VANCOUVER, British Columbia The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted orphan drug designation to QLT for Visudyne as a potential treatment for chronic or recurrent central serous chorioretinopathy, the company reported in a press release.
QLT is working with external advisers on options for a possible clinical study to assess the safety and efficacy of Visudyne (verteporfin for injection) for central serous chorioretinopathy, according to the release.
Verteporfin is approved worldwide for treatment of predominantly classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization.
Visudyne saw sales of $22.4 million in QLT's fourth quarter of 2011, representing an 8.4% decrease compared to the same quarter in 2010.