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Abstract

Disclosed are compositions and methods that can be used to effect a photodynamic therapy (PDT) such as cancer treatment or gene transcription. Compositions include light-emitting nanoparticles that absorb light of one wavelength emitted by a light source and emit light of another wavelength that activates a PDT drug. Light-emitting nanoparticles include quantum dots, nanocrystals, and quantum rods as well as mixtures of these nanoparticles. The nanoparticles may be delivered to a patient in a liquid carrier or as part of a solid carrier such as a biocompatible polymeric film, a polymeric sheath, or other carrier suitable for introduction at the site to be treated. In one embodiment of the invention, light-emitting nanoparticles are localized at the treatment site by either joining them to the PDT drug covalently or non-covalently through linkage groups such as biotin/avidin, or the nanoparticles are localized at the treatment site by attaching the nanoparticles to a linkage group that has affinity for e.g. cells or proteins produced at the site to the treated. A sufficient number of light-emitting nanoparticles are delivered to the treatment site to activate the PDT drug and effect treatment.

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First Claim