Patent 7982056 was granted and assigned to Alcon on July, 2011 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The present invention is directed to an improved process for producing substantially pure fluorescein, as well as to substantially pure fluorescein compositions prepared by the process. The invention is particularly directed to the provision of pharmaceutical compositions for use in angiography. The substantially pure fluorescein produced by the process of the present invention is low in color, low in sodium chloride content, and substantially free of pyridine.