Posaconazole (Noxafil - Schering-Plough), an oral azole antifungal with a chemical structure similar to that of itraconazole (Sporanox), has been approved by the FDA to prevent Candida and Aspergillus infections in severely immunocompromised patients and for treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis. It is likely also to be used off-label for treatment of other fungal infections, including those caused by Mucor and other Zygomycetes.

Sitagliptin phosphate (Januvia - Merck) is the first dipeptidyl-peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor to be marketed for treatment of type 2 diabetes. It has been approved by the FDA for oral use as monotherapy or in combination with metformin (Glucophage, and others), pioglitazone (Actos) or rosiglitazone (Avandia).

The dopamine agonist pramipexole (Mirapex - Boehringer Ingelheim) is the second drug approved by the FDA for treatment of moderate to severe restless legs syndrome (RLS). Ropinirole (Requip), another dopamine agonist, was approved for RLS in 2005. Both of these drugs were first approved for treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Sitagliptin (Januvia) and metformin (Glucophage, and others) are now available in a single tablet (Janumet - Merck) for treatment of type 2 diabetes. The combination is approved by the FDA for use in patients not adequately controlled by sitagliptin or meformin alone or in those already taking both drugs. Metformin is also available in combination with the thiazolidinediones pioglitazone and rosiglitazone and with the sulfonylureas glipizide and glyburide.

Doripenem (Doribax - Ortho-McNeil Janssen), an intravenous (IV) carbapenem antibiotic with a spectrum of activity similar to that of imipenem and meropenem, has been approved by the FDA for treatment of complicated intra-abdominal and urinary tract infections. Use of doripenem for treatment of nosocomial pneumonia, including ventilator-associated pneumonia, is still under FDA review.

Major orthopedic surgery creates a prothrombotic state by causing tissue injury during the operation and requiring relative immobilization during recovery. Without thromboprophylaxis, 40-60% of patients undergoing major knee or hip surgery develop venographically detectable deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and 1 in 300 undergoing total hip replacement will have a symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE). Thromboprophylaxis reduces the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE), but it also can cause bleeding. New guidelines for prevention of VTE have recently been published.

The FDA has approved a new Japanese encephalitis vaccine (Ixiaro - Intercell/Novartis). It will replace JEVax (Sanofi Pasteur), which has had tolerability and safety problems and is no longer being manufactured.

In recent years, several new drugs have been approved by the FDA for use in multiple sclerosis (MS), and many others are in the pipeline. Most recently, teriflunomide (Aubagio – Genzyme) became the second oral drug to be approved by the FDA for treatment of relapsing forms of MS.

The FDA has approved Arnuity Ellipta (GSK), a single-agent inhaler containing the corticosteroid fluticasone furoate, for once-daily maintenance treatment of asthma in patients ≥12 years old. Fluticasone furoate is also available in combination with the long-acting beta₂-agonist vilanterol as Breo Ellipta for treatment of asthma and COPD.

The FDA has approved ocrelizumab (Ocrevus – Genentech), a humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, for treatment of adults with primary progressive or relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). It is the first anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody to be approved for treatment of MS and the first disease-modifying drug to be approved in the US for primary progressive MS.