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The potential for photodynamic therapy to provide new treatment options for patients with choroidal neovascularization has been of interest to ophthalmologists for many years. Verteporfin (Visudyne, Novartis AG) is the first photodynamic drug to receive regulatory approval for use in ophthalmology. The development of verteporfin therapy was more complex than that of many other drugs because of the need to develop both the light-activated drug and the laser system used to activate it. This article provides an overview of the development of verteporfin therapy, focussing on the contributions of the pharmaceutical companies, device manufacturers, and investigators who were involved in the program.

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