Motexafin lutetium (Pharmacyclics).
Pharmacyclics is developing the photosensitizer, motexafin lutetium as Antrin for the potential treatment of restenosis and atherosclerotic plaques, Lutrin for the possible treatment of cancer, and Optrin for the possible treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). ANTRIN: A phase II multicenter, randomized, controlled study involving 375 peripheral artery disease (PAD) patients is being conducted in the US. It is designed to evaluate Antrin photoangioplasty as a primary treatment for PAD and for the prevention of restenosis following balloon angioplasty [341341,347151]. LUTRIN: Lutrin is being developed for the possible treatment of a number of cancers [348919]. In July 1997, the compound entered phase II trials for breast cancer [323952,323929]. In August 2000, the compound was undergoing a phase IIb trial for advanced refractory breast cancer [380234]. OPTRIN: In May 2000, Pharmacyclics reported preliminary results from an ongoing phase II dose-ranging study with Optrin for the photodynamic therapy of patients with AMD [365074].
Yeung
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PF
College of Pharmacy, Dalhousie University, Burbridge Building, Halifax, NS B3H-3J5, Canada. pollen.yeung@dal.ca