Maribavir (Livtencity – Takeda), an oral cytomegalovirus (CMV) pUL97 kinase inhibitor, has been approved by the FDA for treatment of post-transplant CMV infection refractory to standard antiviral therapy in patients ≥12 years old who weigh at least 35 kg.

The FDA has approved Altuviiio (Sanofi), a von Willebrand Factor (VWF)-independent, recombinant factor VIII concentrate, for routine prophylaxis, on-demand treatment to control bleeding episodes, and perioperative management of bleeding in children and adults with hemophilia A. The manufacturer claims that Altuviiio, which was previously called efanesoctocog alfa, delivers normal to near-normal factor VIII levels for most of the week with once-weekly intravenous dosing.

Trofinetide (Daybue – Acadia), a synthetic analog of glycine-proline-glutamate, has been approved by the FDA for treatment of Rett syndrome in patients ≥2 years old. It is the first drug to be approved in the US for treatment of Rett syndrome.

Fluticasone furoate nasal spray (Veramyst - GSK) is now available for once-daily treatment of seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis in adults and children ≥2 years old. It is similar to fluticasone propionate nasal spray (Flonase, and others), which is now available generically.

The FDA has approved cariprazine (Vraylar – Actavis), an oral, once-daily, second-generation antipsychotic, for treatment of schizophrenia and for acute treatment of manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder.

Two FDA advisory committees recently concluded that use of a nasal spray formulation of the peptide hormone salmon calcitonin for treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis is associated with an increased risk of cancer. Salmon calcitonin is available as 2 nasal sprays (Miacalcin, Fortical) and an injectable formulation (Miacalcin Injection) for use in osteoporosis.1The new cancer concern arose from the results of an unpublished meta-analysis that included 18 studies of Miacalcin Nasal Spray in which the risk of any cancer was 1.54 times greater (95% CI: 1.06, 2.23) in patients who used the drug...

The FDA has warned that use of an SGLT2 (sodium-glucose co-transporter 2) inhibitor for treatment of type 2 diabetes may lead to ketoacidosis.1 Three SGLT2 inhibitors, canagliflozin (Invokana, Invokamet), dapagliflozin (Farxiga, Xigduo XR), and empagliflozin (Jardiance, Glyxambi), are approved for treatment of type 2 diabetes in the US. Between March 2013 and June 2014, 20 cases of ketoacidosis requiring emergency room visits or hospitalization were reported in patients who had recently started taking an SGLT2 inhibitor; the median time to onset of symptoms after initiation of therapy was 2...

The choice of drugs for treatment of pneumonia depends on the most likely pathogens causing the infection and local antimicrobial resistance patterns. Factors such as severity of illness, presence of co-morbid conditions and whether the infection is community or hospital-acquired also need to be considered.

The FDA recently warned that accidental ingestion of the antitussive benzonatate (Tessalon Perles, and others) by children less than 10 years old can be fatal.1 This widely prescribed oral agent, which has been available in the US since 1958, can also cause severe morbidity and death in older children and adults, and not only in overdosage.Benzonatate is a polyglycol derivative structurally related to procaine and tetracaine. It acts peripherally on stretch receptors in the lower respiratory tract to suppress the cough reflex. If the patient chews or sucks the liquid-filled capsules or...

- Merck; Zestril - Stuart), a new angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for once-daily treatment of . Two other ACE inhibitors, captopril (Capoten - Squibb) and e