Research stage — all results in the review come from cell and animal studies; effect in humans not confirmed Source: March 2025 journal review (Federal University of Ouro Preto, Brazil)
A review summarising where IR780 research stands was published in March 2025 in the Journal of Nanotheranostics. It collects studies that load the near-infrared dye IR780 into liposomes, polymer nanoparticles and other carriers for photodynamic, photothermal and ultrasound-based therapy and for imaging. All of the results it covers come from cell and animal experiments; the effect in humans has not yet been confirmed. Alongside the achievements, the review names dye “leakage” from the carriers as a key limitation.
How IR780 research has developed: what is new
IR780 is a near-infrared dye of the cyanine family. It absorbs light most strongly at about 780 nm and fluoresces at 790–826 nm; experiments usually use an 808 nm laser. Because near-infrared light penetrates a little deeper into the body than visible light, researchers have spent more than a decade trying to collect this dye in tumours and then attack cancer cells by shining light on them.
This 55-page review, written by researchers at the School of Pharmacy of the Federal University of Ouro Preto (Fialho, de Oliveira, Mosqueira and colleagues), is not about one experiment. It tabulates the whole body of IR780 nanotherapy research by carrier type. The treatment and imaging approaches it covers fall into five groups.
| Approach | How it works (plain terms) | Stage in the review |
|---|---|---|
| Photodynamic therapy (PDT) | Light-activated dye produces reactive oxygen that damages cells | Cells / animals |
| Photothermal therapy (PTT) | Light energy is turned into heat that damages the tumour | Cells / animals |
| Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) | Ultrasound instead of light activates the dye | Cells / animals |
| Imaging | Fluorescence or photoacoustic images show tumour location; some add PET/CT labelling | Animals |
| Combination therapy | Used together with anticancer drugs (doxorubicin, paclitaxel, etc.) or immune activation | Cells / animals |
Source: Fialho MCP et al., Journal of Nanotheranostics 2025;6(1):8. The review contains no results from clinical trials in humans.
Why are nanoparticles needed at all? IR780 dissolves in water only at about 0.4–5 µg per mL, and it breaks down easily in water and under light (photobleaching). When dye molecules stack together, fluorescence and effect also drop. According to the review, loading the dye into nanocarriers improves its apparent solubility more than 1,000-fold. Carriers described include lipid types such as liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles, polymer types such as human albumin and PLGA, and mixed types such as magnetic particles or particles coated with red blood cell membranes. Some studies also used IR780’s tendency to gather in mitochondria — the cell’s power plants — to carry other drugs along with it.
Which cancers and models were studied?
The experiments in the review cover a wide range: brain tumours (glioblastoma), breast, pancreatic, lung, prostate, colon, melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, bladder, cervical, ovarian and gastric cancers. But these are models in which human cancer cell lines or mouse cancer cells are grown in the lab or implanted in mice, not studies with patients. So there is no answer yet to “which patients can receive this treatment?” The review also covers antimicrobial work targeting bacterial biofilms.
Reported numbers and how to read them
Representative animal-study figures cited in the review are shown below, exactly as reported.
| Carrier (animal model) | Reported result | Compared with |
|---|---|---|
| Liposomes + gambogic acid (breast cancer 4T1 mice) | 89.7% tumour ablation after PTT | Each study’s controls |
| Polymeric micelles (lung cancer A549 mice) | 97.6% tumour growth inhibition | Each study’s controls |
| Self-assembled nanoparticles (liver cancer HepG2 mice) | 96% reduction in tumour growth | Each study’s controls |
| Micelles + anticancer drug (mice) | 85.3% tumour growth inhibition; 1.9-fold tumour accumulation | Dye and drug alone |
| Nanostructured lipid carriers (mice) | 2.18-fold tumour fluorescence | Dye alone |
Source: figures cited in the 2025 review by Fialho MCP et al. Each comes from a different team, model, dose and laser setting, so the numbers cannot be compared with each other, and they do not mean the same effect can be expected in people.
Large numbers need careful reading. Most experiments shone a laser directly onto small tumours implanted just under the skin of mice. Human tumours are deeper and larger, and have often already spread to other organs. The review also did not compile systematic safety data, because toxicity was assessed differently in each study. A 2018 review by researchers at the University of Beira Interior in Portugal (International Journal of Pharmaceutics) likewise listed IR780’s weaknesses as poor water solubility, rapid clearance from the body, acute toxicity and low tumour uptake.
