ECP + 5-aminolevulinic acid

ECP + 5-aminolevulinic acid is a combination therapy that integrates extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) with the use of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) as a photosensitizer precursor. In this approach, leukocyte-enriched blood from the patient is treated ex vivo with ALA, which is metabolized intracellularly to protoporphyrin IX (PpIX), a potent photosensitizer. Upon exposure to UVA light in the presence of oxygen, PpIX generates reactive oxygen species that induce apoptosis and necrosis in targeted cells. This method allows for selective targeting of proliferative or activated cells due to their higher uptake and altered heme biosynthesis activity. The combination has been investigated primarily for immune-mediated diseases such as chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD) and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), showing promising safety and tolerability profiles[1][3][4]. ECP + ALA may offer advantages over traditional ECP using other photosensitizers by increasing selectivity and potentially reducing treatment frequency.

Other names

ALA-ECPextracorporeal photopheresis with 5-aminolevulinic acid