Light-induced drug delivery with indocyanine green liposomes

August 30, 2022 by Modulight Content
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Introduction to light-controlled drug delivery systems Study description It is important that light-triggered liposomes efficiently release their contents, while the liposome stability should be maintained in the absence of laser light. The aim of this study is to determine how liposomal stability and drug release are affected by liposomal formulation. Indocyanine green was used as the light-sensitizing compound in the liposomes since it is clinically approved light-sensitive agent. Three different liposomal formulations were prepared: Formulation A: ICG in the aqueous core, liposomes coated Formulation B: ICG in the liposomal Continue reading →Customer case Faculty of Pharmacy at University of Helsinki is specialized in top-level pharmaceutical research. Multidisciplinary research fields include clinical pharmacy, experimental drugs, nanomedicines, and pharmaceutical drug design. Drug delivery unit led by Professor Arto Urtti focuses on design and testing of advanced drug delivery systems especially for ocular indications. Light is studied as an important tool to control the drug delivery to the target tissues. Modulight products: ML6600 (810 nm) + Modulight in vitro illumination kit (MLAKIT) Professor Arto Urtti   Senior Pharmaceutical Researcher Tatu Continue reading →

Fluorescence imaging & endoscopy for tumor visualization and diagnostics

July 6, 2022 by Modulight Content
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Fluorescence detection in endoscopy Endoscopic imaging is typically performed using normal white light. However, certain tumors can be difficult to detect under white light since all structures are illuminated without specificity to malignant lesions. Fluorescence endoscopy is for this reason increasingly used in cancer diagnostics and surveillance to improve detection of cancerous and precancerous lesions. Special fluorescent dyes are normally administered to patient and preferentially accumulate into malignant lesions and this way increase contrast between malignant and heathy tissues when excited when specific wavelength of Continue reading →Introduction to fluorescence imaging Fluorescence is a phenomenon where substance that has absorbed certain wavelength of light emits it back at another wavelength. These substances are called fluorophores or fluorescent dyes. The emitted light has a longer wavelength than the absorbed one since some energy of the photon is lost in the process. The difference in wavelengths between absorbed and emitted light, called Stokes shift, allows very low background for fluorescence detection by separating it from the excitation light. The process of fluorescence generation is Continue reading →

Flow cytometry

March 28, 2022 by Modulight Content
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Introduction Flow cytometry is a widely used method in biomedical research and increasingly also in clinical diagnostics. It is a powerful and rapid technique to analyze physical and chemical properties of single cells or particles as they are suspended in liquid and pass in a narrow line across laser beams. Fluorescence together with scattered laser light is then filtered, detected, and analyzed on the other side of the sample. In addition to analysis, many flow cytometers can also sort and purify cell populations of interest Continue reading →Introduction Flow cytometry is a widely used method in biomedical research and increasingly also in clinical diagnostics. It is a powerful and rapid technique to analyze physical and chemical properties of single cells or particles as they are suspended in liquid and pass in a narrow line across laser beams. Fluorescence together with scattered laser light is then filtered, detected, and analyzed on the other side of the sample. In addition to analysis, many flow cytometers can also sort and purify cell populations of interest Continue reading →

Light-based enhancement of vaccination in humans

December 20, 2021 by Modulight Content
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  Motivation Vaccines should activate all branches of immunity, including T cells and antibody responses, for generating a strong immune response. For therapeutic cancer vaccines, it is especially important to induce strong cytotoxic T-cell responses, since cytotoxic T-cells are the most potent immune cells for killing cancer cells. While cytotoxic T-cells can often be induced  with viral vector and nucleic acid-based vaccines, peptide-based vaccines often induce only weak cytotoxic T-cell responses . When peptide antigens are taken up into antigen presenting cells, they are generally Continue reading →Customer case PCI Biotech is a biopharmaceutical company located in Norway. They are developing a novel light-based technology called photochemical internalization (PCI) that has potential to enhance delivery and efficacy of many types of therapies, including certain chemotherapies, peptide vaccines, and nucleic acid therapies. It can also decrease side effects due to improved spatiotemporal control of the treatment. The technology is currently in a pivotal clinical study for the treatment of inoperable bile duct cancer where PCI with gemcitabine is combined with standard gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy. Continue reading →

Optimizing photosensitizer administration for cancer therapy

December 11, 2021 by Modulight Content
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  Motivation While Photofrin PDT is an approved oncological therapy for multiple indications, its wider use is hindered by prolonged skin photosensitivity lasting several weeks. The aim of this study is to investigate intratumoral Photofrin administration as a way to decrease skin photosensitivity compared to the standard IV injection protocol. Tumor necrosis after PDT was assessed with immunohistochemical staining and Photofrin distributions by fluorescence microscopy.       Results   Anti-tumor efficacy was similar between intratumoral and IV administration; however, smaller doses of Photofrin were Continue reading →Customer case University of Rochester belongs among the nation’s top research universities. Research at the Baran lab focuses on anti-microbial PDT and optical image processing. The aim is to develop methods for utilizing quantitative information from CT, MR and PET imaging for PDT treatment planning as well as in the search of new biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Modulight products: ML7710 (630 & 665 nm) Link to the study: Timothy M. Baran (Ph.D., PI) Laser use: Ongoing clinical Phase 1 safety & feasibility study for methylene Continue reading →

