Patent ID: 7018395

Claim:
A method for administering a photodynamic therapy to destroy or impair target cells expressing a VEGF receptor in a mammalian subject, comprising the steps of: (a) administering to the mammalian subject a therapeutically effective amount of a liposome delivery system, comprising: (i) a first conjugate comprising a first member of a ligand-receptor binding pair conjugated to one of an antibody and an antibody fragment that selectively binds to a VEGF receptor of the target cells; (ii) a second conjugate comprising a second member of the ligand-receptor binding pair, conjugated to a photoreactive compound; and (iii) a liposome, separately conjugated to the second member of the ligand-receptor binding pair, wherein: the first member binds to the second member of the ligand-receptor binding pair; (b) irradiating at least a portion of the mammalian subject in which the target cells are disposed, using light having a waveband corresponding at least in part to the characteristic light absorption waveband of the photoreactive compound; wherein the intensity of the light used for the step of irradiating and the duration of irradiation have been selected such that the target cells are destroyed and the non-target tissue through which the light passes remains undamaged.