The oral second-generation antipsychotic drug lumateperone (Caplyta – Intra-Cellular Therapies), which was approved by the FDA in 2020 for treatment of schizophrenia, is now approved for use as monotherapy or as an adjunct to lithium or valproate for treatment of depressive episodes associated with bipolar I or II disorder in adults.

The FDA has approved the intravenously administered synthetic vasopressin analog terlipressin (Terlivaz – Mallinckrodt) to improve kidney function in adults with hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) and a rapid decline in kidney function. Terlipressin is the first drug to be approved for this indication in the US; it has been available in Europe and elsewhere for year

The FDA has approved an intranasal formulation of the opioid antagonist nalmefene (Opvee – Indivior) for emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose in persons ≥12 years old. Nalmefene, which is available by prescription, is the second opioid antagonist to become available as a nasal spray for this indication; the first was naloxone, which is now available for sale over the counter (Narcan, and generic). Other nasal spray formulations of naloxone and injectable formulations of nalmefene and naloxone are available by prescription (see Table 2).

Givinostat (Duvyzat – Italfarmaco), an oral histone deacetylase inhibitor, has been approved by the FDA for treatment of patients ≥6 years old with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), regardless of the DMD-causing mutation. It is the first nonsteroidal drug to be approved for this indication. The oral corticosteroids deflazacort (Emflaza) and vamorolone (Agamree) are also approved for treatment of patients with all genetic variants of DMD.

Fitusiran (Qfitlia – Sanofi), a subcutaneously injected, antithrombin-directed, small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA), has been approved by the FDA for routine prophylaxis to prevent or reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes in patients ≥12 years old who have hemophilia A with or without factor VIII inhibitors or hemophilia B with or without factor IX inhibitors. It is the first antithrombin-lowering therapy to become available in the US for treatment of hemophilia.

Zurnai (Purdue), an autoinjector formulation of the opioid antagonist nalmefene, has been approved by the FDA for intramuscular (IM) or subcutaneous (SC) emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose in persons ≥12 years old. Naloxone, another opioid antagonist, has been available in single-use syringes for years. Both nalmefene and naloxone are also available in nasal sprays; some naloxone nasal sprays (Narcan, and others) are available over the counter.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommend using insect repellents to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, ticks, and other arthropods that transmit disease-causing pathogens. Repellents applied to exposed skin should be used in conjunction with other preventive measures such as wearing long-sleeved shirts, pants, and socks and avoiding outdoor activities during peak mosquito-biting times. Some insect repellents are listed in Table 1.

The goal of pharmacologic treatment for type 2 diabetes is to achieve and maintain a near-normal glycated hemoglobin (A1C) concentration while minimizing hypoglycemia; an A1C goal of <7% is recommended for most patients to prevent or reduce the microvascular complications of diabetes (retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy). An A1C target of <8% may be appropriate for patients who are older, have comorbid conditions, or are at risk for serious hypoglycemia-associated adverse events.

Finerenone (Kerendia – Bayer), an oral nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA), has been approved by the FDA to reduce the risk of sustained eGFR decline, end-stage renal disease, nonfatal MI, hospitalization for heart failure (HF), and cardiovascular death in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) associated with type 2 diabetes. It is the first nonsteroidal MRA to be approved in the US.

Recently published guidelines from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Diabetes Work Group recommend addition of the oral nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) finerenone (Kerendia) to standard treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD).