IP Library › Patent Application 12071501
Patent Application
App. No. 12/071,501

Photochemotherapeutic method using 5-aminolevulinic acid and other precursors of endogenous porphyrins

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Patent No.
US None
App. No.
12/071,501
Abstract

Methods of detecting and treating rapidly growing exogenous cells, such as Protista , or parasites, that preferentially accumulate a photoactivatable porphyrin in which 5-aminolevulinic acid or precursor thereof is administered to the patient, or contacted to the exogenous cells, in an amount sufficient to induce synthesis fluorescence and/or photosensitizing concentrations of a protoporphyrin IX in the exogenous cells, followed by exposure of the exogenous cells to light of photoactivating wavelengths.

Claims (16)

1 . A method of treating a lesion of the digestive mucosa, comprising

(a) administering to a patient a compound that induces accumulation of protoporphyrin IX in said lesion and then

(b) exposing said lesion to a wavelength of light within the photoactivating spectrum of protoporphyrin IX.

2 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein said wavelength of light is generated using an artificial light source.

3 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein said wavelength of light is limited to the group of wavelengths consisting of 350 to 700 nanometers.

4 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the photoactivating light is limited to the red and blue regions of the spectrum.

5 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein said compound is 5-aminolevulinic acid.

6 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein said lesion is esophageal.

7 . A method of treating a lesion of the digestive mucosa, comprising

(a) administering to a patient a compound that, in the heme biosynthetic pathway, bypasses the synthesis of 5-aminolevulinic acid and then

(b) exposing said lesion to a wavelength of light within the photoactivating spectrum of protoporphyrin IX.

8 . A method according to claim 7 , wherein said wavelength of light is generated using an artificial light source.

9 . A method according to claim 7 , wherein said wavelength of light is limited to the group of wavelengths consisting of 350 to 700 nanometers.

10 . A method according to claim 7 , wherein the photoactivating light is limited to the red and blue regions of the spectrum.

11 . A method according to claim 7 , wherein said compound is 5-aminolevulinic acid.

12 . A method according to claim 7 , wherein said lesion is esophageal.