Non-invasive energy upconversion methods and systems for in-situ photobiomodulation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016263393-A1
Application number	US-201615045524-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 17, 2016
Priority date	Nov 6, 2007
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Products, compositions, systems, and methods for modifying a target structure which mediates or is associated with a biological activity, including treatment of conditions, disorders, or diseases mediated by or associated with a target structure, such as a virus, cell, subcellular structure or extracellular structure. The methods may be performed in situ in a non-invasive manner by placing a nanoparticle having a metallic shell on at least a fraction of a surface in a vicinity of a target structure in a subject and applying an initiation energy to a subject thus producing an effect on or change to the target structure directly or via a modulation agent. The nanoparticle is configured, upon exposure to a first wavelength λ 1 , to generate a second wavelength λ 2 of radiation having a higher energy than the first wavelength λ 1 . The methods may further be performed by application of an initiation energy to a subject in situ to activate a pharmaceutical agent directly or via an energy modulation agent, optionally in the presence of one or more plasmonics active agents, thus producing an effect on or change to the target structure. Kits containing products or compositions formulated or configured and systems for use in practicing these methods.

First claim

1 . A method for modifying a target structure which mediates or is associated with a biological activity, comprising:
placing a nanoparticle in a vicinity of a target structure in a subject in need of treatment, wherein the nanoparticle is configured, upon exposure to a first wavelength λ 1 , to generate a second wavelength λ 2 of radiation having a higher energy than the first wavelength λ 1 , wherein
the nanoparticle is configured to emit light in the vicinity of or into the target structure upon interaction with an initiation energy having an energy in the range of λ1; and
applying the initiation energy including said first wavelength λ1 from an initiation energy source to the subject, wherein the emitted light including said second wavelength λ2 directly or indirectly contacts the target structure and induces a predetermined change in said target structure in situ, wherein said predetermined change modifies the target structure and modulates the biological activity of the target structure.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the nanoparticle comprises a metallic structure deposited in relation to the nanoparticle, and a physical characteristic of the metallic structure is set to a value so that a surface plasmon resonance in the metallic structure resonates at a frequency which provides spectral overlap with at least one the first wavelength λ1 and the second wavelength λ2.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle comprises a dielectric core.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the dielectric core has a diameter ranging from 2 nm to 100 nm.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the nanoparticle comprises a dielectric core.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the metallic structure comprises at least one of a spherical or elliptical shell covering at least a part of said dielectric core.

7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the metallic structure comprises at least one of shell selected from the group consisting of a spherical shell, an oblate shell, a crescent shell, and a multilayer shell.

8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the metallic structure comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of Au, Ag, Cu, Ni, Pt, Pd, Co, Ru, Rh, Al, Ga, and alloys or layers thereof.

9 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the nanoparticle has at least one of:
a dielectric or semiconductor configured to generated said wavelength λ 2 ; or multiple dielectrics or semiconductors respectively configured to emit at different wavelengths for λ 2 .

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the metallic structure comprises at least one of a spherical and elliptical shell covering at least a part of said dielectric or semiconductor.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of Y 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 2 S, NaYF 4 , NaYbF 4 , YAG, YAP, Nd 2 O 3 , LaF 3 , LaCl 3 , La 2 O 3 , TiO 2 , LuPO 4 , YVO 4 , YbF 3 , YF 3 , Na-doped YbF 3 , SiO 2 , and alloys or layers thereof.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle comprises a dopant including at least one element selected from the group consisting of Er, Eu, Yb, Tm, Nd, Tb, Ce, Y, U, Pr, La, Gd, other rare-earth species and a combination thereof.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the dopant is present in an amount of from 0.01% to 50 mol. %.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the initiation energy is capable of penetrating completely through said subject.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle is provided in the vicinity of the target structure at a local concentration sufficient that under the irradiation conditions a photon is absorbed by the target structure with a finite probability.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein applying comprises:
applying the initiation energy from (i) an initiation energy source that is external to the subject; or (ii) an initiation energy source that is internal to the subject, which is placed or delivered internally into the subject and/or the target structure.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein applying comprises applying said initiation energy from a source emitting at least one energy selected from the group consisting of visible light, infrared radiation, microwaves, and radio waves.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said initiation energy is energy emitted by at least one cell excited by one or more metabolic processes and said applying is conducted via a cell-to-cell energy transfer.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said initiation energy is energy emitted by at least one cell and said applying is conducted via cell-to-cell energy transfer.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein said initiation energy is in a wavelength range of from 100 GHz to 10THz.

21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein said initiation energy is in a wavelength range of from 100 GHz to 10 THz.

22 . The method of claim 1 , in which said predetermined change enhances an activity of the target structure.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the activity enhanced is energy emission from the target, which then mediates, initiates or enhances a biological activity of other target structures in the subject, or of a second target structure.

24 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the metallic structure comprises a metallic shell encapsulating at least a fraction of the nanoparticle.

25 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the metallic structure comprises at least one structure selected from the group consisting of a conducting material including at least one metal, a doped glass, and a doped semiconductor.

26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the conducting material comprises at least one elemental metal, an alloy of the element metal, or layers of the conducting materials.

27 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle comprises a dielectric, a glass, a semiconductor, or a combination thereof.

28 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the nanoparticle comprises a sub 1000 nm dielectric particle; and the dielectric particle comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of Y 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 2 S, NaYF 4 , NaYbF 4 , YAG, YAP, Nd 2 O 3 , LaF 3 , LaCl 3 , La 2 O 3 , TiO 2 , LuPO 4 , YVO 4 , YbF 3 , YF 3 , Na-doped YbF 3 , SiO 2 and alloys or layers thereof.

29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the dielectric particle has a diameter ranging from at least one of 2-1000 nm, 2-100 nm, 2-50 nm, 2-20 nm, or 2-10 nm.

30 . The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the nanoparticle comprises a sub 1000 nm dielectric particle; the dielectric particle comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of Y 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 2 S, NaYF 4 , NaYbF 4 , YAG, YAP, Nd 2 O 3 , LaF 3 , LaCl 3 , La 2 O 3 , TiO 2 , LuPO 4 , YVO 4 , YbF 3 , YF 3 , Na-doped YbF 3 , SiO 2 and alloys or layers thereof; the dielectric particle comprises a dopant comprising Er, Eu, Yb, Tm, Nd, Tb, Ce, Y, U, Pr, La, Gd or other rare-earth species or a combination thereof; the dopant has a concentration of 0.01%-50% by mole; and the metallic structure includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of Au, Ag, Cu, Ni, Pt, Pd, Co, Ru, Rh, Al, Ga, and alloys or layers thereof.

31 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the dielectric particle is configured to exhibit at least one of ultraviolet or v

Assignees

• Immunolight Llc
• Univ Duke

Inventors

• Vo-Dinh Tuan
• Scaffidi Jonathan P
• Chada Venkata Gopal Reddy
• Lauly Benoit
• Zhang Yan
• Gregas Molly K
• Stanton Ian Nicholas
• Stecher Joshua T
• Therien Michael J
• Bourke Jr Frederic A
• Walder Harold
• Fathi Zak
• Ayres Jennifer A
• Zhang Zhenyuan
• Simmons Joseph H
• Norton Stephen John

Classifications

• A61P9/08

  Vasodilators for multiple indications · CPC title

• A61P37/06

  Immunosuppressants, e.g. drugs for graft rejection · CPC title

• A61P37/02

  Immunomodulators · CPC title

• A61P9/04

  Inotropic agents, i.e. stimulants of cardiac contraction; Drugs for heart failure · CPC title

• A61P35/00

  Antineoplastic agents · CPC title