An improved tumor-specific therapeutic strategy by the spatio-temporally controlled in situ formation of a Cu(ii) complex, leading to prompt cell apoptosis via photoactivation of a prodrug.

The anti-tumor activity of Cu complexes is well established in cancer research. We developed a biotin-tagged Cu-chelating prodrug that is activated by one-photon and two-photon irradiation for the target-specific and spatio-temporally controlled in situ generation of a Cu complex. In this way, we transform copper from a "cancer-promoting" agent to an anticancer agent.