 Press Releases28th November 2002 Yorkshire Evening Post Light years ahead World leading cancer research conducted in Leeds is to be marketed worldwide. A new company has been set up to promote ground-breaking treatments developed at the Leeds Centre for Photobiology and Photodynamic Therapy. The centre, part of Leeds University is the largest of its kind in Europe and has been carrying out extensive research into novel cancer cures backed by millions of pounds of funding from organisations and charities including Yorkshire Cancer Research. The new spin-off company, Photopharmica Ltd, has been set up with the help of a £250,000 investment from the White Rose Technology Seedcorn Fund. The venture capital fund, owned by the universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York, was created in 1999 with Government backing and has since invested more than £3m in 16 projects. Photopharmica's chief scientific officer, Prof Stanley Brown, said one of the new company's chief aims would be to research and develop new drugs for use by patients suffering from certain types of cancer and other diseases. The type of therapy being developed in Leeds uses molecules that harness the energy from light and produce particles which can kill unwanted tissues and other organisms. Patients are given an injection of a specially-designed drug which spreads throughout the body but concentrates in cancerous or infected tissue. Without light, the drug is harmless. But when laser light is applied it becomes active and kills targeted cells. Its selectivity is said to be major benefit to cancer patients since the treatment is used only in the affected area, rather than the "full body" treatment of chemotherapy. The new company will draw down on the resources and staff at the Leeds centre, which has 40 scientists and clinicians. Prof Brown said more than 500 patients had already benefited from the centre's techniques in trials using drugs already available on the market. The new company would be able to research and develop it own photodynamic molecules for different applications. Prof Brown added: "The current worldwide trend is moving towards prevention, early screening and early treatment of cancer and photodynamic technology is particularly well suited to these applications." > menu |
