| abstract |
The present invention generally relates to sensitizer compounds and their use to sensitize cancer and/or pre-cancerous cells of certain cancers to treatment with certain resistance-prone therapeutics used in cancer therapy. In embodiments, the conjugates of particular esters or amides of Near Infrared Dyes, are used as sensitizers to avoid or overcome therapeutic resistance once formed. In embodiments, the sensitizers include conjugates with Cisplatin, Simvastatin, Artemisinin, platin-based compounds or statins. In embodiments, the resistance prone cancer therapeutics include cisplatin, gemcitabine, doxorubicin, paclitaxel, docetaxel, and platin-based compounds. These may be administered in combination with the sensitizer, or the sensitizer itself may comprise an therapeutic-derived moiety conjugated to the sensitizer, for example as is the case for dye-CIS conjugated sensitizers. Alternatively, the sensitizer may be co-administered with one or more therapeutic. Embodiments of the invention may advantageously be used in cancers that have a tendency to develop resistance to such cancer therapeutics and/or to form metastases, including e.g. lung, pancreatic, prostate, testicular, ovarian, cervical, bladder, breast, head and neck, esophageal, and stomach, cancers, germ cell tumors, lymphomas and other cancers. |