Monday, June 8, 2009

NovoCure

(WO/2009/044289) TREATING CANCER USING ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS IN COMBINATION WITH PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY

Latest bibliographic data on file with the International Bureau
Pub. No.:
WO/2009/044289
 International Application No.:
PCT/IB2008/003361
Publication Date:09.04.2009 International Filing Date:05.03.2008
IPC: A61N 5/06 (2006.01), A61N 1/40 (2006.01)
Applicants: NOVOCURE LTD. [IL/IL]; Po Box 15022, Matam Center, 319805 Haifa (IL) (All Except US).
PALTI, YORAM [IL/IL]; (IL) (US Only).
Inventor: PALTI, YORAM; (IL).
Priority Data:
60/893,173
06.03.2007
US
Title: TREATING CANCER USING ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS IN COMBINATION WITH PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY
Abstract:
A light generating circuit is implanted in a subject's body and aimed at a target region such as a tumor. A photosensitizer is introduced into the target region, and an AC electric field is induced in the region. The field causes the light generating circuit to generate light, which activates the photosensitizer; and at certain field strengths and frequencies, the field itself has a beneficial effect. The beneficial effects of the field and the activated photosensitizer are thereby obtained simultaneously.

I CLAIM:

1. A method of simultaneously exposing a target region within a subject's body to light and an electric field, the method comprising the steps of: embedding, within the subject, a light-emitting circuit having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the light-emitting circuit is positioned so as to illuminate the target region, and wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are spaced apart by a distance D; administering, to the subject, a photosensitizer that accumulates in tissue at the target region, wherein the photosensitizer is activated by a wavelength of light that is emitted by the light-emitting circuit; and imposing, into the target region, an AC electric field having an amplitude and orientation that causes an AC voltage gradient large enough to drive the light-emitting circuit to appear between the first terminal and the second terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the imposing step comprises the step of capacitively coupling the AC electric field into the target region.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the light-emitting circuit comprises a light- emitting diode.

Source


Disruption of Cancer Cell Replication by Alternating Electric Fields
[CANCER RESEARCH 64, 3288–3295, May 1, 2004]
Eilon D. Kirson,1 Zoya Gurvich,2 Rosa Schneiderman,2 Erez Dekel,3 Aviran Itzhaki,4 Yoram Wasserman,1,4
Rachel Schatzberger,2 and Yoram Palti2
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, NovoCure Ltd., Haifa, Israel; 2B. Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel; 3Department
of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel; and 4Elisha Medical Centre, Haifa, Israel

ABSTRACT
Low-intensity, intermediate-frequency (100–300 kHz), alternating electric
fields, delivered by means of insulated electrodes, were found to have
a profound inhibitory effect on the growth rate of a variety of human and
rodent tumor cell lines (Patricia C, U-118, U-87, H-1299, MDA231, PC3,
B16F1, F-98, C-6, RG2, and CT-26) and malignant tumors in animals.
This effect, shown to be nonthermal, selectively affects dividing cells while
quiescent cells are left intact. These fields act in two modes: arrest of cell
proliferation and destruction of cells while undergoing division. Both
effects are demonstrated when such fields are applied for 24 h to cells
undergoing mitosis that is oriented roughly along the field direction. The
first mode of action is manifested by interference with the proper formation
of the mitotic spindle, whereas the second results in rapid disintegration
of the dividing cells. Both effects, which are frequency dependent, are
consistent with the computed directional forces exerted by these specific
fields on charges and dipoles within the dividing cells. In vivo treatment of
tumors in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice (B16F1 and CT-26 syngeneic tumor
models, respectively), resulted in significant slowing of tumor growth and
extensive destruction of tumor cells within 3–6 days. These findings
demonstrate the potential applicability of the described electric fields as a
novel therapeutic modality for malignant tumors.

Source
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