The FDA has expanded the Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for the mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by Pfizer/BioNTech (Comirnaty) and Moderna (Spikevax) to include administration of a third dose in persons ≥12 years old (Pfizer/BioNTech) or ≥18 years old (Moderna) who have undergone solid organ transplantation or have a condition that compromises the immune system to a similar extent (see Table 1).

The oral kinase inhibitors dabrafenib (Tafinlar – GSK) and trametinib (Mekinist – Novartis) have received accelerated approval by the FDA for use together for a fifth indication: treatment of unresectable or metastatic solid tumors with a BRAF V600E mutation in patients ≥6 years old who have progressed following prior treatment and have no satisfactory alternative treatment options. The combination is not approved for treatment of colorectal cancer because of known intrinsic resistance to BRAF inhibition and dabrafenib is not approved for use in patients with wild-type BRAF...

The oral kinase inhibitors selpercatinib (Retevmo – Lilly) and pralsetinib (Gavreto – Blueprint Medicines/Genentech) have been approved by the FDA for treatment of advanced or metastatic RET-mutant or RET fusion-positive cancers. They are the first drugs to be approved specifically for certain RET-driven cancers. Both drugs were granted accelerated approval based on overall response rates and the duration of response.

The FDA has granted regular approval to dostarlimabgxly (Jemperli – GSK), an immune checkpoint inhibitor, for treatment of adults with mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer that has progressed on or following a prior platinum-containing regimen in any setting and who are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation. Dostarlimab received accelerated approval in 2021 for treatment of adults with dMMR recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer or nonendometrial solid tumors that progressed on or following prior treatment and who have no...

The programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) blocking antibody pembrolizumab (Keytruda – Merck), which has been available in an IV formulation since 2014 for treatment of various malignancies, has now been approved in a subcutaneous formulation as Keytruda Qlex. Keytruda Qlex is the first immune checkpoint inhibitor to become available in the US that can be administered subcutaneously. It has been approved for 38 of the 41 solid tumor indications that Keytruda is approved for. Keytruda's patent exclusivity expires in 2028.

The FDA has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the long-acting investigational IV monoclonal antibody pemivibart (Pemgarda – Invivyd) for pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 in persons ≥12 years old (weight ≥40 kg) who have moderate to severe immune compromise and are unlikely to respond adequately to COVID-19 vaccination (see Table 1). Pemgarda is the only drug that is currently authorized in the US for pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19. Tixagevimab/cilgavimab (Evusheld) was previously available under an EUA for this indication, but it lacks activity against...

Healthcare providers are often asked if drugs can be used past their expiration date. Because of legal restrictions and liability concerns, manufacturers do not sanction such use and usually do not comment on the safety or effectiveness of their products beyond the date on the label. Since our last article on this subject, more data have become available.

View the Vaccination Recommendations for Bivalent mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines

The FDA has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the investigational long-acting monoclonal antibodies tixagevimab and cilgavimab (Evusheld – AstraZeneca) to be administered concomitantly by IM injection for pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 in persons ≥12 years old who weigh ≥40 kg and have either a history of severe allergy that prevents their vaccination against COVID-19 or moderate or severe immune compromise (see Table 1). They are the first drugs to be authorized by the FDA for this indication. Two other pairs of antibodies, bamlanivimab plus etesevimab...

Annual vaccination against influenza A and B viruses is recommended in the US for everyone ≥6 months old without a contraindication. Influenza vaccines available in the US for the 2025-2026 season are listed in Table 2.