Tag Archives: MLAKIT

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 – January 2024

 Modulight Spotlights: LASER-SHARP RESEARCH – January 2024 Phototherapy is widely established treatment for skin diseases like actinic keratosis, cutaneous infections, and skin tumors, resulting in excellent cosmetic outcomes. However, some clinically used light sensitizing drugs have drawbacks such as limited penetration depth and high painfulness to patient. In a new study by Andreea Burloiu and the teams at Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, new photoactivated drugs were developed for treatment of skin diseases. ML6600 laser with MLAKIT was used to evaluate the effect Continue reading →

Modulight Spotlights: LASER-SHARP RESEARCH – April 2023

 Modulight Spotlights: LASER-SHARP RESEARCH – April 2023 Metastases remain the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. To combat this problem, Ruben V. Huis in ‘t Veld et al. combined immune checkpoint inhibitors with a light-activated virus-drug conjugate in their preclinical study. As published in Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy journal, the combination was effective against metastatic tumors and in most cases even resulted in complete responses to therapy. ​​ Read original publication   Modulight is very happy to be supporting this research. We would like to deliver our Continue reading →

Immune checkpoint inhibition combined with targeted therapy using a novel virus‑like drug conjugate induces complete responses in a murine model of local and distant tumors

Published in: Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy Authors: Ruben V. Huis in ‘t Veld, Sen Ma, Rhonda C. Kines, Anneli Savinainen, Cadmus Rich, Ferry Ossendorp, Martine J. Jager    Published in: Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy Authors: Ruben V. Huis in ‘t Veld, Sen Ma, Rhonda C. Kines, Anneli Savinainen, Cadmus Rich, Ferry Ossendorp, Martine J. Jager   AU-011 combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) was studied in murine models. This has potential to improve treatment efficacy against metastatic tumors by abscopal immune effects. ICI was shown to increase AU-011 efficacy and also result in abscopal effect and induced complete responses in 75% of animals. ML6700 was used as illumination source for PDT. Metastases remain the 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 →

Photothermal therapy with platinum nanoparticles

Photothermal therapy efficiency Human ovarian cancer cells were plated on Petri dishes and incubated with platinum nanoparticles of varying sizes between 30 and 70 nm. After 24-hour incubation, irradiation was performed using a Modulight ML6600 laser at 808 nm together with an illumination kit (MLAKIT) tailored for Petri dish illumination. A small area of the dish was illuminated with the laser for five minutes with 45 W/cm2 irradiance. Calcein cell viability staining was performed 24 hours after the laser treatment and cells were examined with a Continue reading →Customer case Experimental Biophysics and Optical Manipulation research group studies biophysical properties of the cells using advanced optical techniques like optical trapping and nanoscale thermoplasmonics. Biophysical studies include the dynamics of plasma membrane, the effect of proteins on the membrane mechanisms of plasma membrane ruptures. Another important research area is photothermal therapy (PTT) using near-infrared laser to heat metallic nanoparticles. This heating of nanoparticles is also studied to deliver RNA therapeutics into the tumor tissue.  PET imaging is used to monitor treatment effects. Modulight products: ML6600 Continue reading →

Vision-sparing targeted phototherapy for uveal melanoma

Preliminary investigation of AU-011     Related Modulight products and Services   Related Publications Virus-Like Particle-Drug Conjugates Induce Protective, Long-lasting Adaptive Antitumor Immunity in the Absence of Specifically Targeted Tumor Antigens Rhonda C. Kines, Cynthia D. Thompson, Sean Spring, Zhenyu Li, Elisabet de los Pinos, Stephen Monks and John T. Schiller Cancer Immunology Research, 2021, 9 (6)   A Phase 1b/2 Open-label Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of AU-011 for the Treatment of Choroidal Melanoma Prithvi Mruthyunjaya, Amy C. Schefler, Ivana K. Continue reading →Customer case Aura Biosciences, headquartered in Cambridge, MA, is developing a new class of photoactivated therapy for cancer patients together with National Cancer Institute, Emory Eye Center and Wills Eye Hospital. The therapy is based on virus-like conjugates and its primary indication is uveal melanoma. The goal is to eventually develop this technology for multiple cancer indications, such as non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), for which plans are underway to conduct a clinical trial. Dr. Carol Shields, MD – Aura Biosciences Dr. Rhonda Kines, PhD – Continue reading →

Virus-like particle-drug conjugates induce protective, long-lasting adaptive anti-tumor immunity in the absence of specifically targeted tumor antigens

Published in: Cancer Immunology Research Authors: Rhonda C Kines, Cynthia D Thompson, Sean Spring, Zhenyu Li, Elisabet de los Pinos, Stephen Monks, John T Schiller       Related application note: Vision-sparing targeted phototherapy for uveal melanoma  Published in: Cancer Immunology Research Authors: Rhonda C Kines, Cynthia D Thompson, Sean Spring, Zhenyu Li, Elisabet de los Pinos, Stephen Monks, John T Schiller   This study examined the ability of a papillomavirus-like particle drug-conjugate (AU-011) to eradicate subcutaneous tumors after intravenous injection and to subsequently elicit long-term anti-tumor immunity in the TC-1 syngeneic murine tumor model. Also the combination of AU-011 with immune checkpoint inhibitor antibodies (anti-CTLA-4 or anti-PD-1) was studied and improved therapeutic efficacy. Modulight laser + MLAKIT was used only for Continue reading →

Modulight Spotlights: LASER-SHARP RESEARCH – April 2021

Modulight Spotlights: LASER-SHARP RESEARCH – April 2021 Dr. Rhonda Kines and the team at Aura Biosciences reported promising results of their VLP (virus-like particle) photosensitizer-conjugate eliciting strong and long-lasting anti-tumor immune responses, as well as potential to combine this agent with immune checkpoint inhibitors for even improved antitumor efficacy. Read original publication   Modulight is very happy to be supporting this research. We would like to deliver our warmest congratulations to the research team!   #LaserSharpResearch #ModulightInScience   #LasersInScience #KillCancer #UvealMelanoma   Modulight products used: Continue reading →

Effects and side-effects of plasmonic photothermal therapy in brain tissue

Published in: Cancer Nanotechnology Authors: Yue He, Kristoffer Laugesen, Dana Kamp, Salik Ahmad Sultan, Lene Broeng Oddershede, Liselotte Jauffred    Published in: Cancer Nanotechnology Authors: Yue He, Kristoffer Laugesen, Dana Kamp, Salik Ahmad Sultan, Lene Broeng Oddershede, Liselotte Jauffred   Laser was used for plasmonic photothermal therapy (PPTT) studies using gold nanoshells in brain tissue phantom and different porcine cerebral tissues. The electromagnetic field of a laser beam resonates with the plasmonic field of the nanoparticles, which absorb the incident light. The absorbed energy is dissipated as heat and causes hyperthermia in tumor.   Read the article here