The FDA has approved a fixed-dose combination of meropenem, a carbapenem antibiotic, and vaborbactam, a new beta-lactamase inhibitor (Vabomere – Melinta), for IV treatment of adults with complicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, or Enterobacter cloacae spp. complex. Meropenem (Merrem, and generics) has been approved for years for treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections, intra-abdominal infections, and bacterial meningitis. Resistance to meropenem and other...

The FDA has approved the new aminoglycoside antibiotic plazomicin (Zemdri – Achaogen) for IV treatment of adults with complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs). Plazomicin is active against multi-drug- resistant Enterobacteriaceae, including strains resistant to other aminoglycosides.

An oral formulation of testosterone undecanoate (Jatenzo – Clarus) has been approved by the FDA for treatment of adult men with conditions associated with a deficiency of endogenous testosterone, such as Klinefelter syndrome, orchiectomy, toxic damage from chemotherapy or alcohol, or pituitary-hypothalamic injury from tumors, trauma, or radiation. Jatenzo is not approved for treatment of low testosterone levels solely due to aging. It is the first oral testosterone formulation to be approved in the US.

Glycopyrrolate (Robinul, and others), a synthetic muscarinic receptor antagonist, has been used off-label for many years for treatment of excessive drooling in patients with Parkinson’s disease, in patients taking clozapine for schizophrenia, and in developmentally disabled children.1-3 It has now been approved by the FDA as Cuvposa (Shionogi) for use specifically in children 3-16 years old with severe chronic drooling due to a neurologic condition, such as cerebral palsy. It is being marketed as an oral solution, which will permit more precise weight-based dosing than was possible with the...

The US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) now recommends routine immunization with 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13; Prevnar 13), in addition to the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23; Pneumovax 23), for all adults ≥65 years old.1An unpublished, randomized, double-blind trial (CAPiTA) in about 85,000 adults ≥65 years old found that vaccination with PCV13 reduced first episodes of vaccine-type community-acquired pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease by 46% and 75%, respectively, compared to placebo.2Adults ≥65 years old who...

The FDA has removed the requirement that mifepristone (Mifeprex, and generics), a progestin receptor antagonist approved for use in a regimen with the prostaglandin E1 analog misoprostol (Cytotec, and generics) for medical termination of pregnancy, must be dispensed in person to the patient.

Sevoflurane (Ultane - Abbott), a volatile liquid fluorocarbon anesthetic delivered as an inhaled vapor, has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for induction and maintenance of general anesthesia. It is being marketed as a rapidly eliminated anesthetic suitable for inpatient and outpatient surgery.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is an adrenal androgen now being marketed as a "food supplement"in health food stores. DHEA is not approved for any indication by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The FDA has approved ipilimumab (Yervoy – Bristol-Myers Squibb), a recombinant human monoclonal antibody, for treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanoma.

Pancreatic enzyme replacement products have been used for years to improve digestion in patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI). These products were initially marketed before formal FDA approval was required; in 1991, however, the FDA told all manufacturers of pancreatic enzyme replacement products that they would have to submit a new drug application by April 2010 in order to keep their products on the market.EPI is a chronic disorder characterized by a deficiency of exocrine pancreatic enzymes, which results in malabsorption, steatorrhea, and weight loss. Irreversible EPI is...