Clinical Insights: June 26, 2024
Welcome to Pillr Health’s Clinical Insights, designed to help pharmacy professionals stay up to date on the ever-changing pharmaceutical and pharmacy marketplace.
New Drug/Vaccine Approval
Sofdra™ (sofpironium) Topical Gel – New Drug Approval – June 18, 2024 – Clinical dermatology company, Botanix Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (ASX:BOT, Botanix or the Company), is pleased to announce the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Sofdra™ (sofpironium) gel, 12.45%. Sofdra™ is a prescription medicine used to treat primary axillary hyperhidrosis (excessive underarm sweating) in adults and children 9 years and older. <Read More> Capvaxive™ (pneumococcal 21-valent conjugate vaccine) Injection - formerly V116 – New Vaccine Approval – June 17, 2024 – Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Capvaxive™ (Pneumococcal 21-valent Conjugate Vaccine)… Capvaxive™ is specifically designed to help protect adults against the serotypes that cause the majority of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) cases. The approval follows the FDA’s Priority Review of Merck’s application. Do not administer Capvaxive™ to individuals with a history of a severe allergic reaction (e.g., anaphylaxis) to any component of Capvaxive™ or to diphtheria toxoid. <Read More> Vigafyde™ (vigabatrin) Oral Solution – New Drug Approval – June 17, 2024 – Pyros Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Pyros or the Company), a leader in the development of enhanced specialty pharmaceuticals for rare diseases, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Vigafyde™, the only ready-to-use vigabatrin oral solution. Vigafyde™ (vigabatrin) oral solution, is indicated as a monotherapy for the treatment of pediatric patients 1 month to 2 years of age with infantile spasms (IS), where the potential benefits outweigh the potential risk of vision loss. <Read More> Yimmugo® (immune globulin intravenous, human-dira) Liquid for Intravenous Injection – New Drug Approval – June 13, 2024 – Grifols (MCE:GRF, MCE:GRF.P, NASDAQ:GRFS), one of the world’s leading producers of plasma-derived medicines, announced that Biotest, a Grifols Group company, has received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Yimmugo®, an innovative intravenous immunoglobulin (Ig) therapeutic, to treat primary immunodeficiencies (PID). <Read More> Iqirvo® (elafibranor) Tablets – New Drug Approval – June 10, 2024 – Ipsen (Euronext: IPN; ADR: IPSEY) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval for Iqirvo® (elafibranor) 80 mg tablets for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in adults who have an inadequate response to UDCA, or as monotherapy in patients unable to tolerate UDCA. Iqirvo® may be prescribed immediately in the U.S. for eligible patients. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on reduction of alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Improvement in survival or prevention of liver decompensation events have not been demonstrated. <Read More>
New Indication/Dosage/Formulation Approval
Krazati (adagrasib) Tablets – New Label Expansion – June 21, 2024 – The Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to adagrasib (Krazati; Mirati Therapeutics, Inc.) plus cetuximab for adults with KRAS G12C-mutated locally advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), as determined by an FDA-approved test, who have received prior treatment with fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin-, and irinotecan-based chemotherapy. <Read More> Vyvgart® Hytrulo (efgartigimod alfa and hyaluronidase-qvfc) Injection – New Label Expansion – June 21, 2024 – argenx SE (Euronext & Nasdaq: ARGX), a global immunology company committed to improving the lives of people suffering from severe autoimmune diseases, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Vyvgart® Hytrulo (efgartigimod alfa and hyaluronidase-qvfc) for the treatment of adult patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). Vyvgart® Hytrulo is approved for CIDP as a once weekly 30-to-90 second subcutaneous injection. It is the first and only neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) blocker approved for the treatment of CIDP. <Read More> Elevidys® (delandistrogene moxeparvovec-rokl) Suspension for Intravenous Infusion – New Label Expansion – June 20, 2024 – Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:SRPT), the leader in precision genetic medicine for rare diseases, announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of an expansion to the labeled indication for Elevidys® (delandistrogene moxeparvovec-rokl) to include individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) with a confirmed mutation in the DMD gene who are at least 4 years of age. Confirming the functional benefits, the FDA granted traditional approval for ambulatory patients. The FDA granted accelerated approval for non-ambulatory patients. <Read More> Skyrizi® (risankizumab-rzaa) Injection – New Label Expansion – June 18, 2024 – AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Skyrizi® (risankizumab-rzaa) for adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis, making it the first IL-23 specific inhibitor approved for both moderate to severe ulcerative colitis and moderate to severe Crohn's disease. Skyrizi® is now approved for four indications across immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. <Read More> Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) for Injection – New Label Expansion – June 17, 2024 – Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Keytruda®, Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel, followed by Keytruda® as a single agent, for the treatment of adult patients with primary advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma. This approval marks the third endometrial carcinoma indication and the 40th indication overall for Keytruda® in the U.S. <Read More> Blincyto® (blinatumomab) Injection – New Label Expansion – June 14, 2024 – The Food and Drug Administration approved blinatumomab (Blincyto®, Amgen Inc.) for adult and pediatric patients one month and older with CD19-positive Philadelphia chromosome-negative B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph-negative BCP ALL) in the consolidation phase of multiphase chemotherapy. <Read More> Imfinzi® (durvalumab) Injection – New Label Expansion – June14, 2024 – The Food and Drug Administration approved durvalumab (Imfinzi®, AstraZeneca UK Limited) with carboplatin plus paclitaxel followed by single-agent durvalumab for adult patients with primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer that is mismatch repair deficient (dMMR). <Read More> Augtyro™ (repotrectinib) Capsules – New Label Expansion – June 14, 2024 – The Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to repotrectinib (Augtyro™, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company) for adult and pediatric patients 12 years and older with solid tumors that have a neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) gene fusion, are locally advanced or metastatic or where surgical resection is likely to result in severe morbidity, and that have progressed following treatment or have no satisfactory alternative therapy. <Read More> Xigduo® XR (dapagliflozin and metformin hydrochloride) Extended-Release Tablets and Farxiga® Tablets– New Label Expansion – June 12, 2024 – AstraZeneca’s Farxiga® (dapagliflozin) and Xigduo® XR (dapagliflozin and metformin hydrochloride) has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to improve glycemic control in pediatric patients with type-2 diabetes (T2D) aged 10 years and older. The FDA approval was based on positive results from the pediatric T2NOW Phase III trial. Farxiga® was previously approved in the US in adults with T2D as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control. <Read More> Adbry® (tralokinumab-ldrm) Injection – New Label Expansion – June 12, 2024 – LEO Pharma Inc. has announced approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a new Adbry® (tralokinumab-ldrm) 300 mg single-dose autoinjector for adult patients. Adbry®, a high-affinity fully human monoclonal antibody, is currently indicated in the U.S. for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in patients aged 12 years and older. The new autoinjector will provide another option for adult patients in addition to the pre-filled syringe administration that is currently available. <Read More> Retevmo® (selpercatinib) Capsules and Tablets – New Label Expansion – June 12, 2024 - the Food and Drug Administration granted traditional approval to selpercatinib (Retevmo®, Eli Lilly and Company) for adult and pediatric patients 2 years of age and older with advanced or metastatic RET fusion-positive thyroid cancer who require systemic therapy and who are radioactive iodine-refractory (if radioactive iodine is appropriate). Selpercatinib received accelerated approval for this indication for patients 12 years of age and older in 2020. <Read More> Kevzara® (sarilumab) Injection – New Label Expansion – June 10, 2024 – Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) and Sanofi announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Kevzara® (sarilumab) for the treatment of patients weighing 63 kg or greater with active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA), a form of arthritis that impacts multiple joints at a time. <Read More>
New Drug Shortage
June 14, 2024
Fluconazole Tablet (Discontinuation)
Updated Drug Shortage
June 24, 2024
Lidocaine Hydrochloride Solution (Currently in Shortage)
Penicillin G Benzathine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
June 18, 2024
Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Leucovorin Calcium Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Lidocaine Hydrochloride Solution (Currently in Shortage)
Methotrexate Sodium Tablet (Currently in Shortage)
Methylprednisolone Acetate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sucralfate Tablet (Currently in Shortage)
June 17, 2024
Atropine Sulfate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bumetanide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride, Epinephrine Bitartrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Carboplatin Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Cefotetan Disodium Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Chloroprocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Cisplatin Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Cytarabine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dacarbazine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dextrose Monohydrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Epinephrine Bitartrate, Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Fentanyl Citrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Gentamicin Sulfate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Heparin Sodium Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Hydromorphone Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ketorolac Tromethamine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Leucovorin Calcium Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Lidocaine Hydrochloride Solution (Currently in Shortage)
Midazolam Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Morphine Sulfate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Remifentanil Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Rifampin Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Rocuronium Bromide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ropivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sodium Chloride 0.9% Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sodium Chloride 14.6% Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sodium Chloride 23.4% Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic, Anhydrous, Sodium Phosphate, Monobasic, Monohydrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sterile Water Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Valproate Sodium Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Vinblastine Sulfate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
June 13, 2024
Atropine Sulfate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride, Epinephrine Bitartrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Carboplatin Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Clindamycin Phosphate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Cytarabine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dextrose Monohydrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dobutamine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dopamine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Epinephrine Bitartrate, Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Epinephrine Injection, Syringes (Currently in Shortage)
Etomidate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Fentanyl Citrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Furosemide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Gentamicin Sulfate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Heparin Sodium Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Hydrocortisone Sodium Succinate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Hydromorphone Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ketorolac Tromethamine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Lorazepam Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Methotrexate Sodium Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Methylprednisolone Acetate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Midazolam Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Morphine Sulfate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Potassium Acetate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Quinapril Hydrochloride Tablet (Currently in Shortage)
Quinapril/Hydrochlorothiazide Tablet (Currently in Shortage)
Rocuronium Bromide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sodium Acetate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sodium Bicarbonate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sodium Chloride 0.9% Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sodium Chloride 14.6% Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sodium Chloride 23.4% Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic, Anhydrous, Sodium Phosphate, Monobasic, Monohydrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Somatropin Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sterile Water Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sufentanil Citrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
June 11, 2024
Hydroxocobalamin Injection (Currently in Shortage)
New Drug Recall and Safety Alerts
No new update.
New Generic/Biosimilar Approval and Launch
No new update.
