Dye compounds as photoactive agents

1. A compound of the formula

E-L-DYE-X—Y

for use in a medical phototherapeutic procedure, the compound used to cause at least one of necrosis or apoptosis of a target tissue, wherein:

DYE is a photoactive type 2 photodynamic therapy (PDT) agent that may further comprise a photoactive diagnostic agent, a photoactive type 1 phototherapeutic agent, another photoactive type 2 PDT agent, or a combination thereof wherein said type 2 PDT agent operates through a type 2 mechanism requiring formation of singlet oxygen for causing tissue damage;

Y is a photoactive type 1 phototherapeutic agent that may further comprise another photoactive type 1 phototherapeutic agent, a photoactive type 2 PDT agent, or a combination thereof wherein said type 1 phototherapeutic agent operates through a type 1 mechanism, does not require oxygen for tissue damage and comprises azide or sulfenate moities;

E is a targeting component for targeting the compound to an anatomical and/or physiological site of a patient;

L is a linking component for linking E to DYE where L is selected from the group consisting of —(CH 2 ) a —, —(CH 2 ) b CONR 1 —, —N(R 2 )CO(CH 2 ) c —, —OCO(CH 2 ) d —, —(CH 2 ) e CO 2 —, —OCONH—, —OCO 2 —, —HNCONH—, —HNCSNH—, —HNNHCO—, —OSO 2 —, —NR 3 (CH 2 ) e CONR 4 —, —CONR 5 (CH 2 ) f NR 6 CO—, and —NR 7 CO(CH 2 ) g CONR 8 —; and

X is a linking component for linking DYE to Y where X is selected from the group consisting of —(CH 2 ) h —, —HNCO—, —(CH 2 ) i CO—, and —(CH 2 ) j OCO— where a to j independently range from 0 to 10.

2. A method of using a compound in a medical phototherapeutic procedure, the method comprising:

administering a compound to a patient; and

exposing the administered compound to at least one of visible or infrared light while the compound is at least one of on or in the patient, the compound used to cause at least one of necrosis or apoptosis of a target tissue, wherein the compound is

E-L-DYE-X—Y

wherein:

DYE is a photoactive type 2 photodynamic therapy (PDT) agent that may further comprise a photoactive diagnostic agent, a photoactive type 1 phototherapeutic agent, another photoactive type 2 PDT agent, or a combination thereof wherein said type 2 PDT agent operates through a type 2 mechanism requiring formation of singlet oxygen for causing tissue damage;

Y is a photoactive type 1 phototherapeutic agent that may further comprise another photoactive type 1 phototherapeutic agent, a photoactive type 2 PDT agent, or a combination thereof wherein said type 1 phototherapeutic agent operates through a type 1 mechanism, does not require oxygen for tissue damage and comprises azide or sulfenate moities;

E is a targeting component for targeting the compound to an anatomical and/or physiological site of a patient;

L is a linking component for linking E to DYE where L is selected from the group consisting of —(CH 2 ) a —, —(CH 2 ) b CONR 1 —, —N(R 2 )CO(CH 2 ) c —, —OCO(CH 2 ) d —, —(CH 2 ) e CO 2 —, —OCONH—, —OCO 2 —, —HNCONH—, —HNCSNH—, —HNNHCO—, —OSO 2 —, —NR 3 (CH 2 ) e CONR 4 —, —CONR 5 (CH 2 ) f NR 6 CO—, and —NR 7 CO(CH 2 ) g CONR 8 —; and

X is a linking component for linking DYE to Y where X is selected from the group consisting of —(CH 2 ) h —, —OCO—, —HNCO—, —(CH 2 ) i CO—, and —(CH 2 ) j OCO—,

the method resulting in combined type 1 and type 2 therapy

where a to j independently range from 0 to 10.