Photodynamic therapy of occult age-related macular degeneration

1. A method for treating an occult choroidal neovascular (CNV) lesion in a subject comprising

selecting a subject with an occult CNV lesion comprising an occult component of >50% and <100% of the lesion and assessed as having either (a) a small lesion with a size less than 5 disc areas, or (b) poor visual acuity of less than 65 letters prior to treatment, or both (a) and (b); and

providing photodynamic therapy (PDT) to the subject having said CNV lesion, wherein said PDT comprises the administration of a photosensitizer (PS), wherein said PS is a green porphyrin.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said subject was assessed by determining the size of said lesion and/or determining the best corrected visual acuity of the subject.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the small lesion has a size less than 4 disc areas.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said occult CNV lesion is in a subject afflicted or diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PS is administered at a concentration ranging between about 2 to 8 mg/m 2 (PS/body surface area of subject).

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the PS is administered at a concentration of 6 mg/m 2 .

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the green porphyrin is selected from BPD-DA, BPD-DB, BPD-MA, BPD-MB, EA6, and B3.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the green porphyrin is BPD-MA.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PS is coupled to a specific binding ligand.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PS is formulated with a carrier.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the formulation is selected from the group consisting of a liposome, emulsion, or aqueous solution.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said PDT comprises irradiation with electromagnetic radiation containing wavelengths in the visible light spectra.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the irradiation provides between 12.5 J/cm 2 and 100 J/cm 2 .

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said irradiation occurs between 5 to 30 minutes after administration of a photosensitizer.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PS is administered at a concentration ranging between about 10 μg/kg to 100 mg/kg (PS/body weight of subject).

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein a resulting loss of visual acuity is less with treatment than without treatment.

17. The method of claim 7 , wherein the green porphyrin is EA6.