Tazarotene (taz ar' oh teen, Tazorac - Allergan), an acetylinic retinoid marketed for treatment of psoriasis (Medical Letter 1997; 39:105), is also available as a 0.1% gel and cream for treatment of acne.

Patients with lung cancer may be asking their physicians about gefitinib (ge fi' tye nib; ZD1839; Iressa -- AstraZeneca), because it has been the subject of positive coverage in the media. An inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase, this oral drug has not been approved by the FDA, but is in clinical trials in the US for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and some other solid tumors. Iressa was recently approved in Japan, and is available from the manufacturer on a "compassionate-use" basis in the US (800-236-9933).

Agalsidase beta (Fabrazyme Genzyme) has received accelerated approval from the FDA for treatment of patients with Fabry disease, an inherited lysosomal storage disease caused by deficiency of α-galactosidase A. Agalsidase beta is a recombinant form of human α-galactosidase A. This review provides an overview of this rare disease, including its clinical manifestations. The clinical trials conducted with the new drug are also described, as well as its adverse effects, dosage, and cost. Appropriate indications for use of Fabrazyme are summarized.

Methamphetamine, a highly addictive synthetic sympathomimetic, has again become important as a drug of abuse in the US. Its resurgence has been associated with unsafe sexual practices that have resulted in an increase in HIV transmission, particularly among men who have sex with men (SJ Semple et al, J Subst Abuse Treat 2002; 22:149; A Urbina and K Jones, Clin Infect Dis 2004; 38:890).

Nelarabine (Arranon - GlaxoSmithKline), a prodrug of the deoxyguanosine analog 9-β-D-arabinofuranosylguanine (ara-G), has been approved by the FDA for treatment of patients with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL) that has not responded to, or has relapsed following, treatment with at least two chemotherapy regimens.

An extended-release formulation of the centrally-acting muscle relaxant cyclobenzaprine (Amrix - Cephalon) has been approved by the FDA for treatment of muscle spasms. Immediate-release (IR) cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril, and others) has been available since 1977.

Sapropterin (Kuvan - BioMarin) has been approved by the FDA to reduce phenylalanine plasma concentrations in patients with phenylketonuria (PKU). PKU is a rare genetic disorder (it occurs in 1 in 8000 Caucasian and 1 in 50,000 African-American newborns) caused by a deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) the resulting high levels of the amino acid in blood and urine lead to cognitive, behavioral and other neurological complications.

Some tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors are being promoted on the internet directly to the public for use in psoriasis (www.yahoo.com).

The FDA has approved a new tablet formulation of bromocriptine mesylate (Cycloset – VeroScience) for treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults. Bromocriptine (Parlodel, and others) is an ergot-derived dopamine agonist that has been used for more than 20 years to treat hyperprolactinemia, acromegaly, Parkinson’s disease and restless leg syndrome.

Linagliptin (Tradjenta – Boehringer Ingelheim/Lilly), a third oral dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) enzyme inhibitor, was recently approved by the FDA for treatment of type 2 diabetes, either alone or in combination with metformin, a sulfonylurea or pioglitazone