Efficacy and safety of LAU-7b in a Phase 2 trial in adults with cystic fibrosis.

Background: Lung inflammation is associated with tissue damage in cystic fibrosis (CF). LAU-7b, a novel oral drug candidate, was shown to control inflammation and stabilize CFTR protein in the epithelial membrane during inflammatory stress in preclinical models of CF.

Methods: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 study was conducted to evaluate efficacy and safety of LAU-7b in adults with CF.

Lack of effect of sex and disease state on the pharmacokinetics of porfimer sodium.

Background: Porfimer sodium is an agent used for photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer and other pre-malignant conditions such as high grade dysplasia in Barrett's oesophagus. Since it is activated by non-thermal red light after a 2-day time interval to allow distribution in the target tissues, its pharmacokinetic properties are relevant to the timing of light treatment and to the period of protection against photosensitivity reactions. With the recent availability of a reliable assay overcoming the limitations of previous assays, two definitive pharmacokinetic studies were undertaken.

Duration of skin photosensitivity and incidence of photosensitivity reactions after administration of verteporfin.

Background: Verteporfin (Visudyne, Novartis AG) is a light-activated drug that reduces the risk of vision loss in patients with certain types of choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Because photosensitivity can occur with photosensitizers, it is important for ophthalmologists providing verteporfin therapy to understand its time course and duration, as well as the incidence of photosensitivity reactions.

Methods: Data were obtained from three sources: 1) the time course of skin photosensitivity in 17 volunteers by measuring erythema/edema over time after verteporfin, using red light exposure; 2) the duration of skin photosensitivity in 30 patients with skin cancer by exposing skin to simulated solar light and calculating the daily minimal erythematous dose; and 3) the incidences of photosensitivity reactions as recorded in three phase III trials in patients with CNV secondary to age-related macular degeneration or pathologic myopia who received the regimen of verteporfin therapy currently approved by regulatory authorities (infusion of 6 mg/m(2) body surface area).

Clinical pharmacokinetics of verteporfin.

Verteporfin, a benzoporphyrin derivative, is the first photo-sensitive (light-activated) drug to be proven effective in treating certain types of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The pharmacokinetics of light-activated drugs are central to their safety and efficacy. Forty healthy Caucasian volunteers, 24 healthy Japanese volunteers, 9 patients with mild hepatic dysfunction, 69 patients with CNV due to AMD, and 21 patients with skin cancer were infused with verteporfin 3 to 20 mg/m2 of body surface area over 1.