Limits named in the review: leakage, instability, light depth
- Dye leaking from carriers: the review points out that IR780 that is only physically mixed in is released very quickly from carriers when blood proteins are present. Fluorescence images taken as proof that “the nanoparticles reached the tumour” may actually show dye that has leaked out, which weakens biodistribution data. It notes that chemically binding the dye to a polymer reduced leakage.
- A light-sensitive dye: a 2024 paper by researchers in China (Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences) reported that IR780 was “almost completely degraded” after 10 minutes of light at the same power density (the comparison used a different wavelength and formulation, so it is not like-for-like).
- Light depth and low oxygen: photodynamic therapy works less well when tumours lack oxygen or light cannot reach deep enough. The review cites this as a reason PDT has had limited success in solid tumours.
- No clinical evidence: within the scope of the review, there are no clinical trial results for IR780 formulations in humans. The review explains that ICG (indocyanine green) is the only near-infrared dye the US FDA has approved for imaging.
Approval status and light-based treatment in Japan
- IR780 nanoparticles: as of the date we checked the sources, a research-stage substance not approved as a treatment in the US, Europe or Japan.
- Photoimmunotherapy for head and neck cancer in Japan: the photoimmunotherapy conditionally approved in Japan in 2020 uses a different drug (an antibody linked to a dye) and 690 nm light, for head and neck cancer that is hard to treat surgically. How to tell similarly named treatments apart is explained in Same name “photoimmunotherapy”, not the same treatment.
- PDT for brain tumours: for the difference between Japan’s insurance-covered talaporfin PDT and the IR-780 liposome mouse study, see IR-780 liposome photothermal therapy for glioblastoma.
Even if a Japanese clinic offers self-pay care (outside official approval and insurance) under names such as “near-infrared therapy” or “photoimmunotherapy”, this review does not confirm the effect of that treatment. Public information on photoimmunotherapy in Japan is available under Photoimmunotherapy.
What patients should check — questions for your doctor
- What exactly is the drug (dye) used in the light treatment I was offered, and in which country and for which cancer is it approved?
- Is there a published paper with results in humans, or a clinical trial registration number (e.g. ClinicalTrials.gov)?
- Can the light reach my tumour at its depth and size? What does it mean if the cancer has already spread?
- Is there evidence that it is safe to delay or replace standard treatment (surgery, radiotherapy, anticancer drugs)?
- What are the cost and number of sessions, and which hospital will handle side effects?
Frequently asked questions
Can I receive IR780 treatment at a hospital now?
As of the date we checked the sources, IR780 nanoparticles are not an approved treatment, and all results in the 2025 review come from cell and animal studies. The effect in humans has not been confirmed.
What is the difference between IR780 photodynamic and photothermal therapy?
Photodynamic therapy uses light to create reactive oxygen that damages cells; photothermal therapy turns light into heat. IR780 can do both, and is also studied for sonodynamic therapy activated by ultrasound.
If tumours shrank by over 90% in mice, won’t it work in people too?
That cannot be assumed. Each study used different models and conditions, and human tumours differ greatly in depth, size and spread. The review itself warns that dye leakage calls for caution in interpreting animal data.
Are IR780 and ICG the same dye?
No. Both are near-infrared cyanine dyes, but ICG is approved by the US FDA for imaging, while IR780 is still a research substance.
Related: Same name “photoimmunotherapy”, not the same treatment · IR-780 Liposome Photothermal Therapy for Glioblastoma: Mouse Study Only, Not Yet Shown in Humans · Heparanase Aptamers for Cancer: No Proven Effect in People Yet
Sources
- Fialho MCP, de Oliveira MA, Machado MGC, Lacerda CM, Mosqueira VCF. IR780-Based Nanotheranostics and In Vivo Effects: A Review. Journal of Nanotheranostics 2025;6(1):8
mdpi.com/2624-845X/6/1/8
Checked: 2026-10-18 - Same review, DOI 10.3390/jnt6010008
doi.org/10.3390/jnt6010008
Checked: 2026-10-18 - Alves CG, Lima-Sousa R, de Melo-Diogo D, Louro RO, Correia IJ. IR780 based nanomaterials for cancer imaging and photothermal, photodynamic and combinatorial therapies. International Journal of Pharmaceutics 2018;542:164-175
doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2018.03.020
Checked: 2026-10-18 - Jiang D et al. P-IR890 near-infrared nano-photosensitizer (includes IR780 photostability comparison). Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 2024;19(5):100955
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11525468
Checked: 2026-10-18
Written by the FTH editorial team. Sources checked 2026-10-18 · Medical review: not applicable
This article is general information based on public sources and does not replace diagnosis or treatment. Please discuss treatment decisions with your medical team.
