We are particularly interested in mediating broad-spectrum killing of pathogenic Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli bacteria targets. Systematic evaluation was taken to evaluate a structure–function relationship of fullerene-(light harvesting antenna) conjugative diads and triads on the influence of their biological activity, aiming to achieve the optimized photodynamic inactivation (PDI) efficiency against multiantibiotics-resistant bacteria.

Accordingly, we found a rational design of effective fullerene-based nano-photosensitizers by chemical modification of the carbon cage with two cell-targeting moieties each with a well-defined high number of cationic charges that allowed us to demonstrate the feasibility of these compounds giving cytotoxicity toward both Gram-positive and Gram-negative species. We also uncovered the large enhancement of PDI efficiency in photokilling of infectious bacteria by replacing the C₆₀ cage with a C₇₀ leading to novel type-I eicosacationic [70]fullerenes as potential nano-PDI agents.