Optical characteristics of Deuteporfin (deuxemether), a photodynamic therapy sensitizer

Laboratory results on some of the optical properties of Deuteporfin, a relatively new photosensitizing drug that has been in clinical trials in China since around 2009, is discussed. The drug was characterized on the basis of one photon absorption and fluorescence emission for providing data for proper drug applications and dosimetry. In addition, the effects of photobleaching were investigated to characterize decay kinetics. The results of this research on this photosensitizer were also compared against HMME Hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether (HMME) (HemoporfinRTM) key characterization data which includes Q-band absorption to compare peak wavelengths and fluorescence intensity to show that Deuteporfin has similar absorption profile to HMME while it has superior fluorescence characteristics. The findings help to support the manufacturer's claim that Deuteporfin can be an effective photosensitizer for tumor treatment.