A novel strategy for targeting photodynamic therapy. Molecular combo of photodynamic agent zinc(II) phthalocyanine and small molecule target-based anticancer drug erlotinib.

In this study, two phthalocyanine-erlotinib conjugates linked by an oligoethylene glycol chain have been synthesised and fully characterised. Having erlotinib as the targeting moiety, the two conjugates exhibited high specific affinity to HepG2 cancer cells and tumour tissues, therefore leading to high photodynamic activity.