Optimized light delivery in pancreatic cancer

November 10, 2021 by Modulight Content
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Motivation for the study Efficient light delivery to the whole tumor is one of the main aspects of phototherapy. The efficacy of phototherapy has been demonstrated for several cancers via superficial illumination. Interstitial illumination could enhance light delivery deeper inside the tumor and potentially result in more effective tumor eradication. Hence, the aim of this study is to compare if the therapeutic efficacy of phototherapy is dependent on the light delivery strategies.   Results Phototherapy (PT) with both superficial and interstitial illumination methods efficiently eradicated Continue reading →Customer case University of California at Irvine (UCI), founded in 1965, is a Top 10 public university in USA. It is recognized for cutting-edge and innovative scientific research. Modulight products: ML7710 (689 nm) Laser use: Targeted phototherapy studies with photo-immunoconjugates Link to the study: Nzola De Magalhães, Adjunct Assistant Professor   Motivation for the study Efficient light delivery to the whole tumor is one of the main aspects of phototherapy. The efficacy of phototherapy has been demonstrated for several cancers via superficial illumination. Interstitial illumination could Continue reading →

Light penetration depth in brain with different photosensitizers

October 28, 2021 by Modulight Content
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  Motivation for the study Glioblastoma is the most aggressive and lethal brain cancer with an average prognosis of 15 months. Fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) for glioblastoma was FDA-approved in 2017, while photodynamic therapy (PDT) remains an active area of clinical investigation with very promising results so far. The aim of PDT is to eradicate the invasive cancer cells within 2 cm of the resected area where the glioblastoma most often recurs. However, a significant hurdle of this therapy modality is the limited light penetration depth Continue reading →Customer case Research by: University of Maryland, Optical Therapeutics & Nanotechnology Laboratory led by Prof. Huang. Research focuses on precision cancer nanomedicine, drug delivery strategies, overcoming cancer resistance, mechanism-based combination therapies, site-directed photochemistry and fluorescence diagnostics. Modulight has started a joint R&D program with Dr. Huang lab to study novel EGFR-targeted combination therapy/diagnostic agent PIC-Nal-IRI developed by Huang lab. Modulight products: ML6600 laser system (635 nm and 689 nm). Professor Huang-Chiao Huang Laser use: Targeted photodynamic therapy/photoimmunotherapy with benzoporphyrin derivative (BPD) & 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) photosensitizers. Continue reading →

Multimodal imaging microscope for tissue engineering applications

September 14, 2021 by Modulight Content
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  Motivation for the study Tissue engineering is an evolving field of medicine that aims to grow new viable tissue for repairing or regenerating damaged tissues in the body. These tissue constructs are typically made by placing cells in support matrices that have proper growth-inducing factors. However, visualizing the development and composition of these tissue constructs is challenging with currently available optical imaging methods: they are either not capable of producing 3D images at sufficient depth or lack the bright-field imaging functionality. To answer this Continue reading →Customer case Research by: Computational biophysics and imaging research group at Tampere University. Research topics include development of bioimaging, analysis and biophysics based in-silico tools for new personalized treatments and diagnostics. Modulight products: ML6600 (488, 561, and 635 nm) Laser use: Light source for in-house built multimodal 3D imaging microscope used for imaging tissue engineering processes and products.   Professor Jari Hyttinen     Link to the study:   Toni Montonen, Doctoral Researcher     Motivation for the study Tissue engineering is an evolving field of Continue reading →

Light delivery optimization for H&N cancer treatment

August 30, 2021 by Modulight Content
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Results Illumination with one fiber Some level of tissue heating was observed at all used light intensities. At lower intensities (60-100 mW/cm), less than 5% of the tumor was subjected to >60 ⁰C temperature, a point where irreversible thermal damage will immediately occur (photothermal ablation). At intensities of 150-200 mW/cm, 15-20% of the tumor was at >60 ⁰C temperature. At 400 mW/cm, which is FDA-recommended light irradiance for iPDT, a substantial portion of the tumor, up to 60%, was above 60 ⁰C.   Above figures Continue reading →Customer case Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center was founded in 1898 as the first institute in the US devoted exclusively to cancer treatment and research. It is also the place where photodynamic therapy (PDT) was developed in the late 1970s by Thomas Dougherty. The PDT center at Roswell Park is a leader in the use of photodynamic therapy for treating different cancers. Research work includes treatment planning and light dosimetry for interstitial and intraoperative PDT to improve the quality of life and survival of cancer patients Continue reading →

Antimicrobial PDT for prosthetic joint infections

August 21, 2021 by Modulight Content
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Motivation for the study Periprosthetic joint infections after hip and knee replacement surgeries are associated with high patient morbidity and a large financial cost. Challenging two-stage revision surgeries are required with long antibiotics regimes that can have limited efficacy and cannot eradicate drug-resistant strains like MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). This study aims to investigate the potential of photodynamic therapy with methylene blue to eradicate problematic bacteria associated with joint infections.   Results Photos from the original publication. Reproduced under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Continue reading →Customer case Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital at UCL, Stanmore in London, UK is an internationally leading Centre of Excellence and tertiary referral centre for complex orthopedic conditions. Close collaboration between clinicians and engineers facilitates high-quality research into orthopedic implant fixation and bone regeneration. The focus is on translational themes that include biomaterials, stem cells, the design and follow-up of implants, bone graft substitute materials and implant infections. PDT has been studied as an alternative to antibiotics to more effectively tackle infections following hip & knee Continue reading →