Clinical and Pharmacy News
The High-Shortage Generic Market – June 22, 2024 – The Senate Committee on Finance released a bipartisan draft addressing drug shortages, focusing on low-margin generic sterile injectables crucial for hospitals. ASHP reported an all-time high of 323 drug shortages in March, many being generics. The top shortage classes in early 2024 included antimicrobials, chemotherapy, CNS drugs, fluids/electrolytes, and hormonal agents, with 118 out of 200 being sterile injectables. The legislation targets group purchasing organizations (GPOs) controlling 90% of the market, as their low-price contracts hinder manufacturers' ability to invest in quality and capacity, leading to shortages. <Read More> Biden’s Plan to Save Money on Medicare Drugs Risks Leaving Shelves Empty, Pharmacists Say – June 11, 2024 – Months into a new Biden administration policy intended to lower drug costs for Medicare patients, independent pharmacists say they’re struggling to afford to keep some prescription drugs in stock. “It would not matter if the governor himself walked in and said, ‘I need to get this prescription filled,’” said Clint Hopkins, a pharmacist and co-owner of Pucci’s Pharmacy in Sacramento, California. “If I’m losing money on it, it’s a no.” A regulation that took effect in January changes prescription prices for Medicare beneficiaries. For years, prices included pharmacy performance incentives, possible rebates, and other adjustments made after the prescription was filled. Now the adjustments are made first, at the pharmacy counter, reducing the overall cost for patients and the government. But the new system means less money for pharmacies that acquire and stock medications, pharmacists say. <Read More> 17 Million US Adults May No Longer Receive Statin Therapy for Heart Disease – June 14, 2024– Doctors have to make tough choices about prescribing medications, weighing the potential risks and benefits. They typically use official recommendations from governing bodies and relevant medical organizations to help guide their clinical practice recommendations.Groups update these guidelines based on components like newly available data. Researchers want to understand how these guideline changes affect clinical practice and medication recommendations.A study recently published in JAMA Internal MedicineTrusted Source looked at two equation sets to measure 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk and how they affected primary prevention statin therapy recommendations. <Read More> FDA Plans to Ease Requirements for Biosimilars' Interchangeable Status—New Rules Would Mean Switching Studies Will Generally Not Be Needed – June 20,2024 – The FDA on Thursday announced that biosimilars seeking an interchangeable status would no longer require studies showing that switching between a biosimilar and its branded reference product does not present any potential safety risks or risk of diminished efficacy. In new draft guidanceopens in a new tab or window, the agency is suggesting a "revised approach where such studies will generally not be needed". Any physician can prescribe a biosimilar in place of a branded reference product, but the interchangeable status brings the advantage of being able to be substituted without need for a prescription change at the pharmacy level in some states, similar to generic drugs. <Read More> Study Shows That Clinical Decision Support Software Can Prevent 95% of Medication Errors in the Operating Room – June 13, 2024 – A Massachusetts General Hospital study found that clinical decision support software can prevent 95% of medication errors in the OR, as reported in Anesthesia & Analgesia. This software provides evidence-based information to clinicians, enhancing decision-making and preventing errors. "Medication errors in the operating room have high potential for patient harm," said senior author Dr. Karen C. Nanji. Despite its effectiveness in improving efficiency and quality of care, adoption of this technology is still in its early stages. Embedded Specialty Pharmacist Improves Therapy Access in Dermatology Clinic – June 12, 2024 – Embedding a specialty clinical pharmacist into a dermatology clinic significantly improved the number of patients initiated on therapy and cut the time from receiving an insurance prior authorization (PA) denial to submitting an appeal by almost two weeks, according to presentation at the ASHP Pharmacy Futures meeting (poster 13M).The University of Kansas Health System, in Kansas City, began embedding a clinical pharmacist in its dermatology clinic in 2021, sooner than for many of its other specialty clinics. The older system of pharmacy patient advocates in its specialty pharmacy had assisted with benefits eligibility for dermatology patients, and a pharmacist working within the specialty pharmacy had called patients to conduct education and assess the appropriateness of initiating specialty medications. “The embedded pharmacist does in-person patient education and collaborates with providers on obtaining coverage,” said presenting author Lydia Ganaden, PharmD, a PGY-2 pharmacy resident. “She has definitely expanded our services in dermatology.” <Read More>
340B in the News
Protecting the 340B Program Vital for Providing the Best Care to Patients With HIV – June 21, 2024 – Legislation that could change the 340B program should be done so with caution, as the federal program acts as a boon to care for patients with HIV, experts argue. The 340B Drug Pricing Program was first created in 1992 to protect hospitals in safety-net areas from the increasing prices of drugs. Experts working in clinics that benefit from the 340B Program have emphasized how important the program is for them to continue their work in providing health care to patients of vulnerable populations, including patients with HIV, due to the funding that it provides for them to maintain the clinic services. In February 2024, 6 senators, both Republican and Democrat, released a draft bill titled "Supporting Underserved and Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Now and for the Future of 340B Act" (SUSTAIN 340B Act) with an aim of codifying the functions of the 340B program into federal law.<Read More>
Clinical Insights: August 27, 2026
New Drug/Vaccine Approval
Pasatru™ (garetosmab-grts) Injection – New Drug Approval – August 19, 2026 - Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval for Pasatru™ (garetosmab-grts) to reduce formation of new heterotopic ossification (HO) lesions and clinician-assessed flare-ups in adults with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP). Recognizing the significant mobility challenges faced by many people with FOP, Pasatru can be administered across a range of care settings, including home infusion where appropriate. <Read More>
Genglycos™ (pariglasgene brecaparvovec-opnr) Suspension for Intravenous Infusion - formerly DTX401 – New Drug Approval – August 19, 2026 - Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ: RARE) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval for Genglycos™ (pariglasgene brecaparvovec-opnr), also known as DTX401, in adult and pediatric patients eight years and older with glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSDIa). <Read More>
Zenbexus™ (iberdomide) Capsules – New Drug Approval – August 13, 2026 - The Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to iberdomide (Zenbexus™, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company) in combination with daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj and dexamethasone for adults with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior line of therapy including a proteasome inhibitor and an immunomodulatory agent. <Read More>
Tauklarify™ (florquinitau F 18) Injection - formerly MK-6240 – New Drug Approval – August 13, 2026 - Lantheus Holdings, Inc. ("Lantheus" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: LNTH), the leading radiopharmaceutical-focused company committed to enabling clinicians to Find, Fight and Follow disease to deliver better patient outcomes, announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Tauklarify™ (florquinitau F 18 injection), also referred to as MK-6240, a radiodiagnostic agent indicated for positron emission tomography (PET) of the brain in adults with cognitive impairment who are being evaluated for Alzheimer's disease to identify patients with tau neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) pathology. <Read More>
Tudriqev™ (vusolimogene oderparepvec-wtpg) Suspension for Intratumor Injection – New Drug Approval – August 6, 2026 - The Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to vusolimogene oderparepvec-wtpg (Tudriqev™, Replimune, Inc.), a genetically modified oncolytic viral therapy, in combination with nivolumab for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable advanced cutaneous melanoma who experienced disease progression on a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1)-blocking antibody-based regimen. <Read More>
Orzeyful™ (oveporexton) Tablets – New Drug Approval – August 5, 2026 - Takeda (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Orzeyful™ (oveporexton), an oral orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonist, for the treatment of narcolepsy type 1 (NT1, narcolepsy with cataplexy) in adults. The persistent 24-hour nature of NT1 is driven by orexin deficiency and can severely impact people's lives. As a first-in-class orexin treatment, ORZEYFUL is the only medicine indicated in the U.S. to treat the disease holistically rather than individual symptoms. <Read More>
mFLUSIVA® (influenza vaccine, mRNA) Injection - formerly mRNA-1010 – New Drug Approval – August 5, 2026 - Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved mFLUSIVA® (mRNA-1010), a new vaccine against seasonal influenza, for use in all adults 50 years and older. This approval follows unanimous recommendations from the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) supporting mFLUSIVA® – for adults 50 years of age and older. <Read More>
Gwyn Lo™ (ethinyl estradiol and norelgestromin) Transdermal System – New Drug Approval – July 28, 2026 - Viatris Inc. (Nasdaq: VTRS), a global healthcare company, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Gwyn Lo™ (norelgestromin and ethinyl estradiol transdermal system). Gwyn Lo™ is a new combined hormonal contraceptive (CHC) patch with low-dose estrogen. The patch has demonstrated contraceptive efficacy for women of childbearing potential with a body mass index (BMI) below 30 kg/m® who are appropriate candidates for CHC. The Gwyn Lo™ dosage is norelgestromin 220 mcg/day and ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg/day. <Read More>
New Label Expansions
Imaavy® (nipocalimab-aahu) Injection – New Expanded Label – August 24, 2026 – Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Imaavy® (nipocalimab-aahu) for the treatment of warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (wAIHA) – a rare, life-threatening autoantibody disease – in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older currently or previously treated with corticosteroids. <Read More>
Lerochol® (lerodalcibep-liga) Injection - New Expanded Label – August 13, 2026 – LIB Therapeutics, Inc. (LIB)… announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an autoinjector for Lerochol® (lerodalcibep-liga) Injection 300 mg/1.2 mL, a third-generation Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor that combines robust and sustained efficacy with once-monthly, single injection self-administration to support long-term adherence. <Read More>
Pluvicto® (lutetium lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan) Injection - New Expanded Label – July 31, 2026 - Novartis announced the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Pluvicto® (lutetium Lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan) in combination with an androgen receptor pathway inhibitor (ARPI) for patients with prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-positive metastatic androgen pathway modulation-naive/sensitive (mAPMN/S) prostate cancer, commonly known as metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). <Read More>
New Drug Shortage
August 25, 2026
Liraglutide Injection (Discontinuation)
Mesalamine Capsule, Extended Release (Discontinuation)
August 24, 2026
Disopyramide Phosphate Capsule, Extended Release (Discontinuation)
August 14, 2026
Fulvestrant Injection (Discontinuation)
August 13, 2026
Diclofenac Sodium Tablet, Delayed Release (Discontinuation)
Polyethylene glycol 3350, Sodium Ascorbate, Sodium Sulfate Anhydrous, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Chloride, and Potassium Chloride Oral Solution (Discontinuation)
August 10, 2026
Glyburide Tablet (Discontinuation)
Updated Drug Shortage
August 25, 2026
Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Liraglutide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Rifampin Injection (Currently in Shortage)
August 24, 2026
Atropine Sulfate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride, Epinephrine Bitartrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Desmopressin Acetate Spray (Currently in Shortage)
Dextrose Monohydrate 50% Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dobutamine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dopamine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Epinephrine Bitartrate, Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Methylprednisolone Acetate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Penicillin G Benzathine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
August 21, 2026
Bumetanide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
August 20, 2026
Amphetamine Aspartate Monohydrate, Amphetamine Sulfate, Dextroamphetamine Saccharate, Dextroamphetamine Sulfate Tablet (Currently in Shortage)
August 18, 2026
Amphetamine Aspartate Monohydrate, Amphetamine Sulfate, Dextroamphetamine Saccharate, Dextroamphetamine Sulfate Tablet (Currently in Shortage)
Clindamycin Phosphate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Furosemide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ketorolac Tromethamine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Metronidazole Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Rifampin Capsule (Currently in Shortage)
New Drug Recall and Safety Alerts
Thyroid Tablets, USP 30 mg by Vitruvias Therapeutics, Inc – New Voluntary Recall – August 21, 2026 - Vitruvias Therapeutics Inc. is voluntarily recalling one lot (Lot. No. 504950) of Thyroid Tablets, USP 30 mg to the consumer level. The product is being recalled because testing confirmed the potential for the product to be superpotent. <Read More>
