Oxaprozin (Daypro -Searle), a propionic acid-derivative nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for once-daily treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Some of the NSAIDs previously marketed in the USA are listed in the table on page 16. Ibuprofen, naproxen, fenoprofen, ketoprofen, and flurbiprofen are also propionic acid derivatives. Piroxicam and nabumetone (Medical Letter, 34:38, 1992) are also approved for once-daily use, and indomethacin is available in an extended-release formulation that can be taken once...

Tizanidine (Zanaflex - Athena Neurosciences) has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for oral treatment of increased muscle tone associated with spasticity. It has been available in Europe and Japan for 12 years as a short-term muscle relaxant.

Clobazam (Onfi – Lundbeck), an oral benzodiazepine, has been approved by the FDA for adjunctive treatment of seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) in patients ≥2 years old. It has been available in Canada (Frisium) and other countries for years for treatment of anxiety and many types of epilepsy.

Although lithium (Eskalith, and others) is the standard treatment for bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder, 20% to 40% of patients do not respond adequately or cannot tolerate its adverse effects (Medical Letter, 33:43, 1991). Results of recent studies suggest that valproate (Depakene - valproic acid; Depakote - divalproex sodium), a widely used anticonvulsant (Medical Letter, 31:1, 1989), might be an effective alternative. Other anticonvulsants, particularly carbamazepine (Tegretol, and others), have also been used as second-line drugs for treatment of mania and other psychiatric ...

The FDA has approved a low-dose formulation of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) paroxetine mesylate (Brisdelle – Noven Therapeutics) for treatment of moderate-to-severe vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause. It is the first non-hormonal therapy to be approved for this indication. Paroxetine mesylate (Pexeva) and paroxetine hydrochloride (Paxil, and generics) are marketed in higher doses for treatment of depression and other psychiatric disorders.

Bupropion hydrochloride, currently available as an antidepressant (Wellbutrin - Medical Letter, 31:97, 1989; Wellbutrin SR), is now being marketed in a sustainedrelease formulation as Zyban (Glaxo Wellcome) for use as an aid in smoking cessation.

The Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor pirtobrutinib (Jaypirca – Lilly) has received accelerated approval from the FDA for treatment of relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) in adults who received ≥2 prior lines of systemic therapy, including a BTK inhibitor. Accelerated approval was based on the response rate. The BTK inhibitors ibrutinib (Imbruvica), acalabrutinib (Calquence), and zanubrutinib (Brukinsa) are also approved for treatment of MCL.

Results from a double-blind trial suggest that off-label use of the oral antihyperglycemic drug metformin in patients with COVID-19 may decrease the risk of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection ("long COVID").

Alprazolam, a short-acting benzodiazepine, is one of the most widely prescribed drugs in the US. It is approved by the FDA for treatment of anxiety and panic disorder. An extended-release formulation, Xanax XR, which can be taken once a day, recently became available for panic disorder.

Micafungin sodium (Mycamine - Astellas), the second echinocandin antifungal to become available in the US, has been approved by the FDA for intravenous treatment of esophageal candidiasis and prophylaxis of invasive Candida infections in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).