On Target's work is structured around the the discovery and development of small molecules that, when conjugated with fluorescent dyes, target and illuminate specific cancerous cells and other diseased tissue provideing the surgeon with a clearer view of diseased tissue: allowing more precise decision-making during the surigal procedure. Based on the pioneering work of Philip S. Low, PhD, at Purdue, this form of Image-guided surgery utilizing fluorescent probes or imaging agents is aided enhances surgeon's ability to identify malignant tissue real-time. Prior to OTL's small molecules, many of the available agents lacked the necessary precision. OTL's small molecules are very specific to targets overexpressed in diseased tissue, including cancer and autoimmune diseases, and can support specifically introduce therapeutics, radio-imaging agents and optical-imaging agents to diseased cells. Many current tracers currently employed lack sensitivity.specificity to the identification of diseased tissue: false-positives within healthy cells. OTL38 is a precise, illuminating, and innovative proprietary dye that attaches to diseased cells, allowing the clinician to distinguish those from healthy cells within minutes of injection providing doctors confidence that illumination is an indicator of disease. OTL38 has received orphan drug designation from the FDA. For surgeons, a new era and an empowering tool OTL ligands are a therapeutic breakthrough. The tumor specific ligands can also be used to deliver photosensitive agents specifically to cancer. The activation of these agents could enable selective destruction of cancerous tissue that would otherwise be invisible to the surgeon. Not only a diagnostic tool, this novel therapy may be used to improve therapeutic outcomes, because enhanced surgical resection of diseased tissue may lead to better prognostic outcome