Glutathione 200 mg/mL Multi-Dose Vials by Optimal Balance Pharmacy – New Voluntary Recall – August 19, 2026 - Optimal Balance Pharmacy is voluntarily recalling one lot of Compounded Glutathione 200 MG/ML 30 ML Multi-Dose Vials to the patient level. The product is being recalled because pharmacy testing identified elevated bacterial endotoxin levels. <Read More>
Excel® Lactated Ringers Injection, 1000mL by B. Braun Medical Inc. – New Voluntary Recall – August 19, 2026 - B. Braun Medical Inc (B. Braun), is voluntarily recalling one lot of Excel® Lactated Ringers Injection, 1000mL to the hospital/healthcare facility level, due to the presence of particulate matter in solution identified primarily as cellulose cotton fibers, with individual particles also identified as cellulose wood fiber and polystyrene. <Read More>
Tyenne® (tocilizumab-aazg) Injection 400 mg/20 mL Vials by Fresenius Kabi – New Voluntary Recall – August 10, 2026 - Fresenius Kabi, an operating company of the Fresenius Group, is recalling one lot of Tyenne® (tocilizumab-aazg) Injection 400 mg/20 mL (20 mg/mL)20 mL vials to the user level. An internal investigation at the firm found the product to contain glass particles. <Read More>
Morphine Sulfate Injection, USP in a Simplist® Prefilled Syringe by Fresenius Kabi – New Voluntary Recall – August 4, 2026 - Fresenius Kabi, an operating company of the Fresenius Group, is voluntarily recalling one lot of Morphine Sulfate Injection USP, Simplist® – 2 mg/1 mL due to a label mix-up. The MicroVault labeled as morphine 2 mg/1 mL, may contain a Prefilled Syringe of Dilaudid® – 0.5 mg/0.5 mL. This recall is being conducted to the user level. <Read More>
Optiray® Imaging Bulk Package - 350, 500mL, Vial by Liebel-Flarsheim Company, LLC – New Voluntary Recall – July 31, 2026 - Liebel-Flarsheim Company, LLC, is recalling one lot of Optiray® Imaging Bulk Package (IBP) 350, 500mL in vial, (Ioversol Injection 74% 350 mg iodine/ml) for intra-arterial or intra-venous use to the user level (hospitals, imaging centers, healthcare facilities and clinics, and other potential users of the product) due to the presence of particulate matter comprising polyethylene and other plastic materials, stainless steel and glass. <Read More>
New Generic/Biosimilar Approval and Launch
No new update
Clinical and Pharmacy News
Hidden Single-Source Risk Behind Generic Drug Supply – August 24, 2026 - Healthcare procurement teams have spent years building redundancy into pharmaceutical purchasing. A critical generic may have multiple approved manufacturers, multiple distributors and several products available for substitution, and on paper that looks diversified. Upstream, it can be something very different, and the deeper problem is that the usual numbers can still understate just how concentrated that dependency really is. <Read More>
Fewer Employers are Covering GLP-1 Drugs for Weight Loss. Should They? – August 24, 2026 - Two recent news items reveal countervailing trends in employer health insurance coverage for GLP-1 drugs, the highly effective and highly expensive medications for treating diabetes and obesity. The insurer Cigna reported a pullback in coverage of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss. Six percent of large employers dropped coverage in 2026, according to Bloomberg. Meanwhile, Bank of America is doubling down. It's continuing to cover GLP-1s for weight loss (in addition to covering them to treat diabetes), while also providing healthcare and lifestyle coaching for those on the drugs – at a cost of $250 million a year. That now represents 13% of the company's total healthcare spending. <Read More>
REMS Removed: Why CAR-T's Expansion into Community Oncology Could Benefit the Big Three Wholesalers – August 18, 2026 – The FDA's removal of CAR-T REMS requirements eliminates one obstacle to expanding treatment beyond traditional academic medical centers. That change could disproportionately benefit the Big Three wholesalers, which have spent billions building positions in community oncology while simultaneously investing in cell-and-gene-therapy distribution and support infrastructure. <Read More>
Panel Offers First Guidelines for Using E-Cigarettes to Help Smokers Quit – August 18, 2026 - A panel of experts has issued the first clinical guidelines for using e-cigarettes to help adults quit smoking. E-cigarettes should be offered alongside other smoking cessation strategies like nicotine replacement therapies or medications like varenicline and bupropion, a panel from the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco said. Its recommendations were published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association. <Read More>
States Should Not Wait Until 2028 to Open PBMs' Books – August 18, 2026 - Prescription drug prices do not become opaque by accident. They become opaque because the middlemen who manage drug benefits are allowed to hide many of their revenue streams from the employers, insurers, pharmacies, and patients who ultimately pay the bill. Congress has already recognized the problem. Federal pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reporting requirements are scheduled to reshape what PBMs must disclose, but many of the most important provisions will not take effect until 2028. That delay creates a basic question for state lawmakers: why wait? <Read More>
Clinical Guidance: Malaria Diagnosis and Treatment in the U.S. – August 17, 2026 - Approximately 2,000 cases of malaria are reported annually in the United States, primarily among travelers. Malaria can be a severe, potentially fatal disease. Urgent diagnosis followed by immediate treatment is critical. Healthcare providers in the United States can use this guidance to ensure appropriate diagnosis and treatment of malaria. As of August 2026, guidance extends artemether-lumefantrine duration to 5 days (10 doses) for Plasmodium falciparum malaria, both for the treatment of uncomplicated infections and following IV artesunate for severe infections. <Read More>
Employers Tighten Benefits Cost Oversight as Medical and Pharmacy Pressures Mount – August 17, 2026 - More than a third of employers reported health plan premium increases of 10% or more at their latest renewal, and pharmacy and voluntary benefits are facing similar scrutiny, according to Gallagher. Medical cost pressure is intensifying even as employers make changes to health care plans intended to control it, according to Gallagher's U.S. Benefits Strategy & Benchmarking Survey. <Read More>
Major PBMs to Boost Prescription Drug Price Transparency Through TrumpRx – August 13, 2026 - A group of nine pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) announced Thursday that they will work with an industry group to boost the transparency of prescription drug pricing through the TrumpRx platform. Fox Business exclusively learned that the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) and nine PBMs reached an agreement to showcase the cash price of prescriptions from TrumpRx within their benefit tools. The agreement aims to give patients better visibility into the cost of the medication and how they might save money on it. <Read More>
Employer Survey Signals Coming Shakeup in PBM Market Dynamics – August 13, 2026 – Employers are increasingly shifting business away from the big three pharmacy benefit managers of Express Scripts Inc., CVS Caremark and UnitedHealth Group's OptumRx, according to a survey released Wednesday. The three companies – which manage prescription drugs for health plans – are believed to control 80% of the market, and have garnered blowback from Congress and state regulators over opaque pricing practices and pressure on local pharmacies. <Read More>
From Blame to Data: How Medication Error Reporting Systems Drive Patient Safety – August 12, 2026 - A single medication error can have devastating consequences for patients, pharmacists, and institutions. Globally, medication-related errors are responsible for approximately 5% to 41% of all hospital admissions and 22% of readmissions. The annual costs associated with medication errors globally are approximately $42 billion. Error reporting and analysis can only decrease error rates if health care shifts its culture from one of punitive blame to one that treats errors as systemic data points for identification and correction. This requires a robust, nonpunitive reporting system coupled with systematic analysis to prevent future harm. <Read More>
The New Era of Pharma Distribution: Balancing Precision and Scale – July 14, 2026 - Specialty medicines comprise ~75% of ~7,000 pipeline assets, with nearly 180 advanced therapies expected by 2030, accelerating demand for scalable, operationally sustainable distribution models. Cold-chain exposure is rising, with ~50% of launches through 2027 requiring temperature control; 3PLs are expanding ambient-to-cryogenic capacity, including ultra-low and liquid-nitrogen storage. <Read More>
340B in the News
HRSA Revives the 340B Rebate Pilot: Covered Entities Should Prepare Now for 2027 – August 18, 2026 - HRSA is again moving toward a 340B rebate model, and covered entities should begin preparing for the possibility that the way they purchase certain 340B drugs will change on January 1, 2027. On July 31, 2026, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced a revised 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program. The proposal would allow qualifying manufacturers to provide the 340B ceiling price for certain drugs through a post-purchase rebate rather than the upfront discount that has long been the norm in the 340B Program. <Read More>
340B Drug Payment Cuts Headline CMS Proposal to Lower Medicare Costs – July 7, 2026 – CMS proposes paying 340B-acquired drugs at ASP minus 33.4% starting CY 2027, replacing ASP plus 6%, based on survey findings that acquisition costs are well below ASP. Projected 2027 impact includes $1.15 billion lower Original Medicare beneficiary drug costs and $4.55 billion reduced taxpayer spending, with OPPS budget neutrality offsetting via increased non-drug payments. <Read More>
Clinical Insights: August 27, 2026
New Drug/Vaccine Approval
Pasatru™ (garetosmab-grts) Injection – New Drug Approval – August 19, 2026 - Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval for Pasatru™ (garetosmab-grts) to reduce formation of new heterotopic ossification (HO) lesions and clinician-assessed flare-ups in adults with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP). Recognizing the significant mobility challenges faced by many people with FOP, Pasatru can be administered across a range of care settings, including home infusion where appropriate. <Read More>
Genglycos™ (pariglasgene brecaparvovec-opnr) Suspension for Intravenous Infusion - formerly DTX401 – New Drug Approval – August 19, 2026 - Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ: RARE) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval for Genglycos™ (pariglasgene brecaparvovec-opnr), also known as DTX401, in adult and pediatric patients eight years and older with glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSDIa). <Read More>
Zenbexus™ (iberdomide) Capsules – New Drug Approval – August 13, 2026 - The Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to iberdomide (Zenbexus™, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company) in combination with daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj and dexamethasone for adults with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior line of therapy including a proteasome inhibitor and an immunomodulatory agent. <Read More>
Tauklarify™ (florquinitau F 18) Injection - formerly MK-6240 – New Drug Approval – August 13, 2026 - Lantheus Holdings, Inc. ("Lantheus" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: LNTH), the leading radiopharmaceutical-focused company committed to enabling clinicians to Find, Fight and Follow disease to deliver better patient outcomes, announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Tauklarify™ (florquinitau F 18 injection), also referred to as MK-6240, a radiodiagnostic agent indicated for positron emission tomography (PET) of the brain in adults with cognitive impairment who are being evaluated for Alzheimer's disease to identify patients with tau neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) pathology. <Read More>
Tudriqev™ (vusolimogene oderparepvec-wtpg) Suspension for Intratumor Injection – New Drug Approval – August 6, 2026 - The Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to vusolimogene oderparepvec-wtpg (Tudriqev™, Replimune, Inc.), a genetically modified oncolytic viral therapy, in combination with nivolumab for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable advanced cutaneous melanoma who experienced disease progression on a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1)-blocking antibody-based regimen. <Read More>
Orzeyful™ (oveporexton) Tablets – New Drug Approval – August 5, 2026 - Takeda (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Orzeyful™ (oveporexton), an oral orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonist, for the treatment of narcolepsy type 1 (NT1, narcolepsy with cataplexy) in adults. The persistent 24-hour nature of NT1 is driven by orexin deficiency and can severely impact people's lives. As a first-in-class orexin treatment, ORZEYFUL is the only medicine indicated in the U.S. to treat the disease holistically rather than individual symptoms. <Read More>
mFLUSIVA® (influenza vaccine, mRNA) Injection - formerly mRNA-1010 – New Drug Approval – August 5, 2026 - Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved mFLUSIVA® (mRNA-1010), a new vaccine against seasonal influenza, for use in all adults 50 years and older. This approval follows unanimous recommendations from the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) supporting mFLUSIVA® – for adults 50 years of age and older. <Read More>
Gwyn Lo™ (ethinyl estradiol and norelgestromin) Transdermal System – New Drug Approval – July 28, 2026 - Viatris Inc. (Nasdaq: VTRS), a global healthcare company, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Gwyn Lo™ (norelgestromin and ethinyl estradiol transdermal system). Gwyn Lo™ is a new combined hormonal contraceptive (CHC) patch with low-dose estrogen. The patch has demonstrated contraceptive efficacy for women of childbearing potential with a body mass index (BMI) below 30 kg/m® who are appropriate candidates for CHC. The Gwyn Lo™ dosage is norelgestromin 220 mcg/day and ethinyl estradiol 20 mcg/day. <Read More>
New Label Expansions
Imaavy® (nipocalimab-aahu) Injection – New Expanded Label – August 24, 2026 – Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Imaavy® (nipocalimab-aahu) for the treatment of warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (wAIHA) – a rare, life-threatening autoantibody disease – in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older currently or previously treated with corticosteroids. <Read More>
