코코타임즈
Light can be a great treatment method for certain diseases. The use of light as a treatment method has a long history. There are records of using light to treat diseases such as psoriasis and leukoplakia in Ancient Egypt, India, and China.
In 3,000 BCE Greece, various treatment methods using sunlight became popular. It is a sort of sunbathing treatment. Sunlight would generate vitamin D and activate cells, which would help circulation and recover health.
Even today, there is growing evidence of the benefits of light therapy. Ultraviolet rays and laser beams can be helpful for chronic pain, depression, immunological disorders, and even cancer.
Another step forward from simple light therapy is photodynamic therapy(PDT). PDT combines light therapy with the application of a substance that reacts to light (photosensitizer).
Niels Finsen, who won the Nobel prize for medicine in 1902, successfully treated cutaneous tuberculosis and smallpox with light therapy. These diseases were considered incurable back then. Later, in the 1970s, many treatment methods were developed for illnesses such as skin cancer.
In 1997 certain photosensitizers got approved by the FDA. Photosensitizers, light, and oxygen react to specifically target and kill germs and malignant cells.
PDT, widely used in human medicine, now also available for treating animals
20 years have passed since the first approval of photosensitizers. Now they are used in various treatments ranging from acne to skin disease to cancer. In the case of acne treatment, most other treatments are aimed at getting rid of the acne itself, but PDT works by getting rid of the germs that cause acne. As a result, there is less damage to the skin.
Dr. i&B has applied this concept to animal illnesses. Coming from an understanding of the problems inherent in antibiotics, steroids, and antifungals, Dr. i&B started with a ‘patient-centered’ approach which put the health of dogs and cats first.
Dr. Song Young Gyu, president of Dr. i&B, said “I wanted to break the vicious cycle which lessens the symptoms momentarily only to end up in an untreatable state”.
Skin diseases are among the most common illnesses in animals, but the reality is that a complete cure is difficult. This is especially true for diseases such as atopy and allergies.
Furthermore, with the increasing longevity of animals, there has been a proliferation of chronic, degenerative, and genetic diseases. Just like people suffer from cancer and reduced eyesight when old, pets do too.
Therefore, whether to choose a temporary reduction of symptoms or a time-consuming path to curing the diseases is a decision left to the owners.
Dr. Song has a Ph.D. in engineering and has worked with lasers at the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) of Korea. While working on lasers for people he thought “what if we applied this to dogs and cats?”
“When you apply or inject the photosensitizer to the affected area, the drug accumulates in the tumor cells. Then when you direct a laser at it the drug reacts and kills the malignant cells. The key point of the treatment is that it selectively destroys malignant cells without much pain or complications.”
Dr. Song has been researching this technology since 2014 and realized that the effect is great, but the cost of treatment is too high. There were many people casting doubt about “using something so expensive on treating animals”.
At the time, even veterinary clinics specializing in tumors would only use the drug for diagnosing cancer. PDT for animal treatment was already common in places like Japan, but in Korea the drugs were expensive and there were no lasers made for animal use. There were no drugs made for animal use either.
That is why Dr. i&B set its sights on making drugs and laser devices affordable to the average veterinary clinic. As a result, the photosensitizer PhotoCure was developed and has already entered the market. Its key component is extracted from Spirulina, known as one of the ‘top 10 superfoods’.
From skin diseases to cancer treatment
“If you apply PhotoCure to the diseased skin cells and shine the laser beam on it 2 hours later, the change starts to happen. In one week, the germs die and the immunity of the cells go up.”
It is a revolutionary treatment that can lead to a cure. Veterinary clinics and experts in the field have started to pay attention to its effects and potential. In the early stages of disease complete remission was reached in 1 to 3 weeks.
Dr. i&B is now developing PhotoMed, which is aimed at use in cancer therapy. It is a second-generation drug with shorter accumulation and elimination times.
“In vitro tests with mammary cancer and pulmonary cancer revealed it to be 100 times more effective compared to similar products,” said Song. “We will finalize the toxicity tests within this year, then we will begin clinical trials for cancer in dogs” he added.
Two models of laser emitting devices (PDToA-153, PDToiB-153) have been developed and have their manufacturing licenses as animal medical devices.
There are big expectations for PDT treatment of skin diseases and tumors in Korea these days. It will be a turning point for tumor treatment, which has relied over 90% on surgery.
Another point of interest is related to economic value. Various investors including a pharmaceutical company, science and technology holdings, a health supplement company, and an organic pet-food company have invested in Dr. i&B as the licensing procedure is nearing a conclusion.
Dr. Song commented that “if we get the license for new drug development with purely Korean technology, it will be a great opportunity for expanding domestic markets and entering overseas markets such as the United States and China.”
The related article in Korean:
닥터아이앤비, “반려동물 피부병도 종양도 빛으로 치료한다” 바로가기
The post Dr.i&B, “Treating Skin Diseases and Tumors with Light” appeared first on 코코타임즈.
