Innovation Anthology #71: Executive Director, Alberta Prion Research Institute
The big winners in the 2007 Manning Innovation Awards are two researchers who discovered a way to use light to treat skin cancer.
Back in the late 1970’s, Drs. James Kennedy and Roy Pottier pioneered a new field called photodynamic therapy.
Their work with amino-levulinic acid or ALA led to the development of Levulan® Photodynamic Therapy .
ALA is a natural compound that is one of the building blocks of blood. It forms another compound which, when exposed to light, turns into a killer.
The two researchers figured they could harness this and use the body’s natural chemistry to effectively destroy cancer cells.
They mixed ALA in cold cream, rubbed the salve on their patients’ skin, and then sat them down in front of the light shining from a slide projector.
The treatment worked and without the side effects usually accompany radiation treatment.
Levulan Photo Dynamic Therapy has been used to successfully treat over 300,000 patients with actinic keratosis, a pre-cancerous skin condition.
Drs. Kennedy and Poitier ae thrilled to share the $100,000 Encana Principal Prize bestowed upon them at the Manning Innovation Awards Gala in Toronto.
FOR INNOVATION ANTHOLOGY, I’M CHERYL CROUCHER
Guest
Dr. Kevin Keough,
Alberta Innovates Bio Solutions, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, kevin.keough@albertainnovates.ca
Sponsor
Program Date: 2007-10-02