Methyl aminolevulinate

Methyl aminolevulinate
Methyl aminolevulinate
Systematic (IUPAC) name
methyl 5-amino-4-oxo-pentanoate
Clinical data
AHFS/Drugs.com Multum Consumer Information
Pregnancy cat.  ?
Legal status  ?
Identifiers
CAS number 33320-16-0 YesY
ATC code L01XD03
PubChem CID 16052023
DrugBank APRD01105
ChemSpider 13180320 YesY
ChEMBL CHEMBL1096562 N
Chemical data
Formula C6H11NO3 
Mol. mass 145.156 g/mol
SMILES eMolecules & PubChem
 N(what is this?)  aminolevulinate (verify)

Methyl aminolevulinate (MAL) is a prodrug that is metabolised to Protoporphyrin IX (sensitizer) used in photodynamic therapy. It is marketed as Metvix.

Metvix cream is applied topically and some time later the skin is illuminated with a proprietary red light (630 nm) source (medical lamp 'Aktilite') to activate the photosensitiser.

Metvix is developed by Photocure and Galderma has bought all rights to Metvix.[1]

Approvals and Indications

Approved in New Zealand for treatment of basal cell carcinoma[2].

It is now approved in many countries and has been used to treat non-melanoma skin cancer (including basal cell carcinoma)[3].

It has some advantages over Levulan.[4]

References

  1. ^ http://photocure.com/NEWS/newcontainer/Photocure-divests-Metvix-to-Galderma-for-EUR-51-million/ Photocure divests Metvix® to Galderma
  2. ^ http://dermnetnz.org/procedures/metvix-pdt.html "Methyl aminolevulinate photodynamic therapy (MAL PDT)"
  3. ^ http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/36953.php "New 5 Year Metvix-PDT Data Demonstrate Long-Term Efficacy & Reliability For NM Skin Cancer Treatment" 2006
  4. ^ http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3931/is_200909/ai_n42040200/pg_13/ Porphyrin and Nonporphyrin Photosensitizers in Oncology: Preclinical and Clinical Advances in Photodynamic Therapy Photochemistry and Photobiology, Sep/Oct 2009 by O'Connor, Aisling E, Gallagher, William M, Byrne, Annette T