Single-treatment tumor ablation with photodynamic liposomal irinotecan sucrosulfate

•A liposomal formulation of irinotecan that contains a non-exchangeable, embedded photosensitizer gives rise to enhanced serum stability and rapid light-triggered release when sucrosulfate is used as a trapping agent.•Pharmacokinetic and biodistribution studies reveal enhanced delivery of Irinotecan, active metabolite SN-38 and major metabolite SN-38 following tumor irradiation with red laser light, leading to ablation of MIA-PaCa2 tumors and low-passage pancreatic cancer patient-derived xenogratfs with a single treatment.•A pharmacokinetic model accounts for enhanced drug delivery based on photodynamic laser irradiation increasing tumor vascular permeability.