The FDA has approved belinostat (Beleodaq – Spectrum), an IV histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, for treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). It is the third IV drug approved by the FDA for PTCL. The first was the antifolate drug pralatrexate (Folotyn), which was followed by the HDAC inhibitor romidepsin (Istodax). Vorinostat (Zolinza), an oral HDAC inhibitor, is FDA-approved for treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

The FDA has approved omacetaxine mepesuccinate (Synribo – Teva), a cephalotaxine known for many years as homoharringtonine, for treatment of adults with chronic or accelerated phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who are no longer responding to, or who could not tolerate, two or more tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

An article published in the New York Times on May 1, 2015 listed the 10 drugs on which Medicare Part D spent the most in 2013. The most costly ($2.53 billion) was the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) Nexium (esomeprazole magnesium), which has recently become available generically.

Palbociclib (Ibrance – Pfizer), an oral cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, has been approved by the FDA for use in combination with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole (Femara, and generics) for first-line treatment of postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative metastatic breast cancer. It is the first cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor to become available in the US.

The FDA has approved ciprofloxacin 6% otic suspension (Otiprio – Otonomy) for single-dose prophylaxis in children with bilateral otitis media with effusion who are undergoing tympanostomy tube placement. It is the first drug to be approved for this indication in the US. Otic formulations of the fluoroquinolone antibiotics ofloxacin (Floxin Otic, and generics) and ciprofloxacin (plus dexamethasone; Ciprodex) have been available for years for treatment of acute otitis media in children with tympanostomy tubes; an otic suspension containing ciprofloxacin and fluocinolone...

The FDA has approved ferric pyrophosphate citrate solution (Triferic – Rockwell Medical) to maintain hemoglobin concentrations in adults with hemodialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease. Triferic is the first iron replacement product that is added into the hemodialysis solution at each dialysis procedure.

The nasal spray formulation of the corticosteroid fluticasone furoate is now available over the counter (OTC) as Flonase Sensimist Allergy Relief (GSK) in the same strength as the prescription product (Veramyst) for treatment of seasonal or perennial allergic rhinitis. It is the fourth intranasal corticosteroid to become available OTC.

The FDA has approved an extended-release intramuscular suspension formulation of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist triptorelin (Triptodur – Arbor/Debiopharm) for twice-yearly treatment of central precocious puberty (CPP) in children ≥2 years old. Triptorelin has been available in the US for years as Trelstar for palliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Before the approval of Triptodur, Trelstar was used off-label for treatment of CPP.

The FDA has approved an expansion of the peripheral artery disease (PAD) indication for the oral direct factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban (Xarelto – Janssen) to include patients who have recently undergone a lower extremity revascularization procedure for symptomatic PAD (see Table 1). Rivaroxaban is the first direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) to be approved for use in patients with PAD.

The FDA has amended its Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by Pfizer/BioNTech (Comirnaty) and Moderna (Spikevax) to permit use of bivalent formulations of the products as a single booster dose in persons ≥12 years old (Pfizer) or ≥18 years old (Moderna) whose most recent COVID-19 vaccine dose was a monovalent product given ≥2 months previously as a booster or for completion of a primary series. The bivalent formulations are not authorized for primary immunization. Monovalent Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are no longer...