label: verteporfin
label_lc: verteporfin
description: "An equimolar mixture of the 9-methyl ester and 13-methyl ester of trans-(+-)-18-ethenyl-4,4a-dihydro-3,4-bis(methoxycarbonyl)-4a,8,14,19-tetramethyl-23H,25H-benzo[b]porphine-9,13-dipropanoic acid. It is used as a photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy to eliminate the abnormal blood vessels in the eye associated with neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration. Verteporfin accumulates in these abnormal blood vessels and, when activated by red (693 nm) laser light in the presence of oxygen, produces highly reactive short-lived singlet oxygen and other reactive oxygen radicals, resulting in local damage to the endothelium and blockage of the vessels."