Romiplostim (Nplate - Amgen), a recombinant fusion protein injected subcutaneously, and eltrombopag (Promacta - GlaxoSmithKline), a non-peptide taken orally, have been approved by the FDA for treatment of chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) refractory to corticosteroids, immunoglobulins and/or splenectomy.

The FDA has approved romosozumab-aqqg (Evenity – Amgen), a sclerostin inhibitor, for once-monthly subcutaneous (SC) treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women who are at high risk for fracture (history of osteoporotic fracture or multiple risk factors for fracture) or who have failed or cannot tolerate other drugs for this indication. Romosozumab is the first sclerostin inhibitor to be approved in the US and the third drug for treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis that stimulates bone formation; the parathyroid hormone (PTH) receptor agonists abaloparatide (Tymlos) and...

View the Expanded Table: Some Oral Drugs for Chronic Insomnia

Lodoxamide, a mast cell stabilizer, has been marketed in a 0.1% ophthalmic solution (Alomide - Alcon) for treatment of vernal keratoconjunctivitis.

Anagrelide (an ag' gre lide) hydrochloride (Agrylin - Roberts), a quinazolin derivative, has been approved by the FDA for oral treatment of essential thrombocythemia. Patients with this uncommon myeloproliferative disorder have an increased number of circulating platelets and are at risk for both thrombosis and hemorrhage.

Claims for the superiority of various calcium supplements are now appearing on television and in the print media. A high calcium intake combined with vitamin D can increase bone density and reduce the incidence of fractures in older women and probably also in men.

An injectable extended-release formulation of the opioid-receptor antagonist naltrexone (Vivitrol - Alkermes/Cephalon) has been approved by the FDA for once-monthly use, along with psychosocial support, to maintain abstinence from alcohol. Naltrexone inhibits the rewarding effects of alcohol. Oral naltrexone (Revia, and others) has been approved for treatment of alcohol dependence since 1994, but poor adherence has limited its effectiveness. In the new extended-release (XR) formulation, naltrexone is encapsulated in polylactide-co-glycolide microspheres (similar to absorbable suture material)...

The FDA has approved the 5-HT4 receptor agonist prucalopride (Motegrity – Shire) for treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) in adults. Prucalopride is the only drug currently approved in the US for treatment of CIC that stimulates colonic peristalsis. It has been available in Europe and Canada for several years.

The FDA has approved Apadaz (KemPharm), a short-acting, fixed-dose combination of benzhydrocodone and acetaminophen, for short-term management (≤14 days) of acute pain severe enough to require an opioid and for which alternative treatment options are inadequate. Benzhydrocodone is a prodrug of hydrocodone. Fixed-dose combinations of short-acting hydrocodone and acetaminophen or ibuprofen have been available for years and are the most abused opioid products in the US. Apadaz was developed under the presumption that inclusion of the inactive prodrug would reduce the potential for...

The FDA has approved upadacitinib (Rinvoq – Abbvie), an oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, for treatment of adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have had an inadequate response to or cannot tolerate methotrexate (Trexall, and others). Upadacitinib is the third JAK inhibitor to be approved in the US for treatment of RA; tofacitinib (Xeljanz, Xeljanz XR) and baricitinib (Olumiant) were approved earlier.