Fomivirsen

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis can rapidly lead to blindness in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Fomivirsen is a novel antisense drug with a 21-nucleotide sequence complementary to the immediate early region 2 of CMV messenger ribonucleic acid. In clinical trials, fomivirsen was shown to provide effective treatment for newly diagnosed, peripheral CMV retinitis in patients with AIDS and in those with relapsed CMV retinitis that is unresponsive to conventional therapy. These trials also demonstrated that local treatment with fomivirsen does not result in measurable systemic absorption of fomivirsen or its metabolites. Thus, there is minimal risk of systemic exposure to fomivirsen or its metabolites with intravitreal dosing at either 165 mcg or 330 mcg. The only clinically relevant adverse events are mild to moderate local ocular effects that are transient and manageable with topical medications. (c) 2001 Prous Science. All rights reserved.