Almotriptan (Axert - Pharmacia), and Frovatriptan (Frova - Elan) have been approved by the FDA for oral treatment of migraine headache (Drugs of Choice from The Medical Letter 2001, page 131.).

Summer heat waves cause thousands of cases of heat-related illness in the US each year and hundreds of heat-related deaths, especially among the elderly. This review describes the contributing factors, clinical signs, and ways to prevent and treat heat injury.

The FDA has approved subcutaneous injection of methylnaltrexone (Relistor - Wyeth/Progenics), a selective mu-opioid receptor antagonist, for treatment of opioid-induced constipation in patients with advanced illness (such as incurable cancer or end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) who are receiving palliative care.

The FDA has approved the marketing of Vimovo (AstraZeneca), a fixed-dose combination of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) naproxen and the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) esomeprazole, for symptomatic relief of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis and to decrease the risk of developing gastric ulcers in patients at risk for NSAID-associated ulcers.

The FDA has approved rolapitant (Varubi – Tesaro), an oral substance P/neurokinin 1 (NK₁) receptor antagonist, for use with other antiemetics to prevent delayed nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy in adults. It is the third substance P/NK₁ receptor antagonist to be approved in the US; aprepitant (Emend) and netupitant (only available in combination with the 5-HT₃ receptor antagonist palonosetron as Akynzeo) were approved earlier for prevention of both acute and delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

Brivaracetam (Briviact – UCB), an analog of levetiracetam (Keppra, and others), has been approved by the FDA for adjunctive treatment of partial-onset seizures in patients ≥16 years old. New drugs for epilepsy are often approved initially only as adjunctive treatment for partial seizures.

The FDA has approved Roxybond (Daiichi Sankyo), an short-acting (SA) oxycodone formulation with abuse-deterrent properties, for treatment of pain requiring management with an opioid. Roxybond is the first SA opioid to be approved as an abuse-deterrent product. Oxaydo, another IR oxycodone formulation, has properties that discourage its intranasal and intravenous use, but is not considered an abuse-deterrent product by the FDA. Use of opioids for treatment of pain was reviewed in a recent issue.

View Expanded Table: Some Drugs for Management of Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms

The FDA has approved darolutamide (Nubeqa – Bayer), an androgen receptor inhibitor, for oral treatment of nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC). Darolutamide is the third androgen receptor inhibitor to be approved for this indication; apalutamide (Erleada) and enzalutamide (Xtandi), which are also approved for use in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), were approved earlier.

Berotralstat (Orladeyo – Biocryst), an oral plasma kallikrein inhibitor, has been approved by the FDA for prevention of hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks in adults and children ≥12 years old. The subcutaneously-injected plasma kallikrein inhibitor lanadelumab-flyo (Takhzyro) and the human plasma-derived C1 esterase inhibitors (C1INHs) Cinryze, which is given IV, and Haegarda, which is given SC, have been available for prophylaxis of HAE for years.