Toronto, Ontario – April 12, 2017
Theralase Technologies Inc. (“Theralase®” or the “Company”) (TLT:TSXV) (TLTFF:OTC), a leading biotech company focused on the commercialization of medical lasers to eliminate pain and the development of Photo Dynamic Compounds (“PDCs”) to destroy cancer, announced today that three Theralase affiliated researchers have been invited to present their latest research at the 16th International Photodynamic Association (“IPA”) World Congress.
The 16th IPA Congress brings together researchers and clinicians working in the fields of Photo Dynamic Therapy (“PDT”) and Photo Diagnosis (“PD”) to foster scientific development and contribute to the widespread use of the best clinical practices. IPA Congresses are the privileged forums to present new advances in PDT and photomedicine. A variety of research and clinical advances will be addressed in more than 130 invited lectures and contributed talks, by an impressive list of lecturers.
http://www.ipa2017.qui.uc.pt/html/welcome.html
Lothar Lilge Ph.D., University of Toronto, will present, “Creating and monitoring a steep PDT-dose gradient for intravesical Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (“NMIBC”).”
Pavel Kaspler, Ph.D, Theralase, will present, “X-ray and photon mediated in-vitro and in-vivo activity of Ruthenium(II)-based compounds.”
Angelika Ruelck, Ph.D, University of Ulm, will present, “New phosphorescent Photo Sensitizers (“PS”) to follow up PDT response by Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (“FLIM”) and PS Phosphorescence Lifetime Imaging (“PLIM”).”
Lothar Lilge, Ph.D. stated that, “As Theralase advances clinically into the PDT treatment of NMIBC, optimization of TLD-1433 dosing and monitoring of the light activation, will enable faster adoption of PDT for this indication once the regulatory milestones of: safety, tolerability and efficacy have been satisfied.”
Dr. Lilge went on to say that, “Personalized PDT treatment planning to date is not established; however, it represents a major advance towards overall PDT efficacy and safety. Various research groups have started to consider light distribution modeling as the key treatment planning parameter; however, there remains the need for spatially resolved photosensitizer and oxygen monitoring. Here, TLD-1433 offers a unique ability to monitor the photosensitizer concentration via its fluorescence properties and the local molecular oxygen concentration via its phosphorescence lifetime, thus providing additional data to establish PDT treatment planning and monitoring the execution thereof.”
Pavel Kaspler, Ph.D. stated that, “X-ray activation of TLD-1433 is a new and unexpected discovery by the members of our research team under the leadership of Dr. Arkady Mandel and Dr. Lothar Lilge. The discovery has far reaching implications, including: targeting cancers that are difficult, if not impossible to reach with conventional laser light sources, such as brain tumours or deep tissue related cancers.”
Angelika Ruelck, Ph.D. stated that, “PLIM has the ability to overcome well known difficulties, while conducting PDT treatments under hypoxic (low oxygen) conditions or in hypoxic tumour areas. The combination of PLIM with PDT treatment planning using TLD-1433, opens new avenues towards theranostic (therapeutics / diagnostics is a process of diagnostic therapy for individual patients to test them for a new medication and to tailor treatment based on the results) approach during PDT delivery.
The figure below demonstrates the localization of TLD-1433 in human bladder carcinoma cells and oxygen concentration by PLIM. Blue correlates with hypoxic areas in the cells.”
Color coded PLIM of TLD-1433 in T-24 bladder carcinoma cells (courtesy: A. Rück and S. Kalinina, University Ulm, Ulm, Germany)
Roger Dumoulin-White, President and CEO of Theralase stated that, “Theralase is delighted that researchers affiliated with the Company have gained international recognition for their research and
have been invited to present their findings to their peers at such a prestigious conference. This is a recognition they so richly deserve and lends credence to the strength of their research. Their research will ultimately allow Theralase to successfully commercialize this next generation PDT technology, after safety, tolerability and efficacy have been proven.”
About Theralase Technologies Inc.
Theralase Technologies Inc. (“Theralase®” or the “Company”) (TSXV: TLT) (TLTFF: OTC) in its Therapeutic Laser Technology (“TLT”) Division designs, manufactures, markets and distributes patented super-pulsed laser technology indicated for the treatment of chronic knee pain and in off-label use the elimination of pain, reduction of inflammation and dramatic acceleration of tissue healing for numerous nerve, muscle and joint conditions. Theralase’s Photo Dynamic Therapy (“PDT”) Division researches and develops
specially designed molecules called Photo Dynamic Compounds (“PDCs”), which are able to localize to cancer cells and then when laser light activated, effectively destroy them.
Additional information is available at www.theralase.com and www.sedar.com .
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For More Information:
Roger Dumoulin-White
President & CEO
1.866.THE.LASE (843-5273) ext. 225
416.699.LASE (5273) ext. 225