Fimaporfin – CC and EU Orpahan status
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On 29 August 2016, orphan designation (EU/3/16/1720) was granted by the European Commission to PCI Biotech AS, Norway, for fimaporfin for the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma.
“Fimaporfin is a photosensitising agent (a substance that changes when exposed to light). It is to be used with gemcitabine, a medicine already authorised for the treatment of several types of cancer. When fimaporfin and gemcitabine are injected into a blood vessel, they are distributed throughout the body and reach the bile ducts. When a laser light is targeted at the bile duct cancer, fimaporfin is activated and generates reactive oxygen molecules that modify internal structures of the cancerous bile duct cells. This allows the accompanying gemcitabine to disrupt production of DNA in these cells, thus preventing them from multiplying and slowing down the growth of the cancer.”
This sounds interesting as it sounds like a sort of laser treatment like my dad had, PDT. He was given Photofrin as the light sensistising agent but this treatment seems to involve a similar type of treatment as PDT but with a new drug plus Gemcitabine at the same time.
It says in the piece as well that clinical trials are ongoing with this procedure just now.
Gavin
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