Abstract: Disclosed herein is a controlled drug release system of photoresponsive nanocarriers. Also provided are methods of making the nanocarriers. Also provided are method of using the nanocarriers for the treatment of diseases.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to various phototriggered drug release and photoreactions, including reactions generally based on triplet-triplet energy transfer with light excitation at long wavelengths. One aspect of the present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for absorbing energy in a photosensitizer, transferring that energy by triplet-triplet energy transfer to cleave a cleavable or other active moiety causing the release of a releasable moiety. One aspect relates to a composition comprising a photosensitizer which is capable of singlet-to-triplet (S-T) activation at a near-infrared (NIR) wavelength, a cleavable moiety to accept triplet-triplet energy transfer from the photosensitizer in a higher energy state to cause cleavage of the cleavable moiety, and a releasable moiety releasable from the composition upon cleavage of the cleavable moiety. Such systems and methods may be used in various biological or physical applications.

Abstract: The subject invention pertains to photocleavable prodrugs that facilitate the controllable drug delivery to the target sites modulated by light irradiation, including a photocleavable boron-dipyrromethene-derived prodrug and a dye, which achieved both high prodrug loading capacity (˜99%) and efficient light-triggered prodrug activation. The incorporation of the dye not only stabilized the nanoparticles and contributed tumor targeting as usual. but also exhibited degradation after light irradiation and in-situ monitoring of nanoparticle dissociation by fluorescent imaging.

Abstract: Provided is a singlet oxygen-cleavable anti-VEGF prodrug. Provided is a composition comprising a photosensitizer and biocompatible polymer for the co-assembly of photoactivatable nanoparticles with the singlet oxygen-cleavable anti-VEGF prodrug. This red-light-activatable prodrug composition can be used in methods for the combined anti-angiogenesis and PDT treatment of wet AMD and other diseases, capable of light-controllable drug delivery to the CNV lesions and other disease sites via noninvasive intravenous administration.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a controlled drug release system of photoresponsive nanocarriers. Also provided are methods of making the nanocarriers. Also provided are method of using the nanocarriers for the treatment of diseases.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for selective mTOR inhibition and/or increase of autophagy in a tissue of a subject have been developed for the treatment of cancer. Caged mTOR inhibitor prodrugs including photo-cleavable protecting groups are provided for selective chemotherapy through an optochemical treatment system. Pharmaceutical compositions of mTOR inhibitors that are deactivated (caged) with a photo-removable protecting group to controllably block the inhibitory activity of the inhibitor are provided. The photo-removable group is cleavable upon exposure to light irradiation, releasing the active inhibitor of mTOR signaling and autophagy at the site of irradiation. An exemplary caged mTOR inhibitor prodrug is a caged OSI-027 prodrug having a DEACM moiety bound thereto (cOSI-027). The cOSI-027 is activated in the region of a tumor by removal of the DEACM protecting group by exposure to light at 420 nm.