NIH licenses cancer-killing near-IR photoimmunotherapy to startup
October 25, 2019
LaserFocusWorld | April 1, 2019: Not only can targeted near-infrared light kill cancer, but it can facilitate the growth of healthy cells to replace cancerous cells, boosting the photoimmune response of the body.
In the process of developing imaging probes and near-infrared (near-IR) fluorophores to aid in the identification of cancerous tumors, senior investigator in the Molecular Imaging Program at the National Cancer Institute/National Institutes of Health (NIH; Bethesda, MD) and leader of the Laboratory of Molecular Theranostics (LMT) Hisataka Kobayashi and LMT colleagues discovered a new dye (IRDye700DX) that is highly lethal to cancer cells when conjugated to an antibody.
In 2012, my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I was ready to do anything for him to be cured. With that sole purpose, I read many scientific papers from all over the world, and I met and talked with numerous experts in the field. How could I cure my father’s cancer? I searched every single possibility available.
That is when I found out about photoimmunotherapy that was only at an early stage of research. Although I had many doubts about this completely new approach, desperate for a miracle, I immediately went to meet the researcher.
Everyone was still doubtful at that stage. But the more I heard about this research, the more it made sense.
I instinctively thought, “This is it.” It was the same feeling I got as when I grasped that the internet would change the world forever. Somehow, wishing to save my father, I immediately made up my mind to support the research personally to speed it up.
Unfortunately, we didn’t make it in time to save my father. But I decided to continue my support. My father who was as an economist always said, “One important mission of corporations is to contribute to humanity.”
Left behind, I resolved to provide this latest treatment to as many people as possible. It will surely be a path fraught with difficulties. But right at this moment there are many who are suffering from cancer, many who wish to save the lives of their loved ones, and I know exactly how they feel.
To provide this treatment as soon as possible, to bring this treatment to as many people as possible, I will not fail to support this research from now on.
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