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Design and validation of a low-cost photomodulator for in vivo photoactivation of a mGluR5 inhibitor

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Abstract

Purpose: Severe side effects prevent the utilization of otherwise promising drugs in treatments. These side effects arise when drugs affect untargeted tissues due to poor target specificity. In photopharmacology, light controls the timing and the location of drug delivery, improving treatment specificity and pharmacokinetic control. Photopharmaceuticals have not seen widespread adoption in part because researchers do not always have access to reliable and reproducible light delivery devices at prices which fit within the larger research budget. Method: In this work, we present a customizable photomodulator for use in both wearable and implantable devices. For experimental validation of the photomodulator, we photolyse JF-NP-26 in rats. Results: We successfully drive in vivo photopharmacology with a tethered photomodulator and demonstrate modifications which enable the photomodulator to operate wirelessly. Conclusion: By documenting our photomodulator development, we hope to introduce researchers to a simple solution which significantly lowers the engineering barriers to photopharmacology research.

Graphical abstract

Researchers present a photomodulator, a device designed to facilitate in vivo photopharmacology. They demonstrate the in vivo capabilities of the photomodulator by photoreleasing raseglurant, an mGluR5 inhibitor, to treat pain in an acute rat model and follow this study by showing how to reconfigure the photomodulator to work wirelessly and interface with other biomedical devices.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Yvonne Chen, Brett Collar, and Trevor Meyer, for fabrication and procedural assistance and Ryan Budde, Brett Collar, and Dr. Jay Shah for providing manuscript feedback. All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. All procedures involving animals were performed in accordance with the ethical standards of the institution or practice at which the studies were conducted (PACUC Protocol #1807001777).

Funding

This research was funded by Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) as part of the Connected Solutions research initiative between Lilly and Purdue University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA

    Hans Ajieren & Pedro Irazoqui

  2. Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA

    Andrew Fox & Ethan Biggs

  3. The Margolis Center for Health Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA

    Gabriel Albors

  4. Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia, Spanish National Research Council, Jordi Girona, 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain

    Amadeu Llebaria

  5. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 733 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA

    Pedro Irazoqui

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  1. Hans Ajieren
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hans Ajieren.

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Conflict of interest

H. Ajieren and P. Irazoqui have received royalties as part of a licensing agreement with Eli Lilly and are inventors on a patent application submitted by Eli Lilly for technology related to this research.

Ethical approval

All procedures involving animals occurred under protocol number 1807001777 as approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Purdue University.

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Ajieren, H., Fox, A., Biggs, E. et al. Design and validation of a low-cost photomodulator for in vivo photoactivation of a mGluR5 inhibitor. Biomed. Eng. Lett. 14, 245–254 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13534-023-00334-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13534-023-00334-3

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