Finasteride and minoxidil continue to be the only drugs approved by the FDA to treat alopecia. Since these agents have different mechanisms of action, some clinicians have used both to treat hair loss in men.

The FDA recently approved the monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) selegiline in a transdermal (patch) formulation (Emsam - Bristol-Myers Squibb/Somerset) for treatment of major depressive disorder. Selegiline is also available in an oral formulation (Eldepryl, and others) for treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Ibandronate (Boniva - Roche) is the first bisphosphonate approved by the FDA for intravenous (IV) treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. It is given as a bolus injection once every 3 months. Ibandronate is also available as an oral once-a-month 150-mg tablet and as a daily 2.5-mg tablet.

Dasatinib (Sprycel - Bristol-Myers Squibb), an inhibitor of multiple tyrosine kinases, has been approved by the FDA for second-line treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL) in adults.

Duetact (Takeda), a new fixed-dose combination of the thiazolidinedione pioglitazone (Actos) and the sulfonylurea glimepiride (Amaryl, and others), was recently approved by the FDA for treatment of type 2 diabetes. It is approved as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in patients already taking pioglitazone and/or a sulfonylurea. Avandaryl, a combination of glimepiride and the thiazolidinedione rosiglitazone, was approved in 2006.

The FDA has approved the nucleoside analog telbivudine (Tyzeka - Novartis/Idenix) for treatment of patients ≥16 years old with active chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. It is the fourth oral drug marketed for this indication in the US.

Vorinostat (Zolinza - Merck), an oral histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, has received accelerated approval from the FDA for treatment of skin manifestations of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) that is persistent, progressive or recurrent after two systemic therapies. The most common types of CTCL are mycosis fungoides and SΘzary syndrome, the leukemic form of mycosis fungoides.

A once-daily oral formulation of mesalamine (Lialda - Shire) was recently approved by the FDA for induction of remission in patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis.

Panitumumab (Vectibix - Amgen), a fully human IgG₂ monoclonal antibody that inhibits the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), has been approved by the FDA for treatment of patients with EGFR-expressing metastatic colorectal cancer that has progressed despite standard chemotherapy. It is the second monoclonal antibody EGFR inhibitor to be approved for metastatic colorectal cancer; cetuximab (Erbitux), a human-murine chimeric IgG₁ monoclonal antibody, was approved in 2004.

Eculizumab (Soliris - Alexion) has been approved by the FDA for reduction of hemolysis in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), a rare form of hemolytic anemia. A recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody, eculizumab is the first drug to be marketed for this indication.