The oral cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib (Verzenio – Lilly) has been approved by the FDA for use in combination with endocrine therapy (tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor) for adjuvant treatment of patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative, node-positive, early breast cancer at high risk of recurrence.1It was previously approved for the same indication, but patients were also required to have a Ki-67 score ≥20%. About 70% of all breast cancers are HR-positive and HER2-negative. Ki-67 is a...

The NovolinPen (Squibb - Novo) is a device that uses prefilled cartridges to inject semisynthetic human insulin (Medical Letter, 25:63, 1983). Three formulations are available: regular insulin (Novolin R PenFill), NPH insulin isophane (Novolin N PenFill) and a mixture of 70% NPH and 30% regular (Novolin 70/30 PenFill). The NovolinPen is advertised as more accurate, more convenient and less expensive than conventional syringes and needles. The same device is marketed in Canada as the Novolin-Pen II (Connaught Novo). (An earlier device is also available as the Novolin-Pen in Canada and the...

Desmopressin acetate (DDAVP -Rorer), a synthetic analog of the natural human antidiuretic hormone arginine vasopressin, was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment of primary nocturnal enuresis. DDAVP Nasal Spray, which is similar to an intranasal solution that has been available in the USA for treatment of central diabetes insipidus (Medical Letter, 20:26, 1978), will be used for the new indication.

Unlike new drugs, new techniques for surgery do not need the approval of any government agency. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy, made possible by the development of miniaturized television cameras, is one such technique that has recently attracted widespread interest (LW Way, N Engl J Med, 323:1273, Nov 1, 1990; R Winslow, Wall St J, 216:1, Dec 10, 1990).

FK 506 (Fujisawa), an immunosuppressant similar in activity to cyclosporine (Sandimmune - Medical Letter 25:77, 1983), is currently under investigation in the USA, Europe, and Japan for prevention of organ transplant rejection.

The well-publicized recovery from paralysis of a professional football player has recently focused attention on the growing use of drugs to minimize the effects of spinal cord injury. Methylprednisolone sodium succinate (Solu-Medrol - Upjohn), commercially available in the USA for intravenous treatment of transplant rejection and various inflammatory and auto-immune disorders, and GM-1 ganglioside, commercially available in Italy (Sygen - Fidia) but not in the USA, are now widely used in patients with spinal cord injury.

Dexrazoxane (Zinecard - Pharmacia) was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for protection against cardiac toxicity from (Adriamycin, and others) in women with metastatic breast cancer.

Interferon β-1a (Avonex - Biogen), a recombinant form of human interferon β, has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Interferon β-1a (Betaseron - Berlex), a recombinant analog of interferon β that differs from interferon β-1a in having a serine substituted for a cysteine and in not being glycosylated, was previously approved for this indication (Medical Letter, 35:61, 1993; BW van Oosten et al, Drugs, 49:200, 1995).

Nearly 30 years after the first publication of Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution promoting a high-protein, extremely low-carbohydrate diet, patients once again are asking their physicians about the Atkins diet.

Doconsanol 10% cream, a long-chain saturated alcohol, has been approved by the FDA for over-the-counter treatment of herpes labialis.