The FDA has approved depemokimab (Exdensur – GSK), a long-acting interleukin-5 (IL-5) antagonist, for add-on maintenance treatment of severe asthma characterized by an eosinophilic phenotype in patients ≥12 years old. Depemokimab is the fourth IL-5-directed treatment to be approved in the US for this indication; the IL-5 antagonists mepolizumab (Nucala) and reslizumab (Cinqair) and the IL-5 receptor alpha antagonist benralizumab (Fasenra) were approved earlier.

The FDA has approved pivmecillinam (Pivya – Utility Therapeutics), an oral penicillin-class antibacterial drug, for treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTIs) caused by susceptible isolates of Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, or Staphylococcus saprophyticus in adult females. Pivmecillinam was approved by the FDA in 2024 but only recently became available in the US. It has been used in Europe for over 40 years.

The FDA has approved lerodalcibep (Lerochol – Lib Therapeutics), a subcutaneously injected proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor, to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in adults with hypercholesterolemia, including heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH). Lerodalcibep is the fourth subcutaneously injected PCSK9-directed therapy to be approved in the US; the monoclonal antibodies alirocumab (Praluent) and evolocumab (Repatha) and the small interfering RNA inclisiran (Leqvio) were approved earlier (see Table...

The FDA has approved the CD19-directed cytolytic antibody inebilizumab (Uplizna – Amgen) for IV treatment of generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) in adults with anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) or anti-muscle-specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) antibodies. The neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) blockers rozanolixizumab (Rystiggo), nipocalimab (Imaavy), and efgartigimod alfa (Vyvgart; Vyvgart Hytrulo) are also approved for such use (see Table 1).

The drugs of choice for treatment of fungal infections are listed in the table that begins on page 62. Some of the indications and dosages recommended here have not been approved by the FDA. More detailed guidelines for some of these infections are available online from the Infectious Diseases Society of America (www.idsociety.org).

Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory arthropathy associated with psoriasis. A recent review found that about 20% of patients with psoriasis have psoriatic arthritis. Updated guidelines for treatment of psoriatic arthritis have recently been published.

Anticoagulants are the drugs of choice for treatment and prevention of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), collectively referred to as venous thromboembolism (VTE). US guidelines for treatment of VTE were updated in 2020 and 2021.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder characterized by recurrent abdominal pain and altered bowel habits, often accompanied by bloating. IBS is classified by its predominant bowel symptom: constipation (IBS-C), diarrhea (IBS-D), mixed type (IBS-M), or unclassified (IBS-U). Since the exact cause of IBS is unknown, the goal of treatment is symptom control. Some over-the-counter (OTC) products and prescription drugs for IBS are listed in Tables 1-4. The safety of these drugs during pregnancy and lactation is described in Table 5 (online only).

Atopic dermatitis (AD), also known as eczema, is frequently associated with other atopic disorders such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, and food allergy. It commonly presents in infancy and early childhood and has a relapsing course, often improving by adolescence, but sometimes persisting into or first appearing in adulthood or even old age. Guidelines for the treatment of AD have recently been updated.

The motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) are caused primarily by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. The nonmotor symptoms of the disease are thought to be caused by degeneration of other neurotransmitter systems. No disease-modifying drugs are available for treatment of PD.