Verteporfin

Verteporfin, marketed as Visudyne, is a benzoporphyrin derivative. It is used as a photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy to eliminate abnormal blood vessels in wet form macular degeneration. Verteporfin accumulates in these abnormal blood vessels and, when stimulated by nonthermal red light with a wavelength of 693 nm in the presence of oxygen, produces highly reactive short-lived singlet oxygen and other reactive oxygen radicals, resulting in local damage to the endothelium and blockage of the vessels.

Verteporfin, marketed as Visudyne, is a benzoporphyrin derivative. It is used as a photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy to eliminate abnormal blood vessels in wet form macular degeneration. Verteporfin accumulates in these abnormal blood vessels and, when stimulated by nonthermal red light with a wavelength of 693 nm in the presence of oxygen, produces highly reactive short-lived singlet oxygen and other reactive oxygen radicals, resulting in local damage to the endothelium and blockage of the vessels.

For the treatment of patients with predominantly classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization due to age-related macular degeneration, pathologic myopia or presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome. Verteporfin can also be used to destroy tumors.

• Subfoveal Choroidal Neovascularization (CNV)