The antiplatelet drug clopidogrel (Plavix, and others) reduces major cardiovascular events, but can cause bleeding. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are often used with clopidogrel to prevent gastrointestinal bleeding, however, some evidence suggests that PPIs may interfere with the activation of clopidogrel and diminish its antiplatelet effect. FDA-approved labeling recommends avoiding concurrent use of the PPIs omeprazole and esomeprazole with clopidogrel.

The investigational monoclonal antibody bebtelovimab (LY-CoV1404 – Lilly) has been granted an FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for IV treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in patients ≥12 years old who weigh ≥40 kg and are at high risk of progressing to severe disease, including hospitalization and death, and for whom alternative treatment options are unavailable or inappropriate. Bebtelovimab is active against the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2; sotrovimab (VIR-7831) is the only other monoclonal antibody currently available for treatment of COVID-19 that is active...

The injectable interleukin (IL)-23 antagonist risankizumab-rzza (Skyrizi – Abbvie), previously approved by the FDA for treatment of Crohn's disease (CD), has now been approved for treatment of moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) in adults. Risankizumab is the first IL-23 antagonist to be approved for treatment of both CD and UC. It is also approved for treatment of plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

The injectable interleukin (IL)-23 antagonist guselkumab (Tremfya – Janssen Biotech) has now been approved by the FDA for treatment of moderately to severely active Crohn's disease (CD) in adults; it was approved earlier for treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC), plaque psoriasis, and psoriatic arthritis. The IL-23 antagonists risankizumab (Skyrizi) and mirikizumab (Omvoh) and the IL-12/23 antagonist ustekinumab (Stelara, and biosimilars) are also approved for treatment of CD.

Because of concerns about the possibility of bioterrorism involving smallpox, the US government is reinstituting smallpox vaccination (https://www.cdc.gov/smallpox/; www.idsociety.org/bt/toc.htm). Vaccination is currently expected to proceed in three phases: the military and hospital smallpox response teams first, other health care workers, police and firefighters second, and the general public in the third phase. Except for the military, vaccination will be...

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.

The FDA has approved prasugrel (Effient - Lilly/Daiichi Sankyo), an oral antiplatelet drug, for use with aspirin to reduce the rate of thrombotic cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) being managed with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). It will compete with clopidogrel (Plavix) for such use.

The FDA has approved a new extended-release formulation of the corticosteroid budesonide (Uceris – Santarus) for induction of remission in patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis.

The FDA has approved a rectal foam formulation of the corticosteroid budesonide (Uceris - Salix/Valeant) for induction of remission in patients with active mild to moderate distal ulcerative colitis (UC) extending up to 40 cm from the anal verge. Budesonide is also available as oral extended-release tablets (also branded as Uceris) for use in patients with UC and as oral enteric-coated tablets (Entocort EC, and generics) for treatment of Crohn's disease.

Artesunate for injection (Amivas LLC), a semi-synthetic artemisinin derivative, is now approved by the FDA for initial (induction) treatment of severe malaria in children and adults. It has been available from the CDC on a compassionate use basis since 2007. Artemether/lumefantrine (Coartem), another artemisinin-based drug, was approved earlier for oral treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. IV artesunate is now the only FDA-approved injectable antimalarial drug available in the US; IV quinidine has been discontinued.