Tag Archives: drug delivery

Development of thermosensitive liposomes with the help of ML8500

Background The proper delivery and release of therapeutic drugs to a specific site or cell type is one of the main challenges in the treatment of diseases. Liposomes, which are vesicles composed of lipids, serve as carriers for drug delivery thanks to their long circulation time. This results to reduced toxicity in healthy tissues and improved therapeutic efficacy of encapsulated drugs. However, conventional liposomes can often be even too stabile, leading to insufficient drug release at the target site. Light activation can offer a solution Continue reading →Customer case Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology led by Professor Timo Laaksonen on controlled drug release and delivery using modern methods and materials. Particular interest lies in using light to both monitor nanomaterial behavior and to trigger e.g. drug release processes. Modulight products: ML8500, ML6600, MLAKIT Prof. Timo Laaksonen Dr. Tatu Lajunen Laser use: Light-triggered drug release studies from light-activated liposomes. ML8500 with 808 nm wavelength was used to induce the release of calcein from liposomes under different temperatures. The effect of different type of lipids on liposomal Continue reading →

Modulight Spotlights: LASER-SHARP RESEARCH – March 2024

 Modulight Spotlights: LASER-SHARP RESEARCH – March 2024 Glioblastoma is the most aggressive type of brain tumor. It is hard to treat because of its invasion into functioning brain tissues, limited drug delivery due to blood-brain-barrier, and evolved treatment resistance. To address these challenges, a light-activated nanoformulation, called nanoVP, was developed for glioblastoma in a new study co-led by John Quinlan and Collin Inglut in Dr. Huang’s team at the University of Maryland. Published in a prestigious journal Advanced Science, this novel therapy resulted in an improved tumor control and survival Continue reading →

Carrier-Free, Amorphous Verteporfin Nanodrug for Enhanced Photodynamic Cancer Therapy and Brain Drug Delivery

Published in: Advanced Science Authors: John A. Quinlan, Collin T. Inglut, Payal Srivastava, Idrisa Rahman, Jillian Stabile, Brandon Gaitan, Carla Arnau Del Valle, Kaylin Baumiller, Anandita Gaur, Wen-An Chiou, Baktiar Karim, Nina Connolly, Robert W. Robey, Graeme F. Woodworth, Michael M. Gottesman, Huang-Chiao Huang University of Maryland  Published in: Advanced Science Authors: John A. Quinlan, Collin T. Inglut, Payal Srivastava, Idrisa Rahman, Jillian Stabile, Brandon Gaitan, Carla Arnau Del Valle, Kaylin Baumiller, Anandita Gaur, Wen-An Chiou, Baktiar Karim, Nina Connolly, Robert W. Robey, Graeme F. Woodworth, Michael M. Gottesman, Huang-Chiao Huang University of Maryland Glioblastoma (GBM) is hard to treat due to cellular invasion into functioning brain tissues, limited drug delivery, and evolved treatment resistance. Recurrence is nearly universal even after surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves photosensitizer administration followed by light activation to generate reactive oxygen species at tumor sites, thereby killing cells or Continue reading →

Modulight Spotlights: LASER-SHARP RESEARCH – September 2023

 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 →

Transient fluid flow improves photoimmunoconjugate delivery and photoimmunotherapy efficacy

Published in: iScience Authors: Aaron J. Sorrin, Keri Zhou, Katherine May, Cindy Liu, Kathryn McNaughton, Idrisa Rahman, Barry J. Liang, Imran Rizvi, Dana M. Roque, Huang-Chiao Huang    Published in: iScience Authors: Aaron J. Sorrin, Keri Zhou, Katherine May, Cindy Liu, Kathryn McNaughton, Idrisa Rahman, Barry J. Liang, Imran Rizvi, Dana M. Roque, Huang-Chiao Huang   The study showed that fluid flow induced shear stress increased the photocytotoxicity of different photosensitizers tested (BPD, PIC, PIC-coated liposome) against ovarian cancer cells. The cellular delivery of photosensitizers doubled compared to static conditions. Modulight laser was used for PDT activation together with photosensitizer(s). Circulating drugs in the peritoneal cavity is an effective strategy for advanced ovarian Continue reading →

