verteporfin (Visudyne)

Introduction

Tradename: Visudyne.

Indications

• treatment of age-related macular degeneration predominantly in patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization

Dosage

• 10.4 mg (6 mg/m2) IV every 3 months PRN
• IV administration followed by photodynamic laser therapy to activate the drug

Mechanism of action

• accumulates in abnormal blood vessels of the wet form of macular defeneration
• when stimulated by nonthermal red light with a wavelength of 693 nm in the presence of oxygen, produces singlet oxygen & other reactive oxygen species, resulting in local damage to the endothelium & blockage of the vessels

More general terms

• photosensitizing agent (photosensitizer)

Additional terms

• macular degeneration

Database

• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=5282137
• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=443882