use of novel porphyrin dimers in photodynamic therapy - Isis Project No 3096
Conjugated porphyrin dimmers enable the treatment of non-malignant diseases, non-metastatic benign tumours, and macular degeneration via photodynamic therapy.
MARKETING OPPORTUNITY
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a method of treatment for a wide range of diseases and requires a benign photosensitizer, light and molecular oxygen present in the tissue. The treatment involves the activation by light of the photosensitizer to produce a cytotoxic response that kills nearby cells. PDT can be used to treat a number of conditions characterized by rapid tissue growth including cancer, psoriasis and acne. It is also the preferred therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), where abnormal growth of new blood vessels at the back of the eye leads to blindness. However, current PDT treatments are limited by the fact that:
- The photosensitizers employed, rapidly diffuse into other healthy tissues, which are subsequently damaged if they are incidentally illuminated.
- The depth of treatment is quite limited.
Therefore, the need exists for the development of new PDT technology to overcome these challenges.
THE OXFORD INVENTION
The Oxford Invention uses a combination of novel conjugated porphyrin dimers and either one-photon (OP) or two-photon (TP) excitation. The compounds of the Invention have good solubility in biological media and afford enhanced delivery to and localization in tissues. In TP-PDT, excitation of the Oxford photosensitizers is confined to the focal volume of the laser therefore the degree of targeting is extremely high. This feature is advantageous because the collateral damage associated with traditional excitation mechanisms is greatly reduced. TP-PDT using these photosensitizers has recently been demonstrated in mice. In OP-PDT, these photosensitizers permit treatment using light of longer wavelengths (>800nm), which reduces the costs associated with the laser. In OP-PDT applications, these photosensitizers also facilitate better depth penetration through tissue, thereby enabling larger tumours to be treated more effectively.
PATENT STATUS
This work is the subject of patent application, and Isis would like to talk to companies interested in developing the commercial opportunity that this represents. Please contact the Isis Project Manager to discuss this further.
Keywords:
Photodynamic therapy, One-photon PDT, Two-photon PDT, Photosensitizers, Porphyrins, Cancer treatment, Oncology, Eye disease