Laser platform and light delivery optimization for bladder cancer treatment with a novel photosensitive drug

Presented in: SPIE BIOS 2023 Authors: Zoe Ylöniemi, Elias Kokko, Visa Kaivosoja, Ana Colucci, Eerika Suokas, Jukka-Pekka Alanko, Petteri Uusimaa, Modulight Corp.    Presented in: SPIE BIOS 2023 Authors: Zoe Ylöniemi, Elias Kokko, Visa Kaivosoja, Ana Colucci, Eerika Suokas, Jukka-Pekka Alanko, Petteri Uusimaa, Modulight Corp.   Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is a form of cancer with a relatively high 5-year survival rate but also very high recurrence rate. Photodynamic diagnosis is commonly used in standard clinical practice to visualize bladder cancer lesions as part of a TURBT procedure but photodynamic treatments utilizing photosensitive drugs have had limited success in clinical setting partly because of limitations in light Continue reading →

Novel ophthalmic PDT laser platform to target oncology and various other retinal indications

Presented in: SPIE BIOS 2023 Authors: Laura Vesala, Eero Koivumäki, Jukka-Pekka Alanko, Timo Tanila, Ivan Baldin, Zoe Ylöniemi, Petteri Uusimaa, Modulight Corp.    Presented in: SPIE BIOS 2023 Authors: Laura Vesala, Eero Koivumäki, Jukka-Pekka Alanko, Timo Tanila, Ivan Baldin, Zoe Ylöniemi, Petteri Uusimaa, Modulight Corp.   Laser systems, in ophthalmic applications, are utilized in the treatment of various ophthalmic diseases such as in ocular oncology and age-related macular degeneration through photochemical mechanism of photodynamic therapy. In addition, these lasers can be used to activate drug delivery systems in the retina to provide targeted drug therapy. PDT is a form of a combination treatment which utilizes light energy to Continue reading →

Optimization of light delivery for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer PDT

Presented in: SPIE BIOS 2023 Authors: Elias Kokko, Robert Perttilä, Zoe Ylöniemi, Visa Kaivosoja, Jukka-Pekka Alanko, Petteri Uusimaa, Modulight Corp.    Presented in: SPIE BIOS 2023 Authors: Elias Kokko, Robert Perttilä, Zoe Ylöniemi, Visa Kaivosoja, Jukka-Pekka Alanko, Petteri Uusimaa, Modulight Corp.   Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is a form of cancer with a relatively high 5-year survival rate but also very high recurrence rate. Photodynamic diagnosis is commonly used in standard clinical practice to visualize bladder cancer lesions as part of a TURBT procedure but photodynamic treatments utilizing photosensitive drugs have had limited success in clinical setting partly because of limitations in light sources and Continue reading →

Light-induced cytotoxicity in cells utilizing an automated well plate illuminator

Presented in: SPIE BIOS 2023 Authors: Laura Vesala, Robert Perttilä, Elias Kokko, Johannes Kivelä, Lasse Orsila, Petteri Uusimaa    Presented in: SPIE BIOS 2023 Authors: Laura Vesala, Robert Perttilä, Elias Kokko, Johannes Kivelä, Lasse Orsila, Petteri Uusimaa   Delivering therapeutic drug molecules to the target site and releasing the cargo site-specifically is of major interest in biomedicine. To carry and release drugs to specific target tissues, different nanotechnology approaches have been utilized. These include light-sensitive liposomal carriers, which have been engineered to release cargo from their aqueous cores when illuminated by certain wavelengths of laser light. To study drug release parameters in vitro, Modulight Continue reading →

Light-induced drug delivery with indocyanine green liposomes

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 →