2043results about "Photodynamic therapy" patented technology

Disclosed is a system and method for treatment of skin disorders. More particularly, the disclosed invention is directed toward the treatment of acne and acne scarring by treating sebaceous oil glands and the surrounding tissue with an exogenous chromophore composition and then exposing the target tissue to visible, infrared, or ultraviolet light to inhibit the activity of the oil gland and eliminate acne bacteria. The treatment method of the present invention may be futher augmented by enhancing the penetration of the topical composition into the oil gland and surrounding tissue through the use of procedures including enzyme peeling, microderm abrasion, or ultrasound.

The present invention is directed to novel compositions and methods utilizing delivery agents or nanoparticles that include protein cages with modified and/or unmodified subunits and various agents, such as therapeutic and/or imaging agents located on the interior and/or exterior surface of the protein cages.

Methods and systems are disclosed for phototreatment in which replaceable containers comprising one or more adjuvant (consumable or re-useable) substances are employed. The adjuvant substance can be, for example, a topical substance or a coolant. Systems are disclosed for using a topical substance to detect contact of a phototreatment device with a tissue, detect speed of a phototreatment device over the tissue, detect regions of tissue that have been treated by a phototreatment device and/or to provide other benefits to the tissue such as improved skin tone and texture, tanning, etc. Safety systems are also disclosed that ensure that a proper consumable substance and/or container is connected to a phototreatment device and/or directed to a proper target. Additionally, cooling systems and methods that utilize phase change materials for extracting heat from a light generating device are disclosed.

An apparatus and method for the phototherapy of different skin conditions, particularly acne vulgaris and seborrhea. The invention transporting compounds, and/or a methylene blue solution. The apparatus includes at least one narrow spectral band light source with spectral emittance concentrated in the violet/blue spectral band and an optical system for controlling spectra and beam parameters of said light source and a mechanical fixture for holding the said light source at an adjustable distance and direction related to the skin treated area, and an electonic unit to control the duration and power and spectral bands of the emitted radiation.

The invention provides a novel human Mab Fab, cloned by phage display, and its use in diagnostic and therapeutic methods. In particular the invention provides a method for analyzing the OxLDL components of atherosclerotic plaques in vivo and a means to determine their relative pathology. As the method is based on a human Fab rather than a mouse Mab, the progress or regression of the disease may be monitored over time. The antibody may also be used for the analysis of surgical or serum samples ex vivo for the presence of OxLDL. The antibody may also be used to target therapeutic agents to the site of atherosclerotic plaques or may have use as a therapeutic agent itself.

Methods for treating periodontal disease and other diseased tissues that utilize a dye composition and laser energy. The laser energy (typically about 450 nm to about 600 nm) heats and destroys the diseased tissue and bacteria, while the dye composition causes the laser energy to be selectively absorbed by the targeted tissue. An argon gas laser that emits blue-green light may be used in conjunction with a red-orange dye that strongly absorbs light energy emitted by the argon gas laser. An 810 diode laser may be used in conjunction with the argon laser in order to provide additional heating properties.

Methods for preventing damage to epithelial tissue during PDT induced using a photosensitizing agent or pre-photosensitizing agent are provided. The methods of the present invention utilize spatial confinement to control photoactivation of the photoactive species to protect the epithelial tissue. In one embodiment, epithelial tissue surrounding a targeted treatment site can be protecting by decreasing the oxygen-content in the tissue, thereby preventing the conversion of the photosensitizer into the phototoxic species in the epithelial tissue.

A method for the imaging of a particular volume of plant or animal tissue, wherein the plant or animal tissue contains at least one photo-active molecular agent. The method comprises the steps of treating the particular volume of the plant or animal tissue with light sufficient to promote a simultaneous two-photon excitation of the photo-active molecular agent contained in the particular volume of the plant or animal tissue, photo-activating at least one of the at least one photo-active molecular agent in the particular volume of the plant or animal tissue, thereby producing at least one photo-activated molecular agent, wherein the at least one photo-activated molecular agent emits energy, detecting the energy emitted by the at least one photo-activated molecular agent, and producing a detected energy signal which is characteristic of the particular volume of plant or animal tissue. The present invention also provides a method for the imaging of a particular volume of material, wherein the material contains at least one photo-active molecular agent.

