Verteporfin based silica nanoplatform for photodynamic therapy

A highly efficient nanoplatform for photodynamic therapy was obtained by covalent conjugation of verteporfin with mesoporous silica nanoparticles. Verteporfin has an intense absorption band in the red region of the Vis spectrum ensuring a deeper tissue penetration; this feature makes verteporfin-based formulations particularly attractive for in vivo PDT applications. The verteporfin loading, dispersion and efficiency in the photoproduction and delivery of singlet oxygen (1O2) were carefully evaluated. In vitro tests have evidenced that the optimized nanoplatform is able to largely reduce HeLa cell proliferation after red-light irradiation.