Texaphyrins: a new approach to drug development

✍ Scribed by Tarak D. Mody; Jonathan L. Sessler

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 361 KB
• Volume: 05
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1088-4246
• DOI: 10.1002/jpp.326

✦ Synopsis

The texaphyrins are prototypical metal-coordinating expanded porphyrins. They represent a burgeoning class of pharmacological agents that show promise for an array of medical applications. Currently, two different water-soluble lanthanide texaphyrins, namely motexafin gadolinium ( Gd-Tex , 1) and motexafin lutetium ( Lu-Tex , 2), are involved in multi-center clinical trials for a variety of indications. The first of these agents, XCYTRIN^®^ (motexafin gadolinium) Injection, is being evaluated as a potential X-ray radiation enhancer in a randomized Phase III clinical trial in patients with brain metastases. The second, in various formulations, is being evaluated as a photosensitizer for use in: (i) the photodynamic treatment of recurrent breast cancer (LUTRIN^®^ Injection; now in Phase IIb clinical trials); (ii) photoangioplastic reduction of atherosclerosis involving peripheral and coronary arteries (ANTRIN^®^ Injection; now in Phase II and Phase I clinical trials, respectively); and (iii) light-based age-related macular degeneration (OPTRIN™ Injection; currently under Phase II clinical evaluation), a vision-threatening disease of the retina. In this article, these developments, along with fundamental aspects of the underlying chemistry are reviewed.