Current photodynamic therapy approaches to cancer use photosensitizing agents that are activated by light to produce cytotoxic singlet oxygen, limiting their utility in hypoxic tissues. To modify the current therapy, oxygen independent ruthenium complexes have been developed. Upon visible light activation, the reactive species produce significant damage to plasmid DNA.  One drawback of the current model, however, is that the light needed to activate these agents is in the blue region of the visible spectrum, and cannot penetrate deep into tissue. Chemical modification of existing ruthenium complexes results in a large shift in the absorption spectra to allow for activation by red light. These new compounds are able to produce significant DNA damage in the form of cross-links and single strand breaks with >600 nm light. Therefore, these novel compounds could be used for photodynamic therapy with the light sources currently used in clinical applications.

Ruthenium complexes for photodynamic therapy that absorb red light

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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