Lerochol® (lerodalcibep-liga) Injection - New Expanded Label – August 13, 2026 – LIB Therapeutics, Inc. (LIB)… announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an autoinjector for Lerochol® (lerodalcibep-liga) Injection 300 mg/1.2 mL, a third-generation Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor that combines robust and sustained efficacy with once-monthly, single injection self-administration to support long-term adherence. <Read More>
Pluvicto® (lutetium lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan) Injection - New Expanded Label – July 31, 2026 - Novartis announced the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Pluvicto® (lutetium Lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan) in combination with an androgen receptor pathway inhibitor (ARPI) for patients with prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-positive metastatic androgen pathway modulation-naive/sensitive (mAPMN/S) prostate cancer, commonly known as metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). <Read More>
New Drug Shortage
August 25, 2026
Liraglutide Injection (Discontinuation)
Mesalamine Capsule, Extended Release (Discontinuation)
August 24, 2026
Disopyramide Phosphate Capsule, Extended Release (Discontinuation)
August 14, 2026
Fulvestrant Injection (Discontinuation)
August 13, 2026
Diclofenac Sodium Tablet, Delayed Release (Discontinuation)
Polyethylene glycol 3350, Sodium Ascorbate, Sodium Sulfate Anhydrous, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Chloride, and Potassium Chloride Oral Solution (Discontinuation)
August 10, 2026
Glyburide Tablet (Discontinuation)
Updated Drug Shortage
August 25, 2026
Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Liraglutide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Rifampin Injection (Currently in Shortage)
August 24, 2026
Atropine Sulfate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride, Epinephrine Bitartrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Desmopressin Acetate Spray (Currently in Shortage)
Dextrose Monohydrate 50% Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dobutamine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dopamine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Epinephrine Bitartrate, Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Methylprednisolone Acetate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Penicillin G Benzathine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
August 21, 2026
Bumetanide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
August 20, 2026
Amphetamine Aspartate Monohydrate, Amphetamine Sulfate, Dextroamphetamine Saccharate, Dextroamphetamine Sulfate Tablet (Currently in Shortage)
August 18, 2026
Amphetamine Aspartate Monohydrate, Amphetamine Sulfate, Dextroamphetamine Saccharate, Dextroamphetamine Sulfate Tablet (Currently in Shortage)
Clindamycin Phosphate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Furosemide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ketorolac Tromethamine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Metronidazole Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Rifampin Capsule (Currently in Shortage)
New Drug Recall and Safety Alerts
Thyroid Tablets, USP 30 mg by Vitruvias Therapeutics, Inc – New Voluntary Recall – August 21, 2026 - Vitruvias Therapeutics Inc. is voluntarily recalling one lot (Lot. No. 504950) of Thyroid Tablets, USP 30 mg to the consumer level. The product is being recalled because testing confirmed the potential for the product to be superpotent. <Read More>
Glutathione 200 mg/mL Multi-Dose Vials by Optimal Balance Pharmacy – New Voluntary Recall – August 19, 2026 - Optimal Balance Pharmacy is voluntarily recalling one lot of Compounded Glutathione 200 MG/ML 30 ML Multi-Dose Vials to the patient level. The product is being recalled because pharmacy testing identified elevated bacterial endotoxin levels. <Read More>
Excel® Lactated Ringers Injection, 1000mL by B. Braun Medical Inc. – New Voluntary Recall – August 19, 2026 - B. Braun Medical Inc (B. Braun), is voluntarily recalling one lot of Excel® Lactated Ringers Injection, 1000mL to the hospital/healthcare facility level, due to the presence of particulate matter in solution identified primarily as cellulose cotton fibers, with individual particles also identified as cellulose wood fiber and polystyrene. <Read More>
Tyenne® (tocilizumab-aazg) Injection 400 mg/20 mL Vials by Fresenius Kabi – New Voluntary Recall – August 10, 2026 - Fresenius Kabi, an operating company of the Fresenius Group, is recalling one lot of Tyenne® (tocilizumab-aazg) Injection 400 mg/20 mL (20 mg/mL)20 mL vials to the user level. An internal investigation at the firm found the product to contain glass particles. <Read More>
Morphine Sulfate Injection, USP in a Simplist® Prefilled Syringe by Fresenius Kabi – New Voluntary Recall – August 4, 2026 - Fresenius Kabi, an operating company of the Fresenius Group, is voluntarily recalling one lot of Morphine Sulfate Injection USP, Simplist® – 2 mg/1 mL due to a label mix-up. The MicroVault labeled as morphine 2 mg/1 mL, may contain a Prefilled Syringe of Dilaudid® – 0.5 mg/0.5 mL. This recall is being conducted to the user level. <Read More>
Optiray® Imaging Bulk Package - 350, 500mL, Vial by Liebel-Flarsheim Company, LLC – New Voluntary Recall – July 31, 2026 - Liebel-Flarsheim Company, LLC, is recalling one lot of Optiray® Imaging Bulk Package (IBP) 350, 500mL in vial, (Ioversol Injection 74% 350 mg iodine/ml) for intra-arterial or intra-venous use to the user level (hospitals, imaging centers, healthcare facilities and clinics, and other potential users of the product) due to the presence of particulate matter comprising polyethylene and other plastic materials, stainless steel and glass. <Read More>
New Generic/Biosimilar Approval and Launch
No new update
Clinical and Pharmacy News
Hidden Single-Source Risk Behind Generic Drug Supply – August 24, 2026 - Healthcare procurement teams have spent years building redundancy into pharmaceutical purchasing. A critical generic may have multiple approved manufacturers, multiple distributors and several products available for substitution, and on paper that looks diversified. Upstream, it can be something very different, and the deeper problem is that the usual numbers can still understate just how concentrated that dependency really is. <Read More>
Fewer Employers are Covering GLP-1 Drugs for Weight Loss. Should They? – August 24, 2026 - Two recent news items reveal countervailing trends in employer health insurance coverage for GLP-1 drugs, the highly effective and highly expensive medications for treating diabetes and obesity. The insurer Cigna reported a pullback in coverage of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss. Six percent of large employers dropped coverage in 2026, according to Bloomberg. Meanwhile, Bank of America is doubling down. It's continuing to cover GLP-1s for weight loss (in addition to covering them to treat diabetes), while also providing healthcare and lifestyle coaching for those on the drugs – at a cost of $250 million a year. That now represents 13% of the company's total healthcare spending. <Read More>
REMS Removed: Why CAR-T's Expansion into Community Oncology Could Benefit the Big Three Wholesalers – August 18, 2026 – The FDA's removal of CAR-T REMS requirements eliminates one obstacle to expanding treatment beyond traditional academic medical centers. That change could disproportionately benefit the Big Three wholesalers, which have spent billions building positions in community oncology while simultaneously investing in cell-and-gene-therapy distribution and support infrastructure. <Read More>
Panel Offers First Guidelines for Using E-Cigarettes to Help Smokers Quit – August 18, 2026 - A panel of experts has issued the first clinical guidelines for using e-cigarettes to help adults quit smoking. E-cigarettes should be offered alongside other smoking cessation strategies like nicotine replacement therapies or medications like varenicline and bupropion, a panel from the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco said. Its recommendations were published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association. <Read More>
States Should Not Wait Until 2028 to Open PBMs' Books – August 18, 2026 - Prescription drug prices do not become opaque by accident. They become opaque because the middlemen who manage drug benefits are allowed to hide many of their revenue streams from the employers, insurers, pharmacies, and patients who ultimately pay the bill. Congress has already recognized the problem. Federal pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reporting requirements are scheduled to reshape what PBMs must disclose, but many of the most important provisions will not take effect until 2028. That delay creates a basic question for state lawmakers: why wait? <Read More>
Clinical Guidance: Malaria Diagnosis and Treatment in the U.S. – August 17, 2026 - Approximately 2,000 cases of malaria are reported annually in the United States, primarily among travelers. Malaria can be a severe, potentially fatal disease. Urgent diagnosis followed by immediate treatment is critical. Healthcare providers in the United States can use this guidance to ensure appropriate diagnosis and treatment of malaria. As of August 2026, guidance extends artemether-lumefantrine duration to 5 days (10 doses) for Plasmodium falciparum malaria, both for the treatment of uncomplicated infections and following IV artesunate for severe infections. <Read More>
Employers Tighten Benefits Cost Oversight as Medical and Pharmacy Pressures Mount – August 17, 2026 - More than a third of employers reported health plan premium increases of 10% or more at their latest renewal, and pharmacy and voluntary benefits are facing similar scrutiny, according to Gallagher. Medical cost pressure is intensifying even as employers make changes to health care plans intended to control it, according to Gallagher's U.S. Benefits Strategy & Benchmarking Survey. <Read More>
Major PBMs to Boost Prescription Drug Price Transparency Through TrumpRx – August 13, 2026 - A group of nine pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) announced Thursday that they will work with an industry group to boost the transparency of prescription drug pricing through the TrumpRx platform. Fox Business exclusively learned that the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) and nine PBMs reached an agreement to showcase the cash price of prescriptions from TrumpRx within their benefit tools. The agreement aims to give patients better visibility into the cost of the medication and how they might save money on it. <Read More>
Employer Survey Signals Coming Shakeup in PBM Market Dynamics – August 13, 2026 – Employers are increasingly shifting business away from the big three pharmacy benefit managers of Express Scripts Inc., CVS Caremark and UnitedHealth Group's OptumRx, according to a survey released Wednesday. The three companies – which manage prescription drugs for health plans – are believed to control 80% of the market, and have garnered blowback from Congress and state regulators over opaque pricing practices and pressure on local pharmacies. <Read More>
From Blame to Data: How Medication Error Reporting Systems Drive Patient Safety – August 12, 2026 - A single medication error can have devastating consequences for patients, pharmacists, and institutions. Globally, medication-related errors are responsible for approximately 5% to 41% of all hospital admissions and 22% of readmissions. The annual costs associated with medication errors globally are approximately $42 billion. Error reporting and analysis can only decrease error rates if health care shifts its culture from one of punitive blame to one that treats errors as systemic data points for identification and correction. This requires a robust, nonpunitive reporting system coupled with systematic analysis to prevent future harm. <Read More>
The New Era of Pharma Distribution: Balancing Precision and Scale – July 14, 2026 - Specialty medicines comprise ~75% of ~7,000 pipeline assets, with nearly 180 advanced therapies expected by 2030, accelerating demand for scalable, operationally sustainable distribution models. Cold-chain exposure is rising, with ~50% of launches through 2027 requiring temperature control; 3PLs are expanding ambient-to-cryogenic capacity, including ultra-low and liquid-nitrogen storage. <Read More>
340B in the News
HRSA Revives the 340B Rebate Pilot: Covered Entities Should Prepare Now for 2027 – August 18, 2026 - HRSA is again moving toward a 340B rebate model, and covered entities should begin preparing for the possibility that the way they purchase certain 340B drugs will change on January 1, 2027. On July 31, 2026, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced a revised 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program. The proposal would allow qualifying manufacturers to provide the 340B ceiling price for certain drugs through a post-purchase rebate rather than the upfront discount that has long been the norm in the 340B Program. <Read More>
340B Drug Payment Cuts Headline CMS Proposal to Lower Medicare Costs – July 7, 2026 – CMS proposes paying 340B-acquired drugs at ASP minus 33.4% starting CY 2027, replacing ASP plus 6%, based on survey findings that acquisition costs are well below ASP. Projected 2027 impact includes $1.15 billion lower Original Medicare beneficiary drug costs and $4.55 billion reduced taxpayer spending, with OPPS budget neutrality offsetting via increased non-drug payments. <Read More>
Clinical Insights: July 31, 2026
New Drug/Vaccine Approval
Lytenava™ (bevacizumab-vikg) Intravitreal Injection - formerly ONS-5010 – New Drug Approval – July 24, 2026 - Outlook Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: OTLK), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of ONS-5010/Lytenava™ (bevacizumab-vikg, bevacizumab gamma) for the treatment of retinal diseases, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Lytenava™ (bevacizumab-vikg) for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), commonly known as wet AMD. <Read More>
Simtriyo® (centanafadine) Extended-Release Capsules – New Drug Approval – July 24, 2026 – Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Otsuka) and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval of Simtriyo® (centanafadine), a once-daily extended-release capsule for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults and pediatric patients aged 6 years and older weighing at least 20kg. <Read More>
