There are no direct comparative trials involving Uvadex . The first two studies assessed patient response to oral methoxsalen and the third study looked at use of Uvadex . The percent of response within six months of initiating therapy was comparable between the Uvadex study and the second oral methoxsalen study and lower for Uvadex as compared to the first study. The main adverse effects observed in these studies were related to hypotension secondary to volume changes. The recommended dosing of Uvadex is daily for two consecutive days per month for a minimum treatment duration of 6 months.
Patients receive it on an outpatient basis and are admitted as inpatients for photopheresis.
Uvadex represents an extracorporeal route of administration for methoxsalen. There is little published data about the efficacy and safety of Uvadex , although it appears to be as effective as oral methoxsalen. Possible benefits of Uvadex over the oral form include a milder adverse event profile and bypassing of absorption, which is variable with the oral methoxsalen. It was also recommended that with the recent addition of denileukin diftitox, a disease state management protocol for CTCL be designed as a collaboration between the Departments of Dermatology and Pharmacy. Both Uvadex and Ontak should go to the next Schedule A meeting.