Modulight Spotlights: LASER-SHARP RESEARCH – November 2023 The development of modern antibiotics is recognized as one of the major achievements of medicine and has saved millions of lives. However, many infectious agents have developed resistance to antibiotics over time, and defining new antibiotic targets has been difficult since very few genes are essential for pathogens. To combat this growing problem, Professor Timothy Haystead’s team at Duke University developed a novel light-based antimicrobial strategy that targets non-essential enzyme on the surface of bacteria. Light activation was Continue reading →

Published in: Cell Chemical Biology Authors: Dave L. Carlson, Mark Kowalewski, Khaldon Bodoor, Matthew R. Redinbo, Neil Spector, Timothy A.J. Haystead Duke University Conventional antimicrobial discovery relies on targeting essential enzymes in pathogenic organisms, contributing to a paucity of new antibiotics to address resistant strains. Here, by targeting a non-essential enzyme, Borrelia burgdorferi HtpG, to deliver lethal payloads, we expand what can be considered druggable within any pathogen. We synthesized HS-291, an HtpG inhibitor tethered to the photoactive toxin verteporfin. Reactive oxygen species, generated by light, enables Continue reading →

Modulight Spotlights: LASER-SHARP RESEARCH – October 2023 ​Antimicrobial resistance is an increasing healthcare problem, with new effective treatment strategies urgently needed. Professor Mitsunaga and team at The Jikei University Medical School, Japan, describe a promising treatment called photoimmuno-antimicrobial strategy (PIAS) in a new Nature publication. Detailed instructions how to design and implement the treatment are given, with Modulight’s ML7710 and ML6600 series lasers validated for drug activation in the protocol. This treatment enables targeted elimination of different microbes, regardless of the species or drug resistance Continue reading →

Published in: Nature Protocols Authors: Tadayuki Iwase, Kimihiro Ito, Takashi Nishimura, Kei Miyakawa, Akihide Ryo, Hisataka Kobayashi, Makoto Mitsunaga The Jikei University School of Medicine Microbial pathogens, including bacteria, fungi and viruses, can develop resistance to clinically used drugs; therefore, finding new therapeutic agents is an ongoing challenge. Recently, we reported the photoimmuno-antimicrobial strategy (PIAS), a type of photoimmunotechnology, that enables molecularly targeted elimination of a wide range of microbes, including the viral pathogen severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and the multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogen Continue reading →

Modulight Spotlights: LASER-SHARP RESEARCH – September 2023 Head & neck cancer is world’s sixth most common cancer, with increasing incidence and poor survival. A new study by P. Enzian & R. Rahmanzadeh at University of Lübeck, studied combining chemotherapy with photochemical internalization for more effective H&N cancer treatment in vitro. Photochemical internalization using photosensitizer fimaporfin, activated with Modulight’s ML6600 laser, was shown to increase drug’s efficacy by means of better drug delivery inside the cells. As a result, tumor cell death was achieved using 20-fold Continue reading →

Published in: Science Advances Authors: Barry J. Liang(1,2), Sumiao Pang(1), Robert Perttilä(3), Chen-Hua Ma(1), Payal Srivastava(1), Brandon Gaitan(1), Aaron J. Sorrin (1), Nada Fadul(1), Zoe Ylöniemi(3), Dana M. Roque(4,5), Tayyaba Hasan(6), Petteri Uusimaa(3), Huang-Chiao Huang(1,4*) (1) Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland (2) Laboratory of Cell Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (3) Modulight Corp., Finland (4) Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine (5) Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University Continue reading →

Modulight Spotlights: LASER-SHARP RESEARCH – August 2023 Interleukin 15 (IL-15) is promising candidate for cancer immunotherapy, since it is an inducer of differentiation and proliferation of killer T cells and NK cells. A new study by Fukushima et al. at NCI, published in Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, shows increase in therapeutic efficacy in vivo when IL15 was combined with photoimmunotherapy using ML7710 laser system. Intratumoral injection of IL-15 also boosted the immune responses against both the primary tumor as well as abscopal effect eradicating distant, untreated tumor.​ ​​ Read original publication Modulight Continue reading →

Published in: Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology Authors: Timothy M. Baran, Ashwani Kumar Sharma   This article presents a successful case study from an ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial where methylene blue together with ML7710 is used to eradicate bacteria and biofilm in the treatment of persistent abscesses. The potential of Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is explored as an adjunct treatment for recurrent or challenging-to-manage abdominal abscesses during percutaneous drainage procedures. Despite advancements in abscess drainage techniques and antibiotics, some cases exhibit low response rates and recurrences, Continue reading →