RE:The Key to Theralase ACTSounds right to me Rumpl3StiltSkin. As you write, the dosimetry is the complicated part. Light activated TLD1433 will destroy any cells they can penetrate, not just cancer cells, so they've got to get the drug dosage just right. Too little TLD1433 and some cancer cells survive - too much TLD1433 and healthy tissue will be destroyed along with the cancer cells. They chose green light for the current trial (instead of the red light used by the photofrin trial) because it only penetrates to a depth of 2 mm, so the muscle layer underlying the urothelium is protected. Also, the pdt effects of green light are more potent than red light even though red light penetrates deeper. The cancer trials coming up may require deeper penetration so if they end up using red light they can increase the pdt effects of red light by using Rutherrin (TLD1433 + transferrin). I think the reason for this is that Rutherrin can take full advantage of the far greater number of transferrin receptors on the surface of cancer cells over healthy cells. Rat GBM tumour cells absorbed 22 times the amount of Rutherrin as normal cells. But the last I remember the plan for NSCLC was systemic instillation of Rutherrin and X-ray activation or possibly NIR activation as in the rat experiments?
Rumpl3StiltSkin wrote: Correct me, If I'm wrong. Is that it isn't a traditional drug. In how it works. Since it is Photo Activated, It should work at the cellular level, regardless of a persons(species) genetic make up. So we saw a very high % in test tube 99%. Also in rats, very high. low 90s% I think.
For NMIBC in humans it is more complicated, mainly due to how the shape of bladders differ, and that makes the dosimetry very complicated. Also, the patient population is mostly older and more frail.
My take is however long it takes TLT to get thru this Phase 2 trial and achieve FDA approval, they'll have an approved cancer drug that can be used off label, to treat other cancers, most other cancer indications will probably be less complicated that NMIBC.
The overall CR %s of other cancer indications could/should be quite high over time. As Dr.s and Clinicians get better at applying 1433, and eventually the super compounds, to future cancer indications.