Brimonidine tartrate 0.2% ophthalmic solution (Alphagan - Allergan), a selective alpha2-adrenergic agonist, has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of increased intraocular pressure due to open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension and for its prevention in patients undergoing argon laser trabeculoplasty.

Diet, exercise, and weight loss can improve glycemic control, but almost all patients with type 2 diabetes require antihyperglycemic drug therapy. Treating to a target A1C of <7% while minimizing hypoglycemia is recommended to prevent microvascular complications of diabetes (retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy). An A1C target of <8% may be appropriate for some older patients.

The FDA has approved an oral suspension formulation of nitisinone (Orfadin – Sobi) for treatment of hereditary tyrosinemia type 1 (HT-1). Orfadin has been available in a capsule formulation in Canada since 1994 and in the US since 2002.HT-1 is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder (estimated birth prevalence: 1:100,000) caused by mutations in the gene responsible for formation of fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (FAH), which catalyzes the last step in tyrosine metabolism. FAH deficiency results in accumulation of upstream toxic metabolites, causing liver and kidney failure and developmental...

The FDA has approved Zepatier (Merck), a fixed-dose combination of two direct-acting antiviral agents — elbasvir, an NS5A inhibitor, and grazoprevir, an NS3/4A protease inhibitor — for oral treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 or 4 infection.

The FDA has approved Cabtreo (Bausch Health), a gel containing the retinoid adapalene, the oxidizing agent benzoyl peroxide, and the antibiotic clindamycin, for treatment of acne vulgaris in patients ≥12 years old. Cabtreo is the first three-drug topical formulation to become available in the US for treatment of acne.

The FDA has approved a nasal spray fixed-dose combination (Dymista – Meda) of the H₁-antihistamine azelastine (Astelin, Astepro, and generics) and the corticosteroid fluticasone propionate (Flonase, and generics) for treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) in patients ≥12 years old who need both medications for symptomatic relief. It is the first nasal spray to be approved in the US that contains both an H₁-antihistamine and a corticosteroid.

The FDA has approved the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab (Keytruda – Merck), a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) inhibitor, for first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that highly expresses programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and has no epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) translocations. About 25% of patients with advanced NSCLC have tumors with high levels of PD-L1 expression (PD-L1 expressed on ≥50% of tumor cells). Pembrolizumab was approved earlier for treatment...

The injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist semaglutide, previously approved by the FDA as Ozempic to treat type 2 diabetes and to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease, has now been approved in a higher dose as Wegovy (Novo Nordisk) for chronic weight management in adults with or without type 2 diabetes who have a body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2 or a BMI ≥27 kg/m2 and ≥1 weight-related comorbidity (e.g., hypertension, dyslipidemia). An oral formulation of semaglutide...

Human alpha1-proteinase inhibitor (Prolastin Cutter), possibly better known as alpha1-antitypsin (ATT), is now available in the USA for replacement therapy in patients with emphysema who have a congential deficiency of the protein.

The FDA has approved Plenvu (Salix), a polyethylene glycol (PEG)-containing oral powder for reconstitution, for colon cleansing prior to colonoscopy in adults. Plenvu is the first PEG-containing colonoscopy preparation that requires only 1 L of water for dissolution and ingestion of 1 L of clear fluid in addition.