About

Nanospectra Biosciences is a medical device company pioneering a patient-centric use of namomedicine for selective thermal ablation. The company is bringing a new technology model to market for tissue ablation that maximizes patient benefits while minimizing side effects. In addition, Nanospectra is leveraging proprietary nanoshell technology for additional clinical applications and strategic partnerships. Based in Houston, Texas, the company was founded on intellectual property from Rice University and collaborative research with scientists at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

The company’s principal focus is the development of AuroLase® Therapy for the ablation of solid tumors. Nanospectra’s AuroLase Therapy utilizes the unique ‘optical tunability’ of a new class of nanoparticles, called Auroshells®. These nanoparticles absorb near-infrared wavelengths of light that harmlessly penetrate human tissue. The particles are delivered intravenously and accumulate in the tumor. Then the tumor is illuminated with a near-infrared laser. The particles selectively absorb the photonic laser energy, converting the light into heat, which in turn, destroys the tumor and the blood vessels supplying it; sparing adjacent tissue.
AuroLase Therapy is used with an FDA-cleared laser that emits near infrared energy with the clinical study specified parameters (power, duty cycle, treatment time) and with an FDA-cleared fiber optic probe for energy delivery percutaneously. AuroShell particles (also known as “nanoshells“) consist of a gold metal shell and a non-conducting silica core and serves as the exogenous absorber of the near infrared laser energy delivered by the probe.