QLT receives FDA approval for Photofrin

17 Jun 2002

The Food and Drug Administration gave QLT PhotoTherapeutics, Inc., marketing clearance for its light-activated drug, Photofrin, for certain types of early-stage microinvasive lung cancer. The approval includes marketing clearance for laser systems and a fiber optic used to activate Photofrin, which is injected into a patient intraveneously and selectively concentrates in tumor cells while largely clearing from normal tissue. Activation of Photofrin by a non-thermal laser light at the tumor site produces a toxic form of oxygen that destroys the cancerous cells.