# US 12,109,429 B2 · Phototherapeutic light for treatment of pathogens > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,109,429 B2 - Document ID: US12109429B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/117,858 - Filed: 2020-12-10 - Published: 2021-05-06 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-07-28 - Assignees: KNOW Bio, LLC - Applicants: KNOW Bio, LLC - Inventors: Nathan Stasko; David T. Emerson; Adam Cockrell; F. Neal Hunter; Michael John Bergmann; Rebecca McDonald; Nicholas William Medendorp, Jr.; Gerald H. Negley; Katelyn P. Reighard - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12109429B2 ## CPC - A61N 5/0613: {Apparatus adapted for a specific treatment} - A61N 5/0601: {Apparatus for use inside the body} - A61N 5/0603: {for treatment of body cavities} - A61N 5/0624: {for eliminating microbes, germs, bacteria on or in the body} - H10H 29/10: Integrated devices comprising at least one light-emitting semiconductor component covered by group H10H20/00 (active-matrix LED displays H10H29/30) - A61N 2005/0606: {Mouth} - A61N 2005/0609: {Stomach and/or esophagus} - A61N 2005/0611: {Vagina} - A61N 2005/0626: {Monitoring, verifying, controlling systems and methods} - A61N 2005/0643: {Applicators, probes irradiating specific body areas in close proximity} - A61N 2005/0647: {the applicator adapted to be worn on the head} - A61N 2005/0652: {Arrays of diodes} - A61N 2005/0653: {Organic light emitting diodes} - A61N 2005/0659: {infrared} - A61N 2005/0661: {ultraviolet} - A61N 2005/0662: {Visible light} - A61N 2005/0663: {Coloured light} - A61N 2005/0666: {for redirecting light to the treatment area} - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) - H10H: INORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES HAVING POTENTIAL BARRIERS ## Abstract Methods and related devices for impinging light on tissue, for example within a body of a patient, to induce various biological effects are disclosed. Biological effects may include at least one of inactivating and/or inhibiting growth of one or more pathogens, upregulating a local immune response, stimulating enzymatic generation of nitric oxide to increase endogenous stores of nitric oxide, releasing nitric oxide from endogenous stores of nitric oxide, and inducing an anti-inflammatory effect. Wavelengths of light are selected based on intended biological effects for one or more of targeted tissue types and targeted pathogens. Light treatments may provide multiple pathogenic biological effects, either with light of a single wavelength or with light having multiple wavelengths. Devices and methods for light treatments are disclosed that provide light doses for inducing biological effects on various targeted pathogens and targeted tissues with increased efficacy and reduced cytotoxicity. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: providing a light source configured to emit light comprising a first light characteristic including a first peak wavelength in a range from 400 nanometers (nm) to 450 nm; and irradiating mammalian tissue within a body with the light to induce a biological effect by administering a dose of light of no more than 50 joules per square centimeter (J/cm2) during a time period of no more than 10 minutes, and repeatably administering the dose of light a number of times to provide a cumulative dose in a range from greater than 50 J/cm2 to 1000 J/cm2 over a cumulative time period in a range from 1 day to 7 consecutive days, wherein the biological effect comprises altering a concentration of one or more pathogens within the body and altering growth of the one or more pathogens within the body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first peak wavelength is in a range from 400 nm to 435 nm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein less than 5% of the light is in a wavelength range that is less than 400 nm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first peak wavelength is a range from 410 nm to 440 nm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a full width half maximum of the first peak wavelength is less than or equal to 100 nm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a full width half maximum of the first peak wavelength is less than or equal to 40 nm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first light characteristic includes a radiant flux in a range from 5 milliwatts (mW) to 5000 mW. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the radiant flux is configured to provide an irradiance to the tissue in a range from 5 mW/cm2 to 200 mW/cm2. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the biological effect comprises inactivating the one or more pathogens that are in a cell-free environment in the body and inhibiting replication of the one or more pathogens that are in a cell-associated environment in the body within the body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the biological effect further comprises upregulating a local immune response within the body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the biological effect comprises stimulating at least one of enzymatic generation of nitric oxide to increase endogenous stores of nitric oxide and releasing nitric oxide from endogenous stores of nitric oxide. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the dose of light is in a range from 0.5 J/cm2 to 50 J/cm2. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the dose of light is in a range from 2 J/cm2 to 50 J/cm2. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein administering the dose of light comprises providing light with an irradiance to the mammalian tissue that is in a range from 5 milliwatts per square centimeter (mW/cm2) to 200 mW/cm2 over the time period that is in a range from 10 seconds to 10 minutes. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the irradiance is delivered in a continuous manner. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the irradiance is delivered in a plurality of discrete pulses. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of discrete pulses comprises a plurality of equal pulses that is delivered during the time period. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of discrete pulses comprises a plurality of dissimilar pulses that is delivered during the time period. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the cumulative dose is up to 420 J/cm2 over the cumulative time period. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the dose of light is in a range from 0.5 J/cm2 to 50 J/cm2 and the dose of light is repeatably administered at least two times over the cumulative time period. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein administering the dose of light comprises providing light with an irradiance in a range from 0.1 milliwatts per square centimeter (mW/cm2) to 10 watts per square centimeter (W/cm2), wherein the irradiance is delivered in a plurality of discrete pulses. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein impinging light to the mammalian tissue within the body comprises administering a dose of light with a light therapeutic index of greater than or equal to 2, the light therapeutic index being defined as a dose concentration that reduces tissue viability by 25% divided by a dose concentration that reduces cellular percentage of the pathogens by 50%. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the light therapeutic index is in a range from 2 to 250. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more pathogens comprise at least one of a virus, a bacteria, and a fungus. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more pathogens comprise coronaviridae. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more pathogens comprise orthomyxoviridae. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more pathogens comprise at least two types of viruses. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein the one or more pathogens comprise coronaviridae and orthomyxoviridae. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the light is provided by at least one of a light-emitting diode, an organic light-emitting diode, and a laser. ### Claim 30 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mammalian tissue comprises mucosal epithelial tissue. ### Claim 31 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the light is provided at a tissue depth of less than or equal to 2.5 mm. ### Claim 32 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the light further comprises a second peak wavelength that is in a range from 400 nm to 900 nm, wherein the second peak wavelength differs from the first peak wavelength by at least 10 nm. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, wherein a full width half maximum of the second peak wavelength is less than or equal to 100 nm. ### Claim 34 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein impinging light to the mammalian tissue within the body comprises administering a first dose of light and a second dose of light for a single type of microorganism.