Preclinical trial of Bacteriosens used for the photodynamic therapyof malignant tumors, including prostate cancer

Introduction. Bacteriochlorins are the most promising photosensitizers absorbing in the near-infrared spectral region. Their use can enhance the efficiency of photodynamic therapy due to the deeper penetration of radiation into the tumor. Objective to conduct a preclinical study of the photoinduced antitumor activity and biodistribution of Bacteriosens. Materials and methods. Bacteriosens is a preparation based on meso-tetra(3-pyridyl)bacteriochlorin absorbing at 747 nm. Photoinduced cytotoxicity was investigated in vitro using human tumor cells: A549, Hep 2, BT-474, MCF-7, SK-BR-3, PC3, and EJ and murine tumor cells: S37, C26, and LLC. In vivo studies were performed in mice with large and small tumors (S37, LLC, and C26). Results. In vitro investigation show that bacteriosens during optical irradiation led to the effective suppression of tumor cell growth in culture (the IC50 value varied from 0,08μМ to 1,21 μМ) and had no toxicity without exposure to light. The effective photodynamic therapy regimen using Bacteriosens in mice with inoculated small and large tumors of different genesis resulted in regression of a primary tumor node on 90–100 % of the animals in the absence of tumor recurrence within 90 days after treatment. Conclusion. Bacteriosens is a promising agent for the photodynamic therapy of small and large tumors; it can be successfully used as an alternative, organ-sparing minimally invasive treatment for malignant tumors, including prostate cancer.