Research Spotlight: Accurate Delivery of Chemicals and Intense Light on Infected Areas Only for Targeted Therapy Inside the Body

Abstract

Bacteria and virus deactivation is performed inside and on the skin of the body using the novel device described in this paper. This device delivers on the infected spot only the needed amount of drug and light necessary for therapy, while the excess is siphoned out, thus eliminating the deleterious affects that maybe caused by intravenous injection. A charged coupled device provides means for visual monitoring of the therapeutic reaction and an LED or laser diode supplies the intense light for the photochemical deactivation. The spectra and kinetics of the photochemical reaction that generate the reactive species, such as ¹O₂ and OH radicals that are responsible for pathogen deactivation, are presented. Topical therapy experiments on New Zealand rabbits are described.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The University holds the patents rights and negotiates commercialization of the following patents. Patent information: Effect of pH on bacteria photo-inactivation. Inventors: Peter M Rentzepis, Jie Chen, Thomas C Cesario, US Provisional Patent application serial no. 61/453,681, filed 17 March 2011. Fiber-based photochemical therapy devices, methods and compositions. Inventors: Peter M Rentzepis, Jie Chen, Thomas C Cesario, US Provisional Patent application, serial no. 61/418,638, filed 1 December 2010. Both are assigned to The University of California, USA. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.