The present invention relates generally to transscleral, transcorneal, and transocular delivery of biologically active substances through the tissues, blood vessels and cellular membranes of the eyes of patients without causing damage to the cellular surface, tissue or membrane. The invention provides compositions and methods for enhanced transscleral, transcorneal and transocular delivery of biologically active substances using pulsed incoherent light, and particularly the transcleral, transcorneal or transocular delivery of high molecular weight biologically active substances to a patient using pulsed incoherent light. The invention further provides a device for the application of the pulsed incoherent light to cellular surfaces and membranes of the eye of a subject using those compositions and methods.

Provided herein are compositions comprising lanthanide-doped nanoparticles which upconvert electromagnetic radiation from infrared or near infrared wavelengths into the visible light spectrum. Also provided herein are methods activating light-responsive opsin proteins expressed on plasma membranes of neurons and selectively altering the membrane polarization state of the neurons using the light delivered by the lanthanide-doped nanoparticles.

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for delivering substances, e.g., therapeutic substances, into openings on or near a skin surface, such as hair follicles, pores and/or into sebaceous glands. This can be achieved by using an apparatus to direct a substance into the openings under pressure via one or more nozzles or slits. A portion of the sebum present in the hair follicle is optionally heated and/or removed, e.g. using low-pressure conduit located on the lower surface of the apparatus, before introducing the therapeutic substance.

The present invention provides a photosensitising composition comprising a mixture of: at least one surfactant; at least one alcohol; and/or water, with the proviso that when the at least one surfactant is an alcohol, it is different from the at least one alcohol. In particular, the composition may comprise a mixture of glycerol, ethanol and water. Alternatively, the composition may comprise a mixture of polyethylene glycol, ethanol and water. The photosensitising composition may further comprise at least one photosensitising compound. The present invention also provides a method of treating and/or preventing conditions caused by microorganisms in a subject.

The present invention provides methods and compositions for photodynamic therapy. The composition comprises ceramic nanoparticles in which a photosensitive drug/dye is entrapped. The ceramic nanoparticles are made by formation of a micellar composition of the dye. The ceramic material is added to the micellar composition and the ceramic nanoparticles are precipitated by alkaline hydrolysis. The precipitated nanoparticles in which the photosensitive dye/drug is entrapped can be isolated by dialysis. The resulting drug doped nanoparticles are spherical, highly monodispersed, and stable in aqueous system. Irradiation with light of suitable wavelength of the photosensitizing drug entrapped inside nanoparticles resulted in generation of singlet oxygen, which was able to diffuse out through the pores of the ceramic matrix. The drug loaded ceramic nanoparticles of the present invention can be used as drug carriers for photodynamic therapy.

The invention provides therapeutic compositions comprising binding agents that specifically bind to tumor-associated MUC-1 and reduce, reverse or prevent their effects in cancer. More particularly, the invention provides therapeutic compositions that comprise a binding agent that can specifically bind to an epitope that comprises both peptide and carbohydrate on such tumor-associated MUC-1. The invention further provides methods for the use of such therapeutic compositions in the treatment of cancer.

The invention also provides methods for therapeutically treating a mammal bearing a tumor comprising administering to the mammal an effective amount of a therapeutic composition consisting essentially of a binding agent that specifically binds to an epitope of tumor-associated MUC1, wherein the mammal generates an immune response that comprises an antibody that specifically binds to an epitope of tumor-associated MUC1 that is different from the epitope of tumor associated MUC1 that is specifically bound by the binding agent.