Tylenol® with Naproxen (acetaminophen and naproxen sodium) Tablets – New Drug Approval – July 24, 2026 – FDA approved Tylenol® with Naproxen (acetaminophen 325 mg/naproxen sodium 110 mg tablets), the first fixed-dose combination product to pair acetaminophen with naproxen sodium in a single combination tablet for up to 12 hours of pain relief. This nonprescription product is indicated for the temporary relief of minor aches and pains due to headache, backache, muscular aches, toothache, menstrual cramps, and minor pain of arthritis in adults and children 12 years and older. <Read More>
Jideytro™ (zidesamtinib) Tablets - New Drug Approval – July 22, 2026 – The Food and Drug Administration approved zidesamtinib (Jideytro™, Nuvalent, Inc.) for adults with locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received at least one prior ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). <Read More>
Lipfendra® (enlicitide) Tablets – New Drug Approval – July 16, 2026 – Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Lipfendra® (enlicitide) tablets 20 mg as an adjunct to diet and exercise to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in adults with hypercholesterolemia, including heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH). Lipfendra® is a novel macrocyclic peptide and is the first FDA-approved oral PCSK9 inhibitor shown to lower LDL-C, also known as bad cholesterol. <Read More>
Revtorpyk™ (gedatolisib) Lyophilized Powder for Injection – New Drug Approval – July 14, 2026 – Celcuity Inc. (Nasdaq: CELC), a biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing targeted therapies for multiple solid tumor indications, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) approved Revtorpyk™ (gedatolisib) for the treatment of patients with hormone receptor positive (“HR+”), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (“HER2-”), locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer without a PIK3CA mutation detected following progression on or after treatment with at least one line of endocrine therapy in the metastatic setting. <Read More>
Sarclisa Escena™ (isatuximab-irfc) Subcutaneous Injection – New Drug Approval – July 9, 2026 – The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved subcutaneous (SC) Sarclisa (isatuximab-irfc) Escena™ in combination with standard-of-care regimens for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) across all existing indications of Sarclisa intravenous (IV) formulation. With the approval, Sarclisa Escenaä is the first anticancer treatment to be administered through both an on-body injector (OBI) and manual SC administration. <Read More>
Trutakna™ (atacicept-vymj) Injection – New Drug Approval – July 7, 2026 – Vera Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: VERA), a commercial-stage biotechnology company, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Trutakna™ (atacicept-vymj) accelerated approval to reduce proteinuria in adults with primary IgAN at risk for disease progression. In a prespecified interim analysis of the ongoing ORIGIN 3 trial, participants treated with Trutakna™ achieved a 46% reduction from baseline in proteinuria, with a statistically significant and clinically meaningful 42% reduction compared to placebo (p<0.0001) at 36 weeks. In this registrational program, Trutaknaä was generally well tolerated. The most common adverse reactions were infections and local administration reactions. <Read More>
New Label Expansions
Furoscix™ (furosemide) Injection - New Label Expansion – New Dosage Regimen: July 23, 2026 - MannKind Corporation (Nasdaq: MNKD), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to transforming chronic disease care through innovative, patient-centric solutions for cardiometabolic and orphan lung diseases, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Furoscix ReadyFlow™ (furosemide injection) for the treatment of edema (fluid overload) in adults with heart failure (HF) or chronic kidney disease (CKD). <Read More>
Fabhalta® (iptacopan) Capsules - New Label Expansion – Labeling Revision Approved: July 16, 2026 - Novartis announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted traditional approval for Fabhalta® (iptacopan) to slow kidney function decline in adults with primary immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) at risk of disease progression. Fabhalta®, a first-in-class complement inhibitor, received approval under a priority review designation after an initial FDA accelerated approval in August 2024 for the reduction of proteinuria in primary IgAN. <Read More>
Retevmo® (selpercatinib) Capsules and Tablets - New Label Expansion – Labeling Revision Approved: July 14, 2026 - The Food and Drug Administration granted traditional approval to selpercatinib (Retevmo®, Eli Lilly and Company) for adult and pediatric patients two years of age and older with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors with a RET gene fusion, as detected by an FDA-approved test, that have progressed on or following prior systemic treatment or who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options. Selpercatinib received accelerated approval for this indication for adult patients in 2022 and for pediatric patients two years of age and older in 2024. <Read More>
Leqembi® (lecanemab-irmb) Injection - New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: July 13, 2026 - Eisai Co., Ltd. and Biogen Inc. (Nasdaq: BIIB), announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for a once-weekly lecanemab-irmb subcutaneous injection (brand name: Leqembi Iqlik®) as an initiation dose for the treatment of early Alzheimer’s disease. <Read More>
Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) for Injection - New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: July 10, 2026 - the Food and Drug Administration approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda®, Merck) or pembrolizumab and berahyaluronidase alfa-pmph (Keytruda Qlex®, Merck) each in combination with enfortumab vedotin-ejfv (Padcev®, Astellas Pharma) as neoadjuvant treatment (before surgery) followed by adjuvant treatment after cystectomy (surgery to remove the bladder) for adults with muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). This extends the prior approval for the regimen in this setting from patients who are cisplatin-ineligible to all patients with MIBC who are candidates for cystectomy. <Read More>
Padcev® (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv) Lyophilized Powder for Injection - New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: July 10, 2026 - Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Naoki Okamura, “Astellas”) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Padcev® (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv), a Nectin-4 directed antibody-drug conjugate, plus the PD-1 inhibitor, Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) or Keytruda Qlex™ (pembrolizumab and berahyaluronidase alfa-pmph) as neoadjuvant and adjuvant (before and after surgery) treatment for adult patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer regardless of cisplatin eligibility. <Read More>
Ryaltris® (mometasone furoate and olopatadine hydrochloride) Nasal Spray - New Label Expansion – Patient Population Altered: July 7, 2026 - Glenmark Specialty S.A. (Glenmark) announced that U.S. FDA has approved the expanded use of Ryaltris® (olopatadine hydrochloride and mometasone furoate) Nasal Spray, 665 mcg/25 mcg per spray, for the treatment of symptoms of Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis (SAR) in pediatric patients aged 6 to less than 12 years. <Read More>
wilate® (von Willebrand Factor/Coagulation Factor VIII Complex (Human)) Injection - New Label Expansion – Patient Population Altered: July 2, 2026 - the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of wilate® (von Willebrand Factor/Coagulation Factor VIII Complex [Human]) for routine prophylaxis to reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes in pediatric patients with von Willebrand Disease (VWD) who are younger than 6 years of age. This approval expands access to the first von Willebrand Factor (VWF) concentrate indicated for prophylactic treatment across all ages and forms of VWD, the most common inherited bleeding disorder. <Read More>
Casgevy® (exagamglogene autotemcel) Suspension for Intravenous Infusion - New Label Expansion – Patient Population Altered: July 1, 2026 - Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved expanded use of Casgevy® (exagamglogene autotemcel) for the treatment of people ages 2 years and older with either sickle cell disease (SCD) with recurrent vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) or transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia (TDT). CASGEVY is the first approved genetic therapy indicated for children as young as 2 years for both SCD and TDT. <Read More>
New Drug Shortage
July 27, 2026
Fluticasone Propionate and Salmeterol Xinafoate Aerosol, Metered (Discontinuation)
July 24, 2026
Lopinavir and Ritonavir Oral Solution (Discontinuation)
Lopinavir and Ritonavir Tablet (Discontinuation)
Ritonavir Oral Powder (Discontinuation)
Ritonavir Tablet (Discontinuation)
July 23, 2026
Aspirin Suppository (Discontinuation)
Belladonna and Opium Suppository (Discontinuation)
Bendamustine Hydrochloride Injection, Solution (Discontinuation)
Hydrocortisone Acetate Suppository (Discontinuation)
Hydromorphone Hydrochloride Suppository (Discontinuation)
Morphine Sulfate Suppository (Discontinuation)
Podophyllum Resin Topical Tincture (Discontinuation)
Succinylcholine Chloride Injection (Discontinuation)
July 20, 2026
Atropine Sulfate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sodium Acetate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
July 17, 2026
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Updated Drug Shortage
July 23, 2026
Atropine Sulfate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride, Epinephrine Bitartrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dextrose Monohydrate 50% Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dobutamine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dopamine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Epinephrine Bitartrate, Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Etomidate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Fentanyl Citrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Hydromorphone Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate Capsule (Currently in Shortage)
Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate Tablet, Chewable (Currently in Shortage)
Lorazepam Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Methylphenidate Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release (Currently in Shortage)
Midazolam Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sodium Bicarbonate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sterile Water Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sufentanil Citrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Technetium TC-99M Pyrophosphate Kit Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Triamcinolone Acetonide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
July 22, 2026
Methylprednisolone Acetate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Penicillin G Benzathine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
July 21, 2026
Azacitidine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride, Epinephrine Bitartrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Carboplatin Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dextrose Monohydrate 5% Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Epinephrine Bitartrate, Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Fentanyl Citrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Hydromorphone Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ifosfamide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ketorolac Tromethamine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Midazolam Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Morphine Sulfate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Remifentanil Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Rifampin Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ropivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sterile Water Injection (Currently in Shortage)
July 20, 2026
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Carboplatin Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dextrose Monohydrate 5% Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Furosemide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ropivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Technetium TC-99M Pyrophosphate Kit Injection (Currently in Shortage)
July 19, 2026
Clindamycin Phosphate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dextrose Monohydrate 70% Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Heparin Sodium Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ifosfamide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ketorolac Tromethamine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sterile Water Irrigant (Currently in Shortage)
New Drug Recall and Safety Alerts
Papaverine Hydrochloride Injection, USP 60 mg/ 2 mL by American Regent, Inc. - New Voluntary Recall – July 24, 2026 - American Regent, Inc. is conducting a nationwide voluntary recall of a single lot of Papaverine Hydrochloride Injection, USP, 60 mg/2 mL single dose vial to the consumer level. The product is being recalled due to the presence of particulate matter identified as glass and/or paraformaldehyde. <Read More>
Cefazolin in Dextrose Injection, USP, 2g / 100ml (20mg/ml) Single-Dose Infusion Bag in 100ml by Baxter - New Voluntary Recall – July 24, 2026 – Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX) is voluntarily recalling Lot LD175708, Exp 14-Feb 2027 of Cefazolin in Dextrose Injection due to a report of particulate matter found in the solution identified as cardboard. <Read More>
Cyclophosphamide for Injection, USP by Sunny Pharmtech, Inc. - New Voluntary Recall – July 24, 2026 - Sunny Pharmtech, Inc is voluntarily recalling three lots of Cyclophosphamide for Injection, USP, 1g/vial and 2g/vial, to the User Level due to the presence of particulate matter identified as steel. To date, no adverse events or injuries associated with this particulate matter issue have been reported. <Read More>
Cetirizine Hydrochloride Tablets USP 5 mg by Unique Pharmaceutical Laboratories (A Div. of J. B. Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.) – New Voluntary Recall – July 18, 2026 – Unique Pharmaceutical Laboratories (A Div. of J. B. Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.) is voluntarily recalling four lots of Cetirizine Hydrochloride Tablets USP 5 mg to the consumer level due to cross contamination with Ranitidine. <Read More>
New Generic/Biosimilar Approval and Launch
No new update.
