We have developed an ESIPT based drug delivery system, Cou–Benz–Cbl conjugate, with pH sensitive fluorescence properties and photocontrolled release of the anticancer drug chlorambucil.

Among the well-known phototriggers, the p-hydroxyphenacyl (pHP) group has consistently enabled the very fast, efficient, and high-conversion release of active molecules. Despite this unique behavior, the pHP group has been ignored as a delivery agent, particularly in the area of theranostics, because of two major limitations: Its excitation wavelength is below 400 nm, and it is nonfluorescent. We have overcome these limitations by incorporating a 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole (HBT) appendage capable of rapid excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). The ESIPT effect also provided two unique advantages: It assisted the deprotonation of the pHP group for faster release, and it was accompanied by a distinct fluorescence color change upon photorelease. In vitro studies showed that the p-hydroxyphenacyl-benzothiazole-chlorambucil conjugate presents excellent properties, such as real-time monitoring, photoregulated drug delivery, and biocompatibility.

'Aggregation Induced Emission + Excited State Intramolecular Proton Transfer (AIE + ESIPT)'-assisted photorelease of an anticancer drug by a p-hydroxyphenacyl (pHP) phototrigger with real-time monitoring has been demonstrated.

In spite of inventing several anticancer agents the clinical payoff still remains unsatisfactory because of their severe host toxicity due to their nonspecific biodistribution in the body.