Photochemical internalization

Abstract

The invention relates to methods of introducing drugs into cells which are located in body cavities. In particular, it provides a photosensitizing agent for use in a method of introducing a drug mol. into the cytosol of a cell located within a body cavity, said method comprising the step of contacting said cell with said photosensitizing agent and said drug mol., and irradiating the cell with light of a wavelength effective to activate the photosensitizing agent. Such methods are particularly suitable for use in the delivery of cytotoxic drugs in the treatment of cancer, esp. bladder cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, brain cancer, colorectal cancer and cancers of the oral and nasal cavity. Thus, meso-tetraphenyl porphyrin disulfonate bis(triethylamine) prepd. from the free acid was dissolved in methanol and an excess of ethanolamine added; the soln. was stirred for 15 min before the solvent was removed in vacuo at 30 °C with a rotary evaporator; this procedure was repeated two more times to give meso-tetraphenyl porphyrin disulfonate bis(monoethanolamine) ((MEA)2-TPPS2a). [on SciFinder(R)]