Clinical and Pharmacy News
Stopping Medications Safely Is Hard. This Federal Guidance Could Change Everything – July 28, 2026 - Deprescribing doesn’t mean stopping medications on your own. It refers to the supervised process of reducing or discontinuing drugs that may no longer provide more benefit than harm. Many people stay on medications longer than necessary. Over time, prescriptions can accumulate, increasing the risk of side effects, drug interactions, and falls. New Medicare guidance could make deprescribing more common. Clinicians may be able to bill for the work involved in safely tapering medications under existing Medicare care-management services. Pharmacists could play a much larger role. The guidance may help expand pharmacist-led medication management programs that review whether each medication is still necessary. <Read More>
New STS Guideline Tackles the Prevention of AFib After Cardiac Surgery – July 28, 2026 - A new clinical guidance from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) recommends being more aggressive with amiodarone and posterior pericardiotomy to prevent new-onset atrial fibrillation (AFib) after cardiac surgery. Cardiovascular Business spoke to Subhasis Chatterjee, MD, lead author of that guideline and director of the Thoracic Surgical ICU and ECMO Program at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center, to learn more. He outlined key recommendations from the document, which was based on data found and reviewed by experts from the fields of cardiac surgery, cardiology, critical care and anesthesiology. <Read More>
New Guideline Will Shift Statins to Younger and Lower-Risk U.S. Adults – July 20, 2026 - Three studies used nationally representative survey data to project how the new dyslipidemia guideline would affect population health. A large percentage of U.S. adults age 30 or older were new candidates for guideline-directed lipid-lowering therapy based on updated guideline criteria, one study showed. Another study found that in those age 40-79, the proportion of people who may be recommended lipid-lowering therapy was 49.6% with the 2026 guideline versus 49.4% before the guideline. <Read More>
GLP-1 Use Rising Rapidly Among U.S. Adolescents, Young Adults – July 20, 2026 - Adolescents and young adults in the U.S. are increasingly using popular GLP-1 weight-loss drugs alone or in conjunction with metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) to manage obesity, according to a study by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers published in JAMA Pediatrics. Severe obesity among adolescents and young adults has increased substantially over the past two decades, currently affecting about 9% of people between ages 12 and 18. Among adults, the rate of severe obesity increased from 5% to 10%. <Read More>
New Pharmacy Benefit Manager Rules Shift Focus to Verifiable Accountability – July 17, 2026 - New federal transparency requirements for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are poised to fundamentally change how the industry demonstrates compliance. Rather than simply reporting pricing and rebate data, the new rules require pharmacy benefit operations to prove, at the claim level, how financial outcomes were generated. <Read More>
Senate Seeks to Audit TRICARE Pharmacy Benefits Program Amid Conflict Concerns – July 16, 2026 – Senate lawmakers are pushing for an independent audit of the Defense Department’s multibillion-dollar TRICARE pharmacy program amid concerns that its longtime contractor, which acts as a pharmacy benefit manager, may also be steering business toward its own pharmacies. The Senate Armed Services Committee’s version of the fiscal 2027 defense policy bill includes a provision that would require the comptroller general to examine how Express Scripts, the contractor that manages the TRICARE pharmacy program while also operating its own mail-order and specialty pharmacies that participate in the network, reimburses its own pharmacies and their competitors. <Read More>
Pharmacy Closures Disproportionately Burden Minority, Underserved Communities – July 14, 2026 - Analysis of 955 Rite Aid closures found 96.4% of prescriptions transferred to major chains and 68.7% to PBM-affiliated pharmacies, concentrating access within vertically integrated dispensing networks. Independent pharmacies are structurally disincentivized to accept bulk transfers because PBM reimbursement and opaque fees can make incremental volume cash-flow negative and operationally unmanageable. <Read More>
CVS Caremark Reaches Settlement With FTC Over Insulin Suit – July 14, 2026 – CVS Health’s Caremark has reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission requiring notable changes to the pharmacy benefit manager’s business practices, including that Caremark prefer the lowest-cost drugs on its standard formularies and pass through savings negotiated with drugmakers to clients. <Read More>
340B in the News
D.C. Appeals Court Sides With HHS in 340B Drug Discount Program Rebate Challenge – July 23, 2026 – An appellate court panel ruled Tuesday that drug manufacturers may not impose 340B rebates without approval from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The ruling (PDF) from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a previous decision that Section 340B of the Public Health Service Act does not allow pharmaceutical companies to impose proposed rebate models without HHS Secretary approval. The suit was brought by Novartis, Eli Lilly and Bristol Myers Squibb against HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and HHS. The decision did not touch on the legality of HHS’ proposed rebate pilot program, which has been embraced by drugmakers and opposed by hospitals. <Read More>
340B Spending Ballooned to $100B in 2025, Federal Data Shows – July 16, 2026 – Hospitals and outpatient facilities purchased $100 billion worth of drugs in the 340B discount program in 2025, an almost 23% increase from the year prior as regulators look to reform the program. The latest data from the Health and Services Administration, released this week, shows 340B spending has more than doubled since 2021. The vast majority of purchases — almost $80 billion — were made by disproportionate share hospitals last year. Regulators said pricey specialty drugs that treat complex, chronic conditions were also making up a larger portion of 340B spending. Although specialty drugs constituted about 38% of purchases, they accounted for almost 62% of total spending last year, according to the data. <Read More>
Clinical Insights: July 31, 2026
New Drug/Vaccine Approval
Lytenava™ (bevacizumab-vikg) Intravitreal Injection - formerly ONS-5010 – New Drug Approval – July 24, 2026 - Outlook Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: OTLK), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of ONS-5010/Lytenava™ (bevacizumab-vikg, bevacizumab gamma) for the treatment of retinal diseases, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Lytenava™ (bevacizumab-vikg) for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), commonly known as wet AMD. <Read More>
Simtriyo® (centanafadine) Extended-Release Capsules – New Drug Approval – July 24, 2026 – Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Otsuka) and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval of Simtriyo® (centanafadine), a once-daily extended-release capsule for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults and pediatric patients aged 6 years and older weighing at least 20kg. <Read More>
Tylenol® with Naproxen (acetaminophen and naproxen sodium) Tablets – New Drug Approval – July 24, 2026 – FDA approved Tylenol® with Naproxen (acetaminophen 325 mg/naproxen sodium 110 mg tablets), the first fixed-dose combination product to pair acetaminophen with naproxen sodium in a single combination tablet for up to 12 hours of pain relief. This nonprescription product is indicated for the temporary relief of minor aches and pains due to headache, backache, muscular aches, toothache, menstrual cramps, and minor pain of arthritis in adults and children 12 years and older. <Read More>
Jideytro™ (zidesamtinib) Tablets - New Drug Approval – July 22, 2026 – The Food and Drug Administration approved zidesamtinib (Jideytro™, Nuvalent, Inc.) for adults with locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received at least one prior ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). <Read More>
Lipfendra® (enlicitide) Tablets – New Drug Approval – July 16, 2026 – Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Lipfendra® (enlicitide) tablets 20 mg as an adjunct to diet and exercise to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in adults with hypercholesterolemia, including heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH). Lipfendra® is a novel macrocyclic peptide and is the first FDA-approved oral PCSK9 inhibitor shown to lower LDL-C, also known as bad cholesterol. <Read More>
Revtorpyk™ (gedatolisib) Lyophilized Powder for Injection – New Drug Approval – July 14, 2026 – Celcuity Inc. (Nasdaq: CELC), a biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing targeted therapies for multiple solid tumor indications, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) approved Revtorpyk™ (gedatolisib) for the treatment of patients with hormone receptor positive (“HR+”), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (“HER2-”), locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer without a PIK3CA mutation detected following progression on or after treatment with at least one line of endocrine therapy in the metastatic setting. <Read More>
Sarclisa Escena™ (isatuximab-irfc) Subcutaneous Injection – New Drug Approval – July 9, 2026 – The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved subcutaneous (SC) Sarclisa (isatuximab-irfc) Escena™ in combination with standard-of-care regimens for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) across all existing indications of Sarclisa intravenous (IV) formulation. With the approval, Sarclisa Escenaä is the first anticancer treatment to be administered through both an on-body injector (OBI) and manual SC administration. <Read More>
Trutakna™ (atacicept-vymj) Injection – New Drug Approval – July 7, 2026 – Vera Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: VERA), a commercial-stage biotechnology company, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Trutakna™ (atacicept-vymj) accelerated approval to reduce proteinuria in adults with primary IgAN at risk for disease progression. In a prespecified interim analysis of the ongoing ORIGIN 3 trial, participants treated with Trutakna™ achieved a 46% reduction from baseline in proteinuria, with a statistically significant and clinically meaningful 42% reduction compared to placebo (p<0.0001) at 36 weeks. In this registrational program, Trutaknaä was generally well tolerated. The most common adverse reactions were infections and local administration reactions. <Read More>
New Label Expansions
Furoscix™ (furosemide) Injection - New Label Expansion – New Dosage Regimen: July 23, 2026 - MannKind Corporation (Nasdaq: MNKD), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to transforming chronic disease care through innovative, patient-centric solutions for cardiometabolic and orphan lung diseases, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Furoscix ReadyFlow™ (furosemide injection) for the treatment of edema (fluid overload) in adults with heart failure (HF) or chronic kidney disease (CKD). <Read More>
Fabhalta® (iptacopan) Capsules - New Label Expansion – Labeling Revision Approved: July 16, 2026 - Novartis announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted traditional approval for Fabhalta® (iptacopan) to slow kidney function decline in adults with primary immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) at risk of disease progression. Fabhalta®, a first-in-class complement inhibitor, received approval under a priority review designation after an initial FDA accelerated approval in August 2024 for the reduction of proteinuria in primary IgAN. <Read More>
Retevmo® (selpercatinib) Capsules and Tablets - New Label Expansion – Labeling Revision Approved: July 14, 2026 - The Food and Drug Administration granted traditional approval to selpercatinib (Retevmo®, Eli Lilly and Company) for adult and pediatric patients two years of age and older with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors with a RET gene fusion, as detected by an FDA-approved test, that have progressed on or following prior systemic treatment or who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options. Selpercatinib received accelerated approval for this indication for adult patients in 2022 and for pediatric patients two years of age and older in 2024. <Read More>
Leqembi® (lecanemab-irmb) Injection - New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: July 13, 2026 - Eisai Co., Ltd. and Biogen Inc. (Nasdaq: BIIB), announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for a once-weekly lecanemab-irmb subcutaneous injection (brand name: Leqembi Iqlik®) as an initiation dose for the treatment of early Alzheimer’s disease. <Read More>
Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) for Injection - New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: July 10, 2026 - the Food and Drug Administration approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda®, Merck) or pembrolizumab and berahyaluronidase alfa-pmph (Keytruda Qlex®, Merck) each in combination with enfortumab vedotin-ejfv (Padcev®, Astellas Pharma) as neoadjuvant treatment (before surgery) followed by adjuvant treatment after cystectomy (surgery to remove the bladder) for adults with muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). This extends the prior approval for the regimen in this setting from patients who are cisplatin-ineligible to all patients with MIBC who are candidates for cystectomy. <Read More>
Padcev® (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv) Lyophilized Powder for Injection - New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: July 10, 2026 - Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Naoki Okamura, “Astellas”) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Padcev® (enfortumab vedotin-ejfv), a Nectin-4 directed antibody-drug conjugate, plus the PD-1 inhibitor, Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) or Keytruda Qlex™ (pembrolizumab and berahyaluronidase alfa-pmph) as neoadjuvant and adjuvant (before and after surgery) treatment for adult patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer regardless of cisplatin eligibility. <Read More>
Ryaltris® (mometasone furoate and olopatadine hydrochloride) Nasal Spray - New Label Expansion – Patient Population Altered: July 7, 2026 - Glenmark Specialty S.A. (Glenmark) announced that U.S. FDA has approved the expanded use of Ryaltris® (olopatadine hydrochloride and mometasone furoate) Nasal Spray, 665 mcg/25 mcg per spray, for the treatment of symptoms of Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis (SAR) in pediatric patients aged 6 to less than 12 years. <Read More>
