Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39958565›Full record

ReviewAntibody therapeutics2025

Near-infrared photoimmunotherapy: mechanisms, applications, and future perspectives in cancer research.

Derek Allen, Madeline JoAnna Szoo, Tessa D van Bergen, Ani Seppelin, Jeonghyun Oh, Mohammad A Saad

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Antibody therapeutics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Derek AllenWellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States.
Madeline JoAnna SzooDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, United States.
Tessa D van BergenWellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States.
Ani SeppelinDepartment of Biochemistry, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, United States.
Jeonghyun OhDepartment of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, United States.
Mohammad A SaadWellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3337-2076

Funding

U Mass Boston / DFHCC U54 Partnership (1 of 2)U54CA156732 · NCI · DANA-FARBER CANCER INST · PI Shoba Ramanadhan · 2010 to 2026
$25.6M
CaNCURE: Cancer Nanomedicine Co-ops For Undergraduate Research ExperiencesR25CA174650 · NCI · NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY · PI SRINIVAS SRIDHAR · 2014 to 2026
$3.4M
Young Empowered Scientists for ContinUed Research Engagement (YES for CURE)R25CA221738 · NCI · DANA-FARBER CANCER INST · PI DECAPRIO, JAMES A. · 2017 to 2023
$2.1M
NCI NIH HHS R25 CA174650NCI NIH HHS R25 CA221738NCI NIH HHS U54 CA156732
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Photoimmunotherapy (PIT) involves the targeted delivery of a photosensitizer through antibody conjugation, which, upon binding to its cellular target and activation by external irradiation, induces localized toxicity. This approach addresses several limitations of conventional cancer therapies, such as chemo- and radiotherapies, which result in off-target effects that significantly reduce patient quality of life. Furthermore, PIT improves on the challenges encountered with photodynamic therapy (PDT), such as nonspecific localization of the photosensitizer, which often results in unintended toxicities. Although PIT was first proposed in the early 1980s, its clinical applications have been constrained by limitations in antibody engineering, conjugation chemistries, and optical technologies. However, recent advances in antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) research and the emergence of sophisticated laser technologies have greatly benefited the broader applicability of PIT. Notably, the first near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) treatment for head and neck cancer has been approved in Japan and is currently in phase III clinical trials in the USA. A significant advantage of PIT over traditional ADCs in cancer management is the agnostic nature of PDT, making it more adaptable to different tumor types. Specifically, PIT can act on cancer stem cells and cancer cells displaying treatment resistance and aggressive phenotypes-a capability beyond the scope of ADCs alone. This review provides an overview of the mechanism of action of NIR-PIT, highlighting its adaptability and application in cancer therapeutics, and concludes by exploring the potential of PIT in advancing cancer treatments.

Indexed as

antibody–photosensitizer conjugatescancer therapeuticsphotodynamic therapyphotoimmunoconjugatesphotoimmunotherapy

Identifiers

PMID39958565
PMCPMC11826922

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.