Augmentation with a second-generation (atypical) antipsychotic is a treatment option for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) whose symptoms persist following antidepressant monotherapy. Aripiprazole (Abilify), olanzapine in a fixed-dose combination with fluoxetine (Symbyax), and extended-release quetiapine (Seroquel XR) have been approved by the FDA for such use.

The FDA has approved ingenol mebutate (Picato – Leo) for topical treatment of actinic keratoses (AKs). The new drug is derived from the sap of the Euphorbia peplus plant, a traditional folk remedy for warts and other skin lesions.

The FDA has recently approved intradetrusor injection of onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox – Allergan) for treatment of overactive bladder in patients who cannot tolerate or have an inadequate response to anticholinergic therapy. Botox is also approved by the FDA for use in detrusor overactivity associated with a neurologic condition such as multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury, and for chronic migraine, upper limb spasticity, axillary hyperhidrosis, cervical dystonia, blepharospasm, strabismus, and cosmetic reduction of wrinkles.

The FDA recently approved ixazomib (Ninlaro – Takeda), daratumumab (Darzalex – Janssen Biotech), and elotuzumab (Empliciti – BMS) for treatment of relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma.

The FDA has approved the fully human monoclonal antibody bezlotoxumab (Zinplava – Merck) for use with antibacterial drug treatment to reduce recurrence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in adults with CDI at high risk for recurrence. It is the first drug to be approved for this indication.

The FDA has approved vericiguat (Verquvo – Merck), an oral soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulator, to reduce the risk of hospitalization for heart failure and cardiovascular (CV) death following a worsening heart failure event (hospitalization for heart failure or treatment with IV diuretics as an outpatient) in patients with symptomatic chronic heart failure and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <45%. Vericiguat is the second sGC stimulator to be marketed in the US. Riociguat (Adempas), which is FDA-approved for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension...

The FDA has approved evinacumab-dgnb (Evkeeza – Regeneron), an angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3) inhibitor, for adjunctive IV treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) in patients ≥12 years old. Evinacumab is the first ANGPTL3 inhibitor to be approved in the US.

Primary hypothyroidism is usually the result of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, thyroidectomy for hyperthyroidism, goiter or cancer, or radioactive iodine therapy for hyperthyroidism.

Excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation can cause erythema, photoaging, and skin cancer. Sunscreens are widely used to reduce these risks, but questions remain about their effectiveness and safety. In 2021, the FDA proposed a rule that would require additional safety studies for some sunscreen active ingredients and mandate better UVA protection in sunscreen products.

For patients with diabetes poorly controlled with a single oral drug, addition of a second drug with a different mechanism can be helpful. A fixed-dose combination (Actoplus met - Takeda) of two widely used antihyperglycemic drugs, the thiazolidinedione pioglitazone (Actos) and the biguanide metformin (Glucophage, and others), has been approved by the FDA for management of type 2 diabetes. It is indicated for patients already being treated with both pioglitazone and metformin or as second-line therapy for those not adequately controlled with either metformin or pioglitazone alone....