Patent ID: 8323621

Claim:
A method for delivering an agent to a sample of cells, comprising: (a) providing a compound the following formula: wherein: M is a chelating ion selected from the group consisting of gallium (Ga), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), indium (In), technetium (Tc), yttrium (Y) and lanthanide (Ln) series ions; R 1 and R 3 are, independently, R 2 is R 4 is H, CH 3 , C 2 H 5 , C 3 H 7 , C 4 H 9 , C 5 H 11 , C 6 H 13 ; A is a sensitizer; and R 5 is: with n is 0-10; and (b) introducing the conjugate to the sample of cells.