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Light shines on antibodies

By Clive Cookson
Published: November 16 2007 (see article on FT.com)

Researchers at Imperial College London have combined two of the most promising new approaches to cancer treatment: antibodies and light-activation. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) attacks tumours with drugs that become active only when light shines on them. PDT has had some success in treating cancers of the prostate, skin and head and neck but it is limited by inability to target the drugs precisely at the tumour - leading to side-effects.

The Imperial College scientists have succeeded in linking PDT drugs to antibodies, which are used in targeted cancer treatment. Their success came when they switched to using active fragments of antibodies rather than full-sized antibodies. The research is published online in the International Journal of Cancer.

Animal tests show that antibody-linked PDT can cure cancer in mice. Mahendra Deonarain from Imperial College said: "Our initial results are extremely promising and we hope to take this forward into clinical trials in the near future." The research will be commercialised by PhotoBiotics, an Imperial spin-out company.