The potassium-competitive acid blocker vonoprazan (Voquezna – Phathom), which was approved earlier for treatment of erosive esophagitis, has now been approved by the FDA for relief of heartburn associated with nonerosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in adults. Vonoprazan is also available copackaged with amoxicillin (Voquezna Dual Pak) and with amoxicillin and clarithromycin (Voquezna Triple Pak) for treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection.

L-methylfolate (Deplin — Pamlab) is a “medical food” marketed for adjunctive use in depression or schizophrenia in patients with suboptimal folate levels. It is available only by prescription.

View the Comparison Table: H2-Receptor Antagonists and PPIs

The FDA has approved Jentadueto XR (Boehringer Ingelheim/Lilly), a once-daily extended-release formulation of the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor linagliptin and the biguanide metformin, for oral treatment of type 2 diabetes. Linagliptin and metformin have been available for years in a twice-daily immediate-release combination (Jentadueto). Once-daily extended-release formulations combining metformin with the DPP-4 inhibitors saxagliptin (Kombiglyze XR) and sitagliptin (Janumet XR) are also available.

The FDA has approved venetoclax (Venclexta – Abbvie/Genentech), an oral selective BCL-2 inhibitor, for treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in patients with a 17p deletion who have received at least one prior therapy. The 17p deletion is associated with a poor prognosis in patients with CLL; it is prevalent in about 20% of patients with relapsed CLL. Venetoclax is the fi rst BCL-2 inhibitor to become available in the US.

View the Comparison Table: Some FDA-Approved Drugs for Weight Management

Linagliptin (Tradjenta) and metformin (Glucophage, and others) are now available as a fixed-dose combination (Jentadueto – Boehringer Ingelheim/Lilly) for oral treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults. Metformin is generally the preferred first-line agent for treatment of type 2 diabetes, but most patients eventually require treatment with multiple drugs. Linagliptin is a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DDP-4) inhibitor like sitagliptin (Januvia) and saxagliptin (Onglyza). Both sitagliptin and saxagliptin are also available in fixed-dose combinations with...

The FDA has approved Synjardy (Boehringer Ingelheim/Lilly), a fixed-dose combination of the sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor empagliflozin (Jardiance) and metformin (Glucophage, and others), for treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes not adequately controlled on either of these drugs alone or already being treated with both empagliflozin and metformin. It is the third SGLT2 inhibitor/metformin combination to be approved in the US.

The FDA has approved vonoprazan (Voquezna – Phathom), a potassium-competitive acid blocker, for healing and maintenance of healing of all grades of erosive esophagitis and relief of associated heartburn in adults. Vonoprazan is also available copackaged with amoxicillin (Voquezna Dual Pak) and with amoxicillin and clarithromycin (Voquezna Triple Pak) for treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in adults.

The FDA has approved the proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) dexlansoprazole (Kapidex - Takeda), a delayed release formulation of the R-enantiomer of lansoprazole (Prevacid - Takeda), for treating and maintaining healing of erosive esophagitis and for treatment of heartburn associated with non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).