Verteporfin

개요Verteporfin was introduced in Switzerland as a second-generation photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy of wet age-related macular degeneration in patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascularisation. It is constituted of a mixture of two regioisomers resulting from nonselective monohydrolysis of the methyl tetraester. Upon irradiation with a lowenergy nonheat-generating laser light of 689nm wavelength, both regioisomeric benzoporphyrins are responsible for the local generation of singlet oxygen leading to free radical damage of neovascular endothelial cells in subfoveal lesions of patients with agerelated macular degeneration. The lipophilic drug is injected i.v. as a liposomal formulation in order to favor its uptake by plasma lipoproteins and distribution to cells with a high expression of low density lipoprotein receptors such as tumor and neovascular endothelial cells. Verteporfin is also being developed for the treatment of other eye diseases, nonmelanoma skin cancer and psoriasis.

용도Verteporfin is a photosensitizer that is used in photodynamic therapy (PDT). Verteporfin can accumulate in tumor tissues allowing for 30 to 150 minutes optimal PDT after intravenous administration.