drugsProductApproved

Temoporfin

aka mTHPC, meta-tetra(hydroxyphenyl)chlorin

Foscan is a light-activated drug used in Europe to shrink advanced head and neck cancers that have failed other treatments and cannot be operated on, irradiated or given chemotherapy, to relieve symptoms.

Temoporfin was authorised by the European Commission in October 2001 for palliative treatment of advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma failing prior therapies and unsuitable for radiotherapy, surgery or systemic chemotherapy, on open-label phase 2 studies in which a proportion of patients achieved local tumour responses and symptom relief. It is a second-generation photosensitiser with a shorter photosensitivity period than porfimer sodium (Photofrin), the first-generation agent approved in the US for oesophageal and lung cancer, but patients must still avoid bright light for about two weeks. The FDA did not approve it. Pain at the treated site, local swelling and skin photosensitivity are the main adverse effects. Marketed by biolitec.

How radiation therapy works, step by step · animated schematic, not to scale; chosen from the modality "Intravenous photosensitiser for photodynamic therapy"

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Modality

Intravenous photosensitiser for photodynamic therapy

Mechanism

Chlorin photosensitiser that accumulates in tumour tissue and, on illumination with 652 nm laser light four days after injection, generates singlet oxygen that causes tumour necrosis and vascular shutdown.

Brand / code

Foscan

Regulatory

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Approvals

Region	Year	Indication
EU	2001	Palliative treatment of advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma failing prior therapy and unsuitable for radiotherapy, surgery or chemotherapy

Trials

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ClinicalTrials.gov · phase 2/3

refreshed 2026-09-10

5 studies0 recruiting5 Phase 2

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Temoporfin

intervention: Temoporfin

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