We have prepared a new type of phototherapy drug that both releases the active form of cisplatin and creates singlet oxygen with tissue-penetrating near-IR light. The drug is built upon a cyanine dye, and treatment with near-IR light cleaves the platinum-oxygen bonds. Simultaneously, the presence of the heavy metal platinum enables the cyanine ligand to be an efficient singlet oxygen generator. Packed into a very small package, we the compound we have made, IR797-Platin has two modes of chemotherapy. For details click here.