January 13, 2012 – Pinnacle Biologics, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company, has received FDA approval for their product, PHOTOFRIN®. PHOTOFRIN® is a new option for the treatment of mesothelioma. Treatment with the new drug is a two step process.
In the first step, the drug is given by intravenous injection. The drug is drawn to and stays in the cancer cells. The second step is done 40 to 50 hours after the intravenous injection. A non-burning laser light is projected onto the tumor. The tumor is destroyed by biochemical reactions, not by heat. This latest therapy gives doctors and their mesothelioma patients a new option to treat asbestos-related cancers.