CarboHyde, in collaboration with researchers including Salvo Sortino, Szabolcs Béni, and Milo Malanga, developed a photoresponsive β-cyclodextrin branched polymer. When exposed to visible blue light, this polymer generates nitric oxide.

The researchers tested doxorubicin (DOX) in combination with the polymer. In darkness, DOX showed minimal cytotoxic effects at sub-therapeutic doses, whether used alone or combined with the polymer. However, under light irradiation, cytotoxicity increased significantly in both cell lines when the drug was paired with the polymer — attributed to the combined action of nitric oxide.

The research is published as: “Phototherapeutic β-Cyclodextrin-Branched Polymer Releasing Nitric Oxide with Fluorescent Self-Reporting and Its Combination with Doxorubicin” in Biomacromolecules.