Abstract: Texaphyrins are provided for use as radiation sensitizers. Advantageous properties of texaphyrins for use as a radiation sensitizer include: i) a low redox potential which allows radiation-induced hydrated electrons to flow to texaphyrin rather than neutralizing hydroxyl radicals, allowing hydroxyl radicals to cause cellular damage, ii) a relatively stable texaphyrin radical that reacts readily to covalently modify neighboring molecules causing further cellular damage, iii) intrinsic biolocatization, and iv) indifference to the presence or absence of O.sub.2. These properties allow texaphyrins to be particularly effective for treating the hypoxic areas of solid neoplasms. Methods of treatment for an individual having a neoplasm or atheroma include the use of a texaphyrin as a radiation sensitizer and as an agent for photodynamic tumor therapy, or the use of a texaphyrin for internal and for external ionizing radiation. Novel texaphyrins are provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides various novel matrix-supported texaphyrins in which a polymeric or solid matrix is covalently modified by the addition of one or more texaphyrins or texaphyrin derivatives. Described are methods of making various polymer-supported texaphyrins, including texaphyrin chromatographic supports, and devices such as catheters, as may be used, for example, in the separation of neutral and anionic species and in applications concerning phosphate ester hydrolysis, other catalytic schemes, MRI, and PDT.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel sapphyrin dimers, trimers, oligomers and polymers, which multimers may include repeating units of sapphyrin or sapphyrin derivatives alone, or may further incorporate other units such as nucleobases.

Abstract: Texaphyrins are provided for use as radiation sensitizers. Advantageous properties of texaphyrins for use as a radiation sensitizer include: i) a low redox potential which allows radiation-induced hydrated electrons to flow to texaphyrin rather than neutralizing hydroxyl radicals, allowing hydroxyl radicals to cause cellular damage, ii) a relatively stable texaphyrin radical that reacts readily to covalently modify neighboring molecules causing further cellular damage, iii) intrinsic biolocalization, and iv) indifference to the presence or absence of O.sub.2. These properties allow texaphyrins to be particularly effective for treating the hypoxic areas of solid neoplasms. Methods of treatment for an individual having a neoplasm or atheroma include the use of a texaphyrin as a radiation sensitizer and as an agent for photodynamic tumor therapy, or the use of a texaphyrin for internal and for external ionizing radiation. Novel texaphyrins are provided.

Abstract: Texaphyrins are provided for use as radiation sensitizers. Advantageous properties of texaphyrins for use as a radiation sensitizer include: i) a low redox potential which allows radiation-induced hydrated electrons to flow to texaphyrin rather than neutralizing hydroxyl radicals, allowing hydroxyl radicals to cause cellular damage, ii) a relatively stable texaphyrin radical that reacts readily to covalently modify neighboring molecules causing further cellular damage, iii) intrinsic biolocalization, and iv) indifference to the presence or absence of O.sub.2. These properties allow texaphyrins to be particularly effective for treating the hypoxic areas of solid neoplasms. Methods of treatment for an individual having a neoplasm or atheroma include the use of a texaphyrin as a radiation sensitizer and as an agent for photodynamic tumor therapy, or the use of a texaphyrin for internal and for external ionizing radiation. Novel texaphyrins are provided.

Abstract: A method of phosphate ester hydrolysis including incubating a solution of an aqueous phosphate ester with a texaphyrin metal complex. The metal is a metal cation having catalytic activity for ester bond hydrolysis in aqueous solution, in particular, a lanthanide metal cation, preferably Eu(III) or Dy(III). A preferred substrate is RNA and a preferred texaphyrin is a derivatized texaphyrin having binding specificity, in particular, a texaphyrin covalently coupled to a site-directed molecule, preferably an oligonucleotide.