UTA chemist develops cancer medication that uses light to destroy tumor cells
A chemist at The University of Texas at Arlington is developing a cancer medication that uses light to target and destroy tumor cells in a process known as photodynamic therapy (PDT).
Sherri McFarland, professor of chemistry, and her team of researchers have developed a chemical compound containing the transition metal ruthenium. When ruthenium absorbs light, it produces a powerful oxygen reaction. When the ruthenium-containing molecule, light and oxygen all interact with one another, they become highly selective cancer-fighting agents that do not affect surrounding healthy tissue.
McFarland s photodrug, TLD-1433, is currently in a phase II clinical study for patients with recurring bladder cancer that has proven resistant to traditional therapies.
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