# Interstitial Intensity Modulated Photodynamic Therapy Phase II

> **NIH NIH R44** · SIMPHOTEK, INC. · 2020 · $2,500

## Abstract

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a cancer treatment that utilizes visible or near-infrared light to activate a light-
sensitive drug (photosensitizer, PS) that, in turn, creates reactive singlet oxygen species from ground triplet
state oxygen that is present in the tumor. The resulting reactive products induce tissue death. Ideally the
reactive species will be produced within only the target volume, leading to damage of the tumor or diseased
tissues, while minimizing damage to surrounding normal tissue. Unlike chemotherapy, PDT does not cause
systemic toxicities, and unlike radiation therapy it does not cause cumulative damage in the local field. When
an external light beam is used to treat superficial surface or intracavitary surface cancers, the effective depth of
light penetration and treatment is limited to < 10 mm. For deeply seated tumors or tumors that are more than
10 mm in thickness, intra-tumor light delivery (interstitial PDT, I-PDT) is required to activate the PS.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10241561
- **Project number:** 3R44CA213654-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** SIMPHOTEK, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Mary Potasek
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $2,500
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2017-06-01 → 2021-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10241561

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10241561, Interstitial Intensity Modulated Photodynamic Therapy Phase II (3R44CA213654-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10241561. Licensed CC0.

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