A recent advertisement for the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) lansoprazole (Prevacid - TAP) suggests that children who cough at night, complain of abdominal pain, refuse to eat, or have a bad taste in their mouths may all have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). A Bunny's Tummy Trouble, a children's book about GERD published by TAP, is now available as a patient handout in pediatricians' waiting rooms. The use of acid-suppressive drugs in infants and children has increased markedly in recent years and many of these drugs are now available in child-friendly formulations. A table in the article...

Paliperidone (Invega - Janssen) has been approved by the FDA in an extended-release formulation for treatment of schizophrenia. It is the primary active metabolite of the second-generation antipsychotic risperidone (Risperdal - Janssen), which is scheduled to lose its patent exclusivity in December 2007.

Natalizumab (Tysabri - Elan and Biogen) is a monoclonal antibody approved for induction and maintenance treatment of moderate to severe Crohn's disease (CD) refractory to conventional therapies and inhibitors of tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Initially approved in 2004 for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), natalizumab was temporarily withdrawn from the market after 3 patients developed progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). It is now available for treatment of both MS and CD through a restricted distribution program.

Clevidipine (Cleviprex - The Medicines Company), a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker (CCB), has been approved by the FDA for intravenous (IV) use in lowering high blood pressure. It is the second IV CCB to be marketed in the US; nicardipine has been available in an IV formulation (Cardene IV) for more than 10 years. Like IV nicardipine, clevidipine will probably be used mainly for urgent treatment of hypertension in intensive care units, operating rooms and emergency departments.

The FDA has approved the marketing of iloperidone (Fanapt – Vanda), a second-generation antipsychotic, for treatment of schizophrenia. Iloperidone is chemically related to risperidone (Risperdal, and others).

Everolimus (Afinitor – Novartis) and pazopanib (Votrient – GlaxoSmithKline), two oral multikinase inhibitors, have been approved by the FDA for treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma. Sunitinib (Sutent) and sorafenib (Nexavar), two other oral multikinase inhibitors, and temsirolimus (Torisel), an IV multikinase inhibitor, were approved earlier for the same indication.

The FDA has approved suvorexant (Belsomra – Merck), the first orexin receptor antagonist to become available in the US, for treatment of sleep-onset and/or sleep-maintenance insomnia.

View the Expanded Table: Some Drugs for Smoking Cessation

The FDA has approved the oral adenosine triphosphate-citrate lyase (ACL) inhibitor bempedoic acid for use alone (Nexletol – Esperion) and in a fixed-dose combination with the cholesterol absorption inhibitor ezetimibe (Nexlizet) as an adjunct to diet and maximally tolerated statin therapy in adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) or established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) who require additional lowering of LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C). Bempedoic acid is the first ACL inhibitor to be approved in the US.

Rozanolixizumab-noli (Rystiggo – UCB), a neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) blocker, has been approved by the FDA for treatment of generalized myasthenia gravis in adults with anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) or anti-muscle-specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) antibodies. It is the first drug to be approved for treatment of generalized myasthenia gravis in patients with anti-MuSK antibodies. Four other biologic drugs – the FcRn blocker efgartigimod alfa (Vyvgart; Vyvgart Hytrulo) and the complement inhibitors eculizumab (Soliris), ravulizumab (Ultomiris), and zilucoplan (Zilbrysq) – are...