Method for photo-altering a biological system to improve biological effect

US6095147A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The Regents of the University of California · US

Inventors

• Richard A. Hill · Irvine, US
• Daniel R. Doiron · Santa Ynez, US
• David H. Crean · Lompoc, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 1, 1994
• Grant date: Aug 1, 2000
• Expiry date: Dec 1, 2014

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61N5/062
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Photodynamic therapy is a new adjunctive therapy for filtration surgery that does not use chemotherapy agents or radiation, but uses pharmacologically-active sensitizing compounds to produce a titratable, localized, transient, post operative avascular conjunctiva. A photosensitizing agent in a biological system is selectively activated by delivering the photosensitive agent to the biological system and laser activating only a spatially selected portion of the delivered photosensitive agent. The activated portion of the photosensitive agent reacts with the biological system to obtain a predetermined biological effect. As a result, an improved spatial disposition and effectuation of the biological effect by the photosensitive agent in the biological system is achieved.