Details for Patent: 6,548,542

Title:	Vision through photodynamic therapy of the eye
Abstract:	Photodynamic therapy of conditions of the eye, especially those conditions characterized by unwanted neovasculature, such as age-related macular degeneration, results in enhanced visual acuity for treated subjects.
Inventor(s):	Strong; H. Andrew (North Van, CA), Levy; Julia (Vancouver, CA), Huber; Gustav (Zurich, CH), Fsadni; Mario (Buelach, CH)
Assignee:	QLT Inc. (British Columbia, CA) Novartis, A.G. (CH)
Filing Date:	Apr 28, 1999
Application Number:	09/300,979
Claims:	1. A method to improve visual acuity in a human subject afflicted with unwanted neovasculature in ocular tissue comprising irradiating the ocular tissue of said human subject with light emitted from a laser, wherein said subject has been identified as in need of improvement in visual acuity and suffering from unwanted neovasculature in ocular tissue, and administered a formulation of a purpurin sufficient to permit an effective amount to localize in said ocular tissue; wherein said irradiation is with light containing a wavelength absorbed by the purpurin and is conducted for a time and at an intensity sufficient to improve visual acuity in said subject. 2. A method to improve visual acuity in a human subject afflicted with unwanted neovasculature in ocular tissue comprising administering a formulation of a purpurin sufficient to permit an effective amount to localize in the ocular tissue of a human subject identified as in need of improvement in visual acuity and suffering from unwanted neovasculature in ocular tissue, and irradiating the ocular tissue with light emitted from a laser; wherein said irradiation is with light containing a wavelength absorbed by the purpurin and is conducted for a time and at an intensity sufficient to improve visual acuity in said subject. 3. A method to improve visual acuity in a human subject afflicted with unwanted neovasculature in ocular tissue comprising identifying,a human subject in need of improvement in visual acuity and suffering from unwanted neovasculature in ocular tissue, administering a formulation of a purpurin sufficient to permit an effective amount to localize in said ocular tissue, irradiating said ocular tissue in said subject with light emitted from a laser wherein said irradiation is with light containing a wavelength absorbed by the purpurin and is conducted for a time and at an intensity sufficient to improve visual acuity in said subject. 4. The method of any one of claims 1-3 wherein said neovasculature is choroidal vasculature. 5. The method of any one of claims 1-3 wherein said subject has been diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). 6. The method of any one of claims 1-3 wherein said subject has been diagnosed with a condition selected from the group consisting of macular degeneration, ocular histoplasmosis syndrome, myopia, and inflammatory diseases. 7. The method of any one of claims 1-3 wherein said irradiation is administered beginning about 5-30 minutes after said subject has been administered said formulation. 8. The method of any one of claims 1-3 wherein said irradiation is administered beginning about 10-25 minutes after said subject has been administered said formulation. 9. The method of claim 4 wherein said irradiation is administered beginning about 10-25 minutes after said subject has been administered said formulation. 10. The method of claim 5 wherein said irradiation is administered beginning about 10-25 minutes after said subject has been administered said formulation. 11. The method of claim 6 wherein said irradiation is administered beginning about 10-25 minutes after said subject has been administered said formulation. 12. The method of any one of claims 1-3 wherein said irradiation is at 150-600 mW/cm.sup.2. 13. The method of claim 4 wherein said irradiation is at 150-600 mW/cm.sup.2. 14. The method of claim 5 wherein said irradiation is at 150-600 mW/cm.sup.2. 15. The method of claim 6 wherein said irradiation is at 150-600 mW/cm.sup.2. 16. The method of claim 7 wherein said irradiation is at 150-600 mW/cm.sup.2. 17. The method of claim 8 wherein said irradiation is at 150-600 mW/cm.sup.2. 18. The method of any one of claims 1-3 wherein said formulation is a liposomal formulation. 19. A method to improve visual acuity in a human subject afflicted with unwanted neovasculature in ocular tissue comprising irradiating the ocular tissue of said human subject with light emitted from a laser, wherein said subject has been identified as in need of improvement in visual acuity and suffering from unwanted neovasculature in ocular tissue, and administered a formulation of a photoactive compound sufficient to permit an effective amount to localize in said ocular tissue; wherein said irradiation is with light containing a wavelength absorbed by the photoactive compound and is conducted for a time and at an intensity sufficient to improve visual acuity in said subject. 20. The method of claim 19 wherein said photoactive compound is a purpurin.