Mechanism of Action
CYTALUX™ is a proprietary folic acid analog conjugated with a fluorescent dye which binds to folate receptor positive ovarian cancer cells.
Watch an Animation Describing the
CYTALUX Mechanism of Action

Folate
Folate is an essential vitamin required for cell growth and DNA replication1
Rapidly dividing cancer cells requires an abundant supply of folate, therefore, it is consumed in elevated quantities1
Most ovarian cancers overexpress high-affinity folate receptors to increase folate uptake for tumor growth2
How CYTALUX Works
molecule that
circulates quickly
through the body
intravenously in as little as
an hour before imaging.
folate receptors on
ovarian cancer cells
binding to FR+ ovarian
cancer cells.
endocytosed
and concentrates in
folate receptor
positive (FR+) ovarian
cancer tissues
concentrated in the tissues
throughout the entire
surgical procedure.
bright fluorophore which is
illuminated via near-infrared light
light enhances intraoperative
visualization in challenging
environments and below the tissue surface.3
1 Markert S, et al. Alpha-folate receptor expression in epithelial ovarian carcinoma and nonneoplastic ovarian tissue. Anticancer Res. 2008 (28): 3568-3572.
2 Kalli KR, Oberg AL, Keeney GL, et al. Folate receptor alpha as a tumor target in epithelial ovarian cancer. Gynecologic Oncology. 2008;108(3):619-626.
3 Predina JD, Newton AD, Connolly C, Dunbar A, Baldassari M, Deshpande C, Cantu E 3rd, Stadanlick J, Kularatne SA, Low PS, Singhal S. Identification of a Folate Receptor-Targeted Near-Infrared Molecular Contrast Agent to Localize Pulmonary Adenocarcinomas. Mol Ther. 2018 Feb 7;26(2):390-403. doi: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2017.10.016. Epub 2017 Oct 26. PMID: 29241970; PMCID: PMC5835020.