pegulicianine

Pegulicianine is a first-in-class optical imaging agent used as an adjunct for intraoperative fluorescence imaging in adults with breast cancer. It is administered intravenously during lumpectomy surgery to help detect residual cancerous tissue within the resection cavity after removal of the primary specimen. Pegulicianine is a prodrug that remains optically inactive until its peptide chain is cleaved by cathepsins and matrix metalloproteases (MMPs), enzymes that are overexpressed in tumor and tumor-associated cells. This enzymatic cleavage produces fluorescent metabolites, enabling real-time visualization of cancerous tissue under specific light wavelengths (peak absorption at 650 nm, emission at 675 nm). The drug was developed by Lumicell and approved by the FDA in April 2024 for this indication[1][3][4][5][6].

Brand names

Lumisight

Other names

pegulicianine acetate