wilate® (von Willebrand Factor/Coagulation Factor VIII Complex (Human)) Injection - New Label Expansion – Patient Population Altered: July 2, 2026 - the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of wilate® (von Willebrand Factor/Coagulation Factor VIII Complex [Human]) for routine prophylaxis to reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes in pediatric patients with von Willebrand Disease (VWD) who are younger than 6 years of age. This approval expands access to the first von Willebrand Factor (VWF) concentrate indicated for prophylactic treatment across all ages and forms of VWD, the most common inherited bleeding disorder. <Read More>
Casgevy® (exagamglogene autotemcel) Suspension for Intravenous Infusion - New Label Expansion – Patient Population Altered: July 1, 2026 - Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved expanded use of Casgevy® (exagamglogene autotemcel) for the treatment of people ages 2 years and older with either sickle cell disease (SCD) with recurrent vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) or transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia (TDT). CASGEVY is the first approved genetic therapy indicated for children as young as 2 years for both SCD and TDT. <Read More>
New Drug Shortage
July 27, 2026
Fluticasone Propionate and Salmeterol Xinafoate Aerosol, Metered (Discontinuation)
July 24, 2026
Lopinavir and Ritonavir Oral Solution (Discontinuation)
Lopinavir and Ritonavir Tablet (Discontinuation)
Ritonavir Oral Powder (Discontinuation)
Ritonavir Tablet (Discontinuation)
July 23, 2026
Aspirin Suppository (Discontinuation)
Belladonna and Opium Suppository (Discontinuation)
Bendamustine Hydrochloride Injection, Solution (Discontinuation)
Hydrocortisone Acetate Suppository (Discontinuation)
Hydromorphone Hydrochloride Suppository (Discontinuation)
Morphine Sulfate Suppository (Discontinuation)
Podophyllum Resin Topical Tincture (Discontinuation)
Succinylcholine Chloride Injection (Discontinuation)
July 20, 2026
Atropine Sulfate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sodium Acetate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
July 17, 2026
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Updated Drug Shortage
July 23, 2026
Atropine Sulfate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride, Epinephrine Bitartrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dextrose Monohydrate 50% Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dobutamine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dopamine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Epinephrine Bitartrate, Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Etomidate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Fentanyl Citrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Hydromorphone Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate Capsule (Currently in Shortage)
Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate Tablet, Chewable (Currently in Shortage)
Lorazepam Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Methylphenidate Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release (Currently in Shortage)
Midazolam Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sodium Bicarbonate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sterile Water Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sufentanil Citrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Technetium TC-99M Pyrophosphate Kit Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Triamcinolone Acetonide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
July 22, 2026
Methylprednisolone Acetate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Penicillin G Benzathine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
July 21, 2026
Azacitidine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride, Epinephrine Bitartrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Carboplatin Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dextrose Monohydrate 5% Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Epinephrine Bitartrate, Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Fentanyl Citrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Hydromorphone Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ifosfamide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ketorolac Tromethamine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Midazolam Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Morphine Sulfate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Remifentanil Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Rifampin Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ropivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sterile Water Injection (Currently in Shortage)
July 20, 2026
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Carboplatin Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dextrose Monohydrate 5% Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Furosemide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ropivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Technetium TC-99M Pyrophosphate Kit Injection (Currently in Shortage)
July 19, 2026
Clindamycin Phosphate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dextrose Monohydrate 70% Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Heparin Sodium Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ifosfamide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ketorolac Tromethamine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sterile Water Irrigant (Currently in Shortage)
New Drug Recall and Safety Alerts
Papaverine Hydrochloride Injection, USP 60 mg/ 2 mL by American Regent, Inc. - New Voluntary Recall – July 24, 2026 - American Regent, Inc. is conducting a nationwide voluntary recall of a single lot of Papaverine Hydrochloride Injection, USP, 60 mg/2 mL single dose vial to the consumer level. The product is being recalled due to the presence of particulate matter identified as glass and/or paraformaldehyde. <Read More>
Cefazolin in Dextrose Injection, USP, 2g / 100ml (20mg/ml) Single-Dose Infusion Bag in 100ml by Baxter - New Voluntary Recall – July 24, 2026 – Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX) is voluntarily recalling Lot LD175708, Exp 14-Feb 2027 of Cefazolin in Dextrose Injection due to a report of particulate matter found in the solution identified as cardboard. <Read More>
Cyclophosphamide for Injection, USP by Sunny Pharmtech, Inc. - New Voluntary Recall – July 24, 2026 - Sunny Pharmtech, Inc is voluntarily recalling three lots of Cyclophosphamide for Injection, USP, 1g/vial and 2g/vial, to the User Level due to the presence of particulate matter identified as steel. To date, no adverse events or injuries associated with this particulate matter issue have been reported. <Read More>
Cetirizine Hydrochloride Tablets USP 5 mg by Unique Pharmaceutical Laboratories (A Div. of J. B. Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.) – New Voluntary Recall – July 18, 2026 – Unique Pharmaceutical Laboratories (A Div. of J. B. Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.) is voluntarily recalling four lots of Cetirizine Hydrochloride Tablets USP 5 mg to the consumer level due to cross contamination with Ranitidine. <Read More>
New Generic/Biosimilar Approval and Launch
No new update.
Clinical and Pharmacy News
Stopping Medications Safely Is Hard. This Federal Guidance Could Change Everything – July 28, 2026 - Deprescribing doesn’t mean stopping medications on your own. It refers to the supervised process of reducing or discontinuing drugs that may no longer provide more benefit than harm. Many people stay on medications longer than necessary. Over time, prescriptions can accumulate, increasing the risk of side effects, drug interactions, and falls. New Medicare guidance could make deprescribing more common. Clinicians may be able to bill for the work involved in safely tapering medications under existing Medicare care-management services. Pharmacists could play a much larger role. The guidance may help expand pharmacist-led medication management programs that review whether each medication is still necessary. <Read More>
New STS Guideline Tackles the Prevention of AFib After Cardiac Surgery – July 28, 2026 - A new clinical guidance from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) recommends being more aggressive with amiodarone and posterior pericardiotomy to prevent new-onset atrial fibrillation (AFib) after cardiac surgery. Cardiovascular Business spoke to Subhasis Chatterjee, MD, lead author of that guideline and director of the Thoracic Surgical ICU and ECMO Program at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center, to learn more. He outlined key recommendations from the document, which was based on data found and reviewed by experts from the fields of cardiac surgery, cardiology, critical care and anesthesiology. <Read More>
New Guideline Will Shift Statins to Younger and Lower-Risk U.S. Adults – July 20, 2026 - Three studies used nationally representative survey data to project how the new dyslipidemia guideline would affect population health. A large percentage of U.S. adults age 30 or older were new candidates for guideline-directed lipid-lowering therapy based on updated guideline criteria, one study showed. Another study found that in those age 40-79, the proportion of people who may be recommended lipid-lowering therapy was 49.6% with the 2026 guideline versus 49.4% before the guideline. <Read More>
GLP-1 Use Rising Rapidly Among U.S. Adolescents, Young Adults – July 20, 2026 - Adolescents and young adults in the U.S. are increasingly using popular GLP-1 weight-loss drugs alone or in conjunction with metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) to manage obesity, according to a study by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers published in JAMA Pediatrics. Severe obesity among adolescents and young adults has increased substantially over the past two decades, currently affecting about 9% of people between ages 12 and 18. Among adults, the rate of severe obesity increased from 5% to 10%. <Read More>
New Pharmacy Benefit Manager Rules Shift Focus to Verifiable Accountability – July 17, 2026 - New federal transparency requirements for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are poised to fundamentally change how the industry demonstrates compliance. Rather than simply reporting pricing and rebate data, the new rules require pharmacy benefit operations to prove, at the claim level, how financial outcomes were generated. <Read More>
Senate Seeks to Audit TRICARE Pharmacy Benefits Program Amid Conflict Concerns – July 16, 2026 – Senate lawmakers are pushing for an independent audit of the Defense Department’s multibillion-dollar TRICARE pharmacy program amid concerns that its longtime contractor, which acts as a pharmacy benefit manager, may also be steering business toward its own pharmacies. The Senate Armed Services Committee’s version of the fiscal 2027 defense policy bill includes a provision that would require the comptroller general to examine how Express Scripts, the contractor that manages the TRICARE pharmacy program while also operating its own mail-order and specialty pharmacies that participate in the network, reimburses its own pharmacies and their competitors. <Read More>
Pharmacy Closures Disproportionately Burden Minority, Underserved Communities – July 14, 2026 - Analysis of 955 Rite Aid closures found 96.4% of prescriptions transferred to major chains and 68.7% to PBM-affiliated pharmacies, concentrating access within vertically integrated dispensing networks. Independent pharmacies are structurally disincentivized to accept bulk transfers because PBM reimbursement and opaque fees can make incremental volume cash-flow negative and operationally unmanageable. <Read More>
CVS Caremark Reaches Settlement With FTC Over Insulin Suit – July 14, 2026 – CVS Health’s Caremark has reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission requiring notable changes to the pharmacy benefit manager’s business practices, including that Caremark prefer the lowest-cost drugs on its standard formularies and pass through savings negotiated with drugmakers to clients. <Read More>
340B in the News
D.C. Appeals Court Sides With HHS in 340B Drug Discount Program Rebate Challenge – July 23, 2026 – An appellate court panel ruled Tuesday that drug manufacturers may not impose 340B rebates without approval from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The ruling (PDF) from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a previous decision that Section 340B of the Public Health Service Act does not allow pharmaceutical companies to impose proposed rebate models without HHS Secretary approval. The suit was brought by Novartis, Eli Lilly and Bristol Myers Squibb against HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and HHS. The decision did not touch on the legality of HHS’ proposed rebate pilot program, which has been embraced by drugmakers and opposed by hospitals. <Read More>
340B Spending Ballooned to $100B in 2025, Federal Data Shows – July 16, 2026 – Hospitals and outpatient facilities purchased $100 billion worth of drugs in the 340B discount program in 2025, an almost 23% increase from the year prior as regulators look to reform the program. The latest data from the Health and Services Administration, released this week, shows 340B spending has more than doubled since 2021. The vast majority of purchases — almost $80 billion — were made by disproportionate share hospitals last year. Regulators said pricey specialty drugs that treat complex, chronic conditions were also making up a larger portion of 340B spending. Although specialty drugs constituted about 38% of purchases, they accounted for almost 62% of total spending last year, according to the data. <Read More>
Clinical Insights: July 10, 2026
New Drug/Vaccine Approval
Tregzi™ (allogeneic regulatory T cell immunotherapy with HSPC and T cells-vldq) - formerly Orca-T – New Drug Approval – June 30, 2026 – Orca Bio, a commercial-stage biotechnology company committed to transforming the lives of patients through high-precision cell therapy, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tregzi™ (allogeneic regulatory T cell immunotherapy with HSPC and T cells-vldq), clinically known as Orca-T®, a precision-engineered cell therapy for use in matched-donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with myeloablative preparative regimen, for hematopoietic and immunologic reconstitution and to improve chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)-free survival (cGFS), in the treatment of adults with hematological malignancies. <Read More>
Lumvoa™ (veligrotug-vvze) Injection – New Drug Approval – June 26, 2026 - Viridian Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRDN), a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing potentially best-in-class medicines for autoimmune and rare diseases, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Lumvoa™ (veligrotug-vvze) for the treatment of thyroid eye disease (TED). TED is a rare, debilitating autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation and tissue remodeling around and behind the eyes that can lead to proptosis, diplopia, pain, and vision impairment. <Read More>
Utebzi™ (tebipenem pivoxil) Tablets – New Drug Approval – June 17, 2026 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Utebzi™ (tebipenem pivoxil) tablets for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), including pyelonephritis, caused by several susceptible microorganisms in adults who have limited or no alternative oral treatment options. <Read More>
