form of claim 25, comprising a tablet, a capsule, a powder, or a liquid.

27.	A method for administering a biologicallyactive agent to an animal in need of the agent comprising administering to said animal the composition of claim 17 via a route selected from the group consisting of orally, intracolonically, and intraduodenally.

28.	A method for preparing a composition, said method comprising : mixing: (A) an active agent; (B) the polymeric delivery agent of claim 1 ; and (C) optionally, a dosing vehicle.

29.	A compound selected from the group consisting of and salts thereof.

30.	A composition comprising<BR> (a) an active agent; and (b) the compound of claim 29.

31.	A dosage unit form comprising: (A) the compcsition of claim 30; and (B) (a) an excipient (b) a diluent, (c) a di. sintegrant, (d) a lubricant, (e) a plasticizer, (f) a colorant, (g) a dosing vehicle, or (h) any combination thereof.

32.	The dosage unit form of claim 31, comprising a tablet, a capsule, a powder, or a liquid.

33.	A method for administering a biologicallyactive agent to an animal in need of the agent comprising administering to said animal the composition of claim 30 via a route selected from the group consisting of orally, intracolonically, and intraduodenally.

34.	A method for preparing a composition, said method comprising : mixing : (A) an active agent; (B) the compound of claim 29 ; and (C) optionally, a dosing vehicle.