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Spire eyes solar nanoparticle cancer treatment
By Nick Taylor, 28-May-2009
Related topics: Ingredients
Spire has received a patent for its nanophotovoltaic devices, which it believes could be injected into a tumour, be activated by light and generate electric fields to disrupt the cancerous cells.
The company works in the fields of solar energy, semiconductors and biomedical devices and has drawn on its expertise in these areas to develop the novel treatment.
Roger Little, chairman and CEO of Spire and co-inventor of the technology, said: “This is an extension of our solar energy technology into biotherapeutics.
“Functionalised nanophotovoltaic devices can go to cancerous cells in the body and when exposed to tissue penetrating light, may provide sufficient electrical energy to destroy the cells. We are continuing to exploit this technology in our research and development activities.”
Spire envisages attaching ligands with an affinity to certain cell types to attach the nanophotovoltaic devices to cells, helping to provide a more targeted treatment.
Light with a wavelength of 600nm to 1100nm, so that it can pass through tissue, would then be applied, activating the devices and generating electric fields that Spire believes could disrupt cancerous cells or cause them to die.
Anatomy of a nanophotovoltaic device
The patent covers a nanophotovoltaic device measuring 50nm to 5000nm that is composed of a metallic layer over a semiconductor structure, with a junction that supports an electric field between these two components.
When this structure is exposed to light of a certain wavelength electron-hole pairs are generated, triggering voltage across the device that could disrupt or kill cancerous cells.
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