Details for Patent: 6,225,303

Title:	Use of green porphyrins to treat neovasculature in the eye
Abstract:	Photodynamic therapy of conditions of the eye characterized by unwanted neovasculature, such as age-related macular degeneration, is effective using green porphyrins as photoactive agents, preferably as liposomal compositions.
Inventor(s):	Miller; Joan W. (Boston, MA), Gragoudas; Evangelos S. (Boston, MA)
Assignee:	Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (Boston, MA)
Filing Date:	Jul 06, 1999
Application Number:	09/347,382
Claims:	1. A method of treating unwanted choroidal neovasculature in a shortened treatment time, the method comprising the steps of: administering to a primate subject in need of such treatment an amount of a porphyrin dye sufficient to permit an effective amount to localize in the neovasculature; and irradiating the neovasculature with light from a laser having an irradiance in the range from at least about 300 mW/cm.sup.2 to about 900 mW/cm.sup.2, the light being absorbed by the porphyrin dye so as to occlude the neovasculature. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the porphyrin is green porphyrin. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the porphyrin is complexed with low-density lipoprotein. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the porphyrin is contained in a liposomal preparation. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the irradiance is about 600 mW/cm.sup.2. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the light has a fluence in the range of from about 50 Joules/cm.sup.2 to about 200 Joules/cm.sup.2. 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the light has a fluence in the range of from about 50 Joules/cm.sup.2 to about 200 Joules/cm.sup.2. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the primate subject has age-related macular degeneration and occlusion of the neovasculature ameliorates symptoms of the age-related macular degeneration. 9. A method of treating age-related macular degeneration in a primate subject having unwanted choroidal neovasculature in a shortened treament time, the method comprising the steps of: administering to the primate subject an amount of a green porphyrin dye sufficient to permit an effective amount to localize in the neovasculature; and irradiating the neovasculature with light from a laser having an irradiance in the range from at least about 300 mW/cm.sup.2 to about 900 mW/cm.sup.2, the light being absorbed by the porphyrin dye so as to occlude the neovasculature. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the porphyrin is complexed with low-density lipoprotein. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the porphyrin is contained in a liposomal preparation. 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the irradiance is about 600 mW/cm.sup.2. 13. The method of claim 9, wherein the light has a fluence in the range of from about 50 Joules/cm.sup.2 to about 200 Joules/cm.sup.2. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the light has a fluence in the range of from about 50 Joules/cm.sup.2 to about 200 Joules/cm.sup.2. 15. The method of claim 5, wherein the light has afluence of 50 Joules/cm.sup.2. 16. The method of claim 12, wherein the light has a fluence of 50 Joules/cm.sup.2. 17. The method of claim 2, wherein the light has a wavelength in the range of 550 to 695 nm. 18. The method of claim 5, wherein the light has a wavelength in the range of 550 to 695 nm. 19. The method of claim 12, wherein the light has a wavelength in the range of 550 to 695 nm. 20. The method of claim 1, wherein the primate subject has a disorder selected from the group consisting of age related macular degeneration, ocular histoplasmosis syndrome and myopia, wherein occlusion of the neovasculature ameliorates the disorder.