Patent ID: 7320997

Claim:
A pharmaceutical composition comprising: a carotenoid analog or derivative having the structure where each R 3 is independently hydrogen or methyl; where each Y is independently O or H 2 ; where each R is independently OR 1 or R 1 ; where each R 1 is independently -alkyl-NR 2 3 + , -alkyl-NR 2 2 , -aryl-NR 2 3 + , -alkyl-CO 2 − , -aryl-CO 2 − , -alkyl-CO 2 H, -alkyl-CO 2 R 6 , -alkyl-CO 2 R 7 , —OR 7 , -amino acid-NH 2 , -amino acid-NH 3 + , -phosphorylated amino acid-NH 3 + , polyethylene glycol, dextran, H, alkyl, aryl, -alkyl-O—PO 2 -O—alkyl-NR 2 3 + , where each R 2 is independently H, alkyl, or aryl; wherein R′ is alkyl-O, alkyl, or aryl; wherein each R 5 is independently H, alkyl, benzyl, or alkali salt; wherein R 6 is alkyl, —CH 2 —CH(OH)—CH 2 —O—PO 2 —O-alkyl-NR 2 3 + , wherein R 7 is -alkyl-NR 2 3 + , -aryl-NR 2 3 + , -alkyl-CO 2 − , -aryl-CO 2 − , -amino acid-NH 3 + , -phosphorylated amino acid-NH 3 + , polyethylene glycol, dextran, H, alkyl, or aryl; and at least one biologically inactive carrier.