The present invention relates to methods for treating cell proliferation disorders comprising (1) administering to the subject at least one activatable pharmaceutical agent that is capable of activation by a simultaneous two photon absorption event and of effecting a predetermined cellular change when activated, (2) administering at least one plasmonics-active agent to the subject, and (3) applying an initiation energy from an initiation energy source to the subject, wherein the plasmonics-active agent enhances or modifies the applied initiation energy, such that the enhanced or modified initiation energy activates the activatable pharmaceutical agent by the simultaneous two photon absorption event in situ, thus causing the predetermined cellular change to occur, wherein said predetermined cellular change treats the cell proliferation related disorder, and the use of plasmonics enhanced photospectral therapy (PEPST) and exiton-plasmon enhanced phototherapy (EPEP) in the treatment of various cell proliferation disorders, and the PEPST and EPEP agents and probes

A system and method are provided for preventing damage to the epidermis or other epithelial or non-target tissue during photodynamic therapy treatment. For example, an inhibiting radiation can be used to control formation of a photosensitizer from a precursor photosensitizer in the epidermis or epithelial tissue. Subsequent application of a treatment radiation can activate the photosensitizer to damage or destroy target sites while the non-target tissue remains substantially unaffected.

The present invention is drawn to methods and compounds for transcutaneous photodynamic therapy ("PDT") of a target tissue or compositions in a mammalian subject, which includes administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a photosensitizing agent or a photosensitizing agent delivery system or a prodrug where the photosensitizing agent or photosensitizing agent delivery system or prodrug selectively binds to the target tissue; and irradiating at least a portion of the subject with light at a wavelength absorbed by the photosensitizing agent or if prodrug, by a prodrug product thereof where the light is provided by a light source, and where the irradiation is at low fluence rate that results in the activation of the photosensitizing agent or prodrug product. These methods of transcutaneous PDT are useful in the treatment of specifically selected target tissues, such as: vascular endothelial tissue abnormal vascular wall of tumors; tumors of the head and neck; tumors of the gastrointestinal tract; tumors of the liver; tumors of the esophopharyngeal; tumors of the lung; lymphoid tissue; lesions in the vascular system; hone marrow and tissue related to autoimmune disease.

Dye-peptide conjugates useful for diagnostic imaging and therapy are disclosed. The dye-peptide conjugates include several cyanine dyes with a variety of bis- and tetrakis(carboxylic acid) homologues. The small size of the compounds allows more favorable delivery to tumor cells as compared to larger molecular weight imaging agents. The various dyes are useful over the range of 350-1300 nm, the exact range being dependent upon the particular dye. Use of dimethylsulfoxide helps to maintain the fluorescence of the compounds. The molecules of the invention are useful for diagnostic imaging and therapy, in endoscopic applications for the detection of tumors and other abnormalities and for localized therapy, for photoacoustic tumor imaging, detection and therapy, and for sonofluorescence tumor imaging, detection and therapy.

The invention relates to an amphiphilic illuminant with aggregation induced emission characteristics and applications thereof. The illuminant is prepared by connecting a hydrophilia unit on a classical hydrophobicity unit of the classical aggregation induced emission characteristics (AIE), and can be applied to a fluorescent light chemical sensor and is used for preparing fluorescent light coloring agent which is used for coloring living cells and animal imaging fluorescent light. The amphiphilic coloring agent is specifically suitable for the fluorescent light mark on biopolymer, and can be used as a biocompatibility probe for AIE activation so that the amphiphilic coloring agent can be applied to clinic cancer imaging, diagnose and treatment.

Bio-Inks and methods of using compositions comprising the bio-Inks are disclosed. 3-D tissue repair and regeneration through precise and specific formation of biodegradable tissue scaffolds in a tissue site using the bio-inks are also provided. Specific methylacrylated gelatin hydrogels (MAC) and methacrylated chitosan (MACh) preparations formulated with sucrose, a silicate-containing component (such as laponite), and/or a cross-linking agent (such as a photo-initiator or chemical initiator), as well as powdered preparations of these, are also disclosed. Kits containing these preparations are provided for point-of-care tissue repair in vivo. Superior, more complete (up to 99.85% tissue regeneration within 4 weeks applied in situ), and rapid in situ tissue repair and bone formation are also demonstrated.

Delivery systems and methods for delivering riboflavin (R/F) and UVA irradiation to the sclera are disclosed. The R/F is delivered and then activated with UVA irradiation through the use of LEDs or optical fibers, thereby causing cross-linking of the collagen tissue. Delivery systems include implantable structures which provide surfaces that conform to the sclera. The delivery systems include various types of structures for delivery of R/F onto the sclera surface. Additionally, the delivery systems include UVA sources which provide irradiation of R/F in sclera collagen tissue.