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Visudyne®

GoodRx

Verteporfin · intravenous infusion

Injections & Implants

Indication
VISUDYNE ® (verteporfin for injection) therapy is indicated for the treatment of patients with predominantly classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), pathologic myopia or presumed ocular histoplasmosis. There is insufficient evidence to indicate VISUDYNE for the treatment of predominantly occult subfoveal CNV. VISUDYNE (verteporfin for injection) therapy is a photoenhancer indicated for the treatment of patients with predominantly classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization due to age-related macular degeneration, pathologic myopia or presumed ocular histoplasmosis.
Contraindications
VISUDYNE (verteporfin for injection) is contraindicated for patients with porphyria or a known hypersensitivity to any component of this preparation.
Available Forms
15 mg
Mechanism of Action
VISUDYNE (verteporfin for injection) therapy is a two-stage process requiring administration of both verteporfin for injection and nonthermal red light. Verteporfin is transported in the plasma primarily by lipoproteins. Once verteporfin is activated by light in the presence of oxygen, highly reactive, short-lived singlet oxygen and reactive oxygen radicals are generated. Light activation of verteporfin results in local damage to neovascular endothelium, resulting in vessel occlusion.
Dosage
Recommended Dose: 6 mg/m 2 body surface area. Reconstitution: Reconstitute each vial of VISUDYNE with 7 mL of Sterile Water for Injection to provide 7.5 mL containing 2 mg/mL of verteporfin. Reconstituted VISUDYNE must be protected from light and used within 4 hours. Dilution: Dilute desired dose of reconstituted VISUDYNE with 5% Dextrose for Injection to a total infusion volume of 30 mL.
Warnings & Precautions
  • Exposure to Sun or Direct Light: Following injection with VISUDYNE (verteporfin for injection), care should be taken to avoid exposure of skin or eyes to direct sunlight or bright indoor light for 5 days.
  • Decreased Vision After Treatment: Patients who experience severe decrease of vision of 4 lines or more within 1 week after treatment should not be retreated, at least until their vision completely recovers to pretreatment levels and the potential benefits and risks of subsequent treatment are carefully considered by the treating physician.
  • Anaphylactic Reactions: Cases of anaphylactic reactions have been reported in patients receiving VISUDYNE. Medical supervision is recommended during infusion.
Common Side Effects
The most frequently reported adverse reactions to VISUDYNE (verteporfin for injection) are injection site reactions (including pain, edema, inflammation, extravasation, rashes, hemorrhage and discoloration) and visual disturbances (including blurred vision, flashes of light, decreased visual acuity and visual field defects, including scotoma).
Pregnancy & Lactation
Pregnancy: There are no data with the use of VISUDYNE in pregnant women to inform a drug-associated risk.
Lactation: Verteporfin and its diacid metabolite have been found in human breast milk following an intravenous infusion at the recommended human dose of 6 mg/m 2 . Verteporfin was present in breast milk at levels up to 66% of the corresponding plasma levels and declined below the limit of quantification (2 ng/mL) within 24 hours.
Pediatric Use
Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.