Across healthcare, many treatments are invasive, systemic, and often come with debilitating side effects that diminish patients’ quality of life. At LightOx, we believe there’s a better way.
By harnessing the power of light-activated small molecule drugs, we are delivering targeted therapies with unprecedented precision and control, transforming the way we treat oral cancer, wound infections and more.
LightOx’s innovation: From unexpected discovery to game-changing therapy
Like many great innovations, LightOx’s breakthrough began with an unexpected discovery.
While developing synthetic, stable versions of vitamin A molecules, we found that our new molecules could be made to fluoresce – a handy feature that allowed researchers to track them inside cells.
During some biological testing of our new molecules, we made an unexpected but potentially groundbreaking discovery – some of them triggered cell death when exposed to blue light. Recognising the value of our finding, we shifted focus to explore the potential of these molecules as next-generation light-activated therapies that could overcome the major limitations of existing photodynamic treatments.
Unlike traditional photodynamic technologies developed 50 years ago, which require complex manufacturing and come with harsh systemic effects and long recovery periods for patients to avoid sunlight, our molecules have an entirely different structure. This makes them safer, easier to manufacture, more widely applicable, and, crucially, allows them to be applied directly to the site of interest.
Thanks to early industry support, we spun out of Durham University in 2016 and LightOx secured seed investment to develop this discovery into a clinical reality.
Harnessing the power of light to treat disease
At the core of LightOx’s innovation is a unique class of patented small molecule drugs that are activated by specific wavelengths of light. These drugs remain inert until exposed to light, ensuring their therapeutic effects are confined to diseased tissues, minimising damage to healthy cells when compared with systemic treatments.
The process involves applying the drug in a gel formulation directly to the affected area and then illuminating it with a simple light source. Upon activation, the drug induces a therapeutic effect, promoting specific cell death pathways, be that in cancerous tissues or in eliminating harmful bacteria in infected wounds.
One key difference between our technology and others on the market is that we use blue light, which only penetrates a few millimeters into tissue – unlike conventional red light therapy that can penetrate deep into the tissues causing pain and damage beyond the area of interest. This makes it ideal for surface-level applications such as oral cancer and wound care. What’s more, these drugs can be produced at a lower cost and are much simpler to administer, making treatment more accessible in resource-poor settings.
Transforming oral cancer treatment with light-activated therapy
Oral leukoplakia and dysplasia – present as white or red patches of “pre-cancerous” lesions in the mouth – currently lack effective, non-invasive treatments. Many cases progress to oral cancer, requiring surgery or aggressive interventions that reduce quality of life. This technology is equally useful in both high-end hospital settings and regions with high prevalence such as India, China and South East Asia, where healthcare access is limited and there is an urgent need for a deployable, non-invasive solution.
LightOx’s lead candidate, LXD191, offers a promising alternative. Applied as a gel to the mouth, this topical, light-activated drug targets pre-cancerous lesions before they have a chance to progress. Formulated with high absorption properties, LXD191 also ensures efficient penetration in oral tissues.
Preclinical studies – data from which will be published in the coming months – have demonstrated LXD191’s ability to induce apoptosis in cancerous cells through targeted stimulation in cellular organelles, eliminating the need for more invasive surgery, laser ablation or radiotherapy. Importantly, the therapy is paired with a widely-available handheld light device similar to those already used in dentistry for easy, cost-effective deployment.
Beyond cancer: Light-activated therapy in antimicrobial resistance & wound care
Chronic wound infections, exacerbated by the rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as MRSA, are a growing global concern. Traditional treatments, such as antibiotics and silver-based wound dressings, have associated toxicities and off-target effects that can impair wound healing, and many other treatments are not effective against resistant strains, especially in the context of biofilm formation.
We discovered that our technology also works effectively against bacteria and have collaborated in the field with a number of global institutions. This work resulted in our lead antimicrobial drug candidate, LXD231 – a light-activated compound designed to combat chronic wound infections, reduce reinfection and the need for frequent changing of dressings.
Importantly, LXD231 can penetrate biofilms – a common defence mechanism of bacteria – and, upon activation with light, effectively eradicate them. This approach reduces the need for systemic antibiotics and its unique mechanism of action – triggering apoptosis through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) – makes it much less likely that bacteria are able to evolve resistance compared with conventional drugs.
By delivering a targeted antimicrobial effect without contributing to antibiotic resistance, LXD231 has the potential to reshape wound care. This non-invasive, highly precise treatment aims to reduce infection rates and hospital visits, easing the burden on healthcare systems while improving patient outcomes.
Taking light-activated therapies to the clinic
We’ve already made significant strides in advancing our therapeutic pipeline, with LXD191 having completed preclinical studies, and LXD231 currently in preclinical development.
Plans are underway to initiate Phase I/II clinical trials of LXD191 in 2025, and manufacturing of the drug has already been successfully scaled up at High Force Research – an MHRA-audited facility for clinical-grade production capability. With our Series A round underway and interest from both domestic and overseas investors, we are well-positioned to advance towards clinical trials.
At LightOx, we are committed to finding solutions that will reshape the future of oncology, wound care, and more.
If you’re an investor, licensee or industry partner interested in helping us achieve this mission, contact us today to explore collaboration opportunities and help us bring these innovative therapies to patients worldwide.
