Two new platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists have been approved for marketing by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Eptifibatide (ep ti fi' ba tyde; Integrilin - Cor, Key) is approved for use in acute coronary syndromes (unstable angina or non-Q-wave myocardial infarction) or percutaneous coronary intervention (angioplasty or atherectomy). Tirofiban (tye roe fye' ban; Aggrastat - Merck) is approved for acute coronary syndromes, but not for angioplasty without an acute coronary syndrome. Abciximab (ReoPro), a monoclonal antibody glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor...

Rofecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, has been approved by the FDA for treatment of osteoarthritis, acute pain and menstrual pain.

Perindopril, the tenth angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor to be marketed in the USA, and telmisartan and eprosartan, the fifth and sixth angiotensin receptor blockers, have recently become available for treatment of hypertension.

Ophthalmic formulations of ketotifen fumarate (Zaditor), pemirolast potassium (Alamast) and nedocromil sodium (Alocril) have recently been approved by the FDA for use in adults and children with itching of the eyes due to allergic conjunctivitis.

Standard treatment for patients with heart failure has included a diuretic, digitalis and an ACE inhibitor. In recent years carvedilol, a nonselective beta-blocker with alpha-1 blocking activity, and the beta-selective blockers bisoprolol and metroprolol have also been used for this indication.

Esomeprazole magnesium (Nexium - AstraZeneca), the S-isomer of omeprazole (Prilosec), is the fifth benzimidazole proton pump inhibitor to become available in the United States. Omeprazole, which was the first, is going off patent this year.

The FDA recently announced that it will permit reintroduction of alosetron hydrochloride (Lotronex - GlaxoSmithKline) for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The drug was previously withdrawn from the market because of severe gastrointestinal toxicity. The reintroduced drug will have a 50% lower starting dose, a narrower indication and some other marketing restrictions (www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/lotronex/lotronex.htm).

Olmesartan medoxomil (Benicar - Sankyo), a substituted imidazole, is the seventh oral angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) approved by the FDA for treatment of hypertension.

Treprostinil sodium (tre prost' in il; Remodulin - United Therapeutics), a prostacyclin analogue, has been approved by the FDA for continuous subcutaneous (SC) treatment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension who have dyspnea on more than minimal exertion (NYHA Class II-IV).

Teriparatide (ter i par' a tide; Forteo - Lilly), a recombinant segment of human parathyroid hormone, has been approved by the FDA for parenteral treatment of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women, and in men with idiopathic or hypogonadal osteoporosis, who are at high risk for fracture. Teriparatide is the first approved treatment for osteoporosis that stimulates bone formation. Other drugs approved for this indication inhibit bone resorption (Treatment Guidelines from the Medical Letter 2002;1:13).