title: Technology evaluation: fomivirsen, Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc/CIBA vision.
abstract: Fomivirsen (ISIS-2922, Vitravene) is an antisense 21 mer phosphorothioate oligonucleotide with sequence complementarity to the coding region of the major immediate-early gene of human cytomegalovirus (CMV). Developed by Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc, fomivirsen is the first antisense oligonucleotide to receive approval for licensing and is marketed by Novartis' CIBA Vision. Fomivirsen is administered by intravitreal injection to AIDS patients for the treatment of CMV-induced retinitis. In August 1998, the FDA approved the marketing of Vitravene for the local treatment of CMV retinitis [296420], [296780], and both European and Brazilian registration approval followed in the summer of 1999 [335238].
authors.affiliation: CRC Centre for Cancer Research, The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, Surrey, UK. rosanne@icr.ac.uk
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Orr
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000187:drug effects; D017726:Cytomegalovirus Retinitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009025:Morpholines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013873:Thionucleotides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D009025:Morpholines; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D013873:Thionucleotides; C091346:fomivirsen