LightOx has developed new therapies for oral tongue cancers. LightOx developed a selective drug candidate by fusing an HDAC inhibitor, to a LightOx molecule to create a new, patented class of drugs. The drug retains efficacy in cancer cell targets and overall drug potency is increased greater than 10-fold after light treatment.

LightOx’s ability to target cancers is a key aspect of its strategy. The company is developing a portfolio of light activated cytotoxic therapeutics that have been formulated for use in the treatment of oral cancers via a topical delivery method. Its small molecule drugs act as selective therapeutics, where uptake and activity preferentially occurs in cancerous cells.

These therapeutics are cytotoxic and can be linked to cell-specific targeting antibodies, peptides or nucleic acids (LightOx-ADCs) where required.

LightOx has developed a new class of small molecule fluorescent drug-like compounds which overcome the limitations of current light-based treatments.

These compounds have intrinsic light activated cell killing properties and have the potential to revolutionise light-based therapeutic markets.

LightOx molecules can be:
- Cancer targeting – LightOx compounds linked to macromolecules and other small molecule drugs
- Small compound size suitable for topical formulation
- Minimal off-target toxicity
- Ability to develop joint diagnostic and treatment agents to reduce treatment time and costs.