Ambelvist® (gadoquatrane) Injection – New Drug Approval – June 12, 2026 – Bayer announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Ambelvist® (gadoquatrane), a new, intravenous macrocyclic gadolinium (Gd)-based contrast agent (mGBCA) indicated for contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect and visualize lesions with abnormal vascularity in the central nervous system (CNS) and non-CNS body regions in adult and pediatric patients, including term neonates. <Read More>
New Label Expansions
Zoryve® (roflumilast) Cream and Foam – New Label Expansion – Patient Population Altered: June 29, 2026 - Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQT), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing meaningful innovations in immuno-dermatology, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) to expand the indication for Zoryve® (roflumilast) cream 0.3% for the topical treatment of plaque psoriasis, including intertriginous areas, to children down to age 2. <Read More>
Skyrizi® (risankizumab-rzaa) Injection – New Label Expansion – Patient Population Altered: June 26, 2026 - AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Skyrizi® (risankizumab-rzaa) for the treatment of children six years of age and older with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy, or active psoriatic arthritis. A new 55 mg pre-filled syringe (PFS) has also been approved to support weight-based dosing for patients weighing less than 40 kg, while the currently available 150 mg PFS and Pen are approved for patients weighing 40 kg or greater. <Read More>
Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) for Injection – New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: June 25, 2026 - Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) and Keytruda Qlex™ (pembrolizumab and berahyaluronidase alfa-pmph), each in combination with Trodelvy® (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy), Gilead’s Trop-2-directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), for the first-line treatment of adult patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) whose tumors express PD-L1 (Combined Positive Score [CPS] ≥10) as determined by an FDA-authorized test. <Read More>
Ibrance® (palbociclib) Capsules and Tablets – New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: June 24, 2026 - Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Ibrance® (palbociclib) in combination with trastuzumab, with or without pertuzumab, and endocrine therapy for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer (MBC) following induction treatment. <Read More>
Trodelvy® (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) Injection – New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: June 24, 2026 - Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Trodelvy® (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy), a first-in-class Trop-2-directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), for the first-line treatment of adult patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC). <Read More>
Tryngolza® (olezarsen) Injection – New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: June 24, 2026 - Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: IONS) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tryngolza® (olezarsen) as an adjunct to diet to reduce triglycerides (TG) and the risk of acute pancreatitis in adults with severe hypertriglyceridemia (sHTG: TG greater than or equal to 500 mg/dL). <Read More>
Capvaxive (pneumococcal 21-valent conjugate vaccine) Injection – New Label Expansion – Patient Population Altered: June 18, 2026 - Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an expanded indication for Capvaxive® (Pneumococcal 21-valent Conjugate Vaccine) to include children and adolescents aged 2 through 17 years who have completed a primary pediatric pneumococcal vaccination series and have one or more chronic medical conditions that put them at an increased risk for pneumococcal disease. <Read More>
Rextovy™ (naloxone hydrochloride) Nasal Spray – New Label Expansion – Labeling Revision Approved: June 16, 2026 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved another over-the-counter (OTC) intranasal naloxone product, Rextovy™, a 4 milligram (mg) naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for the emergency treatment of opioid overdose. Consumers may directly purchase this product without a prescription in places such as pharmacies, convenience stores, and online. <Read More>
Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) for Injection – New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: June 12, 2026 - Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) and Keytruda Qlex™ (pembrolizumab and berahyaluronidase alfa-pmph), Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapies, each in combination with Welireg® (belzutifan), Merck’s first-in-class, oral hypoxia-inducible factor-2 alpha (HIF-2α) inhibitor, for the adjuvant treatment of adult patients with renal cell carcinoma with a clear cell component (ccRCC) at intermediate-high or high risk of recurrence following nephrectomy, or following nephrectomy and resection of metastatic lesions. <Read More>
Tzield® (teplizumab-mzwv) Injection – New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: June 12, 2026 - The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval to Tzield® (teplizumab-mzwv) to delay the decline in endogenous (own) insulin production in children aged eight to 17 years recently diagnosed with stage 3 T1D. Tzield is not effective as a disease-modifying therapy in non-autoimmune dysglycemic conditions. <Read More>
Truqap™ (capivasertib) Tablets – New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: June 12, 2026 - AstraZeneca’s Truqap™ (capivasertib) in combination with abiraterone and prednisone has been approved in the US as the first and only targeted treatment for adult patients with PTEN-deficient metastatic androgen pathway modulation-naïve or sensitive (mAPMN/S) prostate cancer, previously referred to as metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC), as detected by a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-authorised test. <Read More>
Ebglyss® (lebrikizumab-lbkz) injection – New Label Expansion – New Dosage Regimen: June 9, 2026 - Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a regimen of one maintenance dose every eight weeks of a single injection (250 mg/2 mL) of Ebglyss® (lebrikizumab-lbkz) for subcutaneous use in adults and children 12 years of age and older who weigh at least 88 pounds (40 kg) with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. <Read More>
New Drug Shortage
July 02, 2026
Desflurane Liquid for Inhalation (Discontinuation)
June 30, 2026
Caspofungin Acetate Injection (Discontinuation)
Daptomycin Injection (Discontinuation)
Gadobutrol Injection (Discontinuation)
Gadoterate Meglumine Injection (Discontinuation)
June 29, 2026
Oxaliplatin Injection (Discontinuation)
June 17, 2026
Emtricitabine Capsule (Discontinuation)
Emtricitabine Oral Solution (Discontinuation)
June 15, 2026
Donepezil Hydrochloride; Memantine Hydrochloride Capsule, Extended Release (Discontinuation)
Lorlatinib Tablet (Discontinuation)
Updated Drug Shortage
July 04, 2026
Amphetamine Aspartate Monohydrate, Amphetamine Sulfate, Dextroamphetamine Saccharate, Dextroamphetamine Sulfate Tablet (Currently in Shortage)
July 02, 2026
Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Heparin Sodium Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ifosfamide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ketorolac Tromethamine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Methylprednisolone Acetate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Rocuronium Bromide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
July 01, 2026
Amphetamine Aspartate Monohydrate, Amphetamine Sulfate, Dextroamphetamine Saccharate, Dextroamphetamine Sulfate Tablet (Currently in Shortage)
Dextrose Monohydrate 50% Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Methylphenidate Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release (Currently in Shortage)
June 26, 2026
Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate Capsule (Currently in Shortage)
Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate Tablet, Chewable (Currently in Shortage)
Methylphenidate Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release (Currently in Shortage)
Technetium TC-99M Pyrophosphate Kit Injection (Currently in Shortage)
June 25, 2026
Azacitidine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bumetanide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride, Epinephrine Bitartrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Carboplatin Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Cefotaxime Sodium Powder, for Solution (Currently in Shortage)
Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dobutamine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dopamine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Epinephrine Bitartrate, Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Etomidate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Fentanyl Citrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Furosemide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Furosemide Oral Solution (Currently in Shortage)
Hydromorphone Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ifosfamide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ketorolac Tromethamine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Liraglutide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Lorazepam Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Methylprednisolone Acetate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Midazolam Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Morphine Sulfate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Penicillin G Benzathine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Promethazine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Propranolol Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Remifentanil Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Rocuronium Bromide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sodium Acetate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sodium Bicarbonate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sterile Water Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sufentanil Citrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Valproate Sodium Injection (Currently in Shortage)
New Drug Recall and Safety Alerts
No new update.
New Generic/Biosimilar Approval and Launch
Ranluspec™ (ranibizumab-hkdz) Intravitreal Injection – New Lucentis® Biosimilar Approval – June 2, 2026 - Global pharma major Lupin Limited (Lupin) announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) has approved its ranibizumab, Ranluspec™ (ranibizumab-hkdz), as an interchangeable biosimilar referencing Lucentis® (Genentech). Ranluspec™ is the only interchangeable biosimilar ranibizumab approved in the United States in both vials and pre-filled syringes (PFS). <Read More>
Clinical and Pharmacy News
A New Era of Precision Depression Treatment – July 6, 2026 - For millions of people living with depression, finding an effective treatment can feel like a long and uncertain journey. Patients often spend months trying different medications, enduring side effects and persistent symptoms while waiting to discover whether a prescription will help. A new study led by researchers at the University of California, Irvine and Mass General Brigham-affiliated McLean Hospital suggests there may be a better way. <Read More>
Patient Enrollment Begins in a Scientific Trial to Identify the First Effective Treatments for Bundibugyo Virus Disease – July 2, 2026 - In a major international effort to evaluate potential treatments for Ebola disease due to Bundibugyo virus (BVD), the PARTNERS clinical trial has opened enrollment for patients in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The PARTNERS (Platform Adaptive Randomised Trial for New and Repurposed Filovirus TreatmentS) trial will assess whether two antiviral therapies – a monoclonal antibody (MBP134) and remdesivir – can improve survival among people diagnosed with BVD. It will also evaluate whether combining the two antivirals provides additional benefits. <Read More>
ChatGPT Misses the Mark in Complex Cases – July 1, 2026 - The artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT often misses medication-related problems (MRPs) or flags nonexistent issues, suggesting that AI cannot replace professional judgment or structured training in pharmacy education, according to research presented at the ASHP Midyear 2025 Clinical Meeting & Exhibition, in Las Vegas (poster 4-045). <Read More>
PBM–Pharmacy Collaboration Improves Medicaid Outcomes – July 1, 2026 - A pharmacy benefit manager (PBM)–community pharmacy collaboration focused on expanding access to care for Medicaid members with chronic conditions significantly improved patient outcomes, increasing medication adherence by 6 to 11 percentage points across almost all drug categories after program participation, according to a new report from the Elevance Health Public Policy Institute. Patients engaged in the Community Pharmacy Total Care (CPTC) program, created by PBM CarelonRx (a subsidiary of Elevance Health), also improved their treatment compliance rates across multiple Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) measures. <Read More>
New in Clinical Guidance | Postpartum CV Care – July 1, 2026 - A new ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway (ECDP) addressing "Optimization of Postpartum Care for Patients With and at Risk for Premature and Long-Term Cardiovascular (CV) Disease" provides recommended strategies for successful postpartum cardiovascular care, which should begin before birth and continue through the first year after delivery. Published in JACC, the ECDP acknowledges the many barriers to care during the postpartum period and emphasizes the importance of following a structured approach for optimized maternal cardiovascular health care that begins immediately after delivery and extends through the first year. <Read More>
ACC Guidance Explores Antiplatelet Therapies for the Management of ASCVD – June 30, 2026 - Major changes have occurred in recent years when it comes to cutting down on the widespread use of aspirin. In fact, numerous clinical trials looking at potentially shortening the duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) following revascularization have prompted the American College of Cardiology (ACC) to develop a new scientific statement on that very topic. The document, "Antiplatelet Therapy in the Management of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: 2026 ACC Scientific Statement," provides a detailed overview of current clinical evidence for the use of antiplatelet medications in the primary and secondary prevention and management of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). <Read More>
Naloxone Access Continuously Improves as Gaps Persist in Pharmacy – June 30, 2026 - Following the official approval of OTC naloxone products, availability and out-of-pocket (OOP) patient costs have improved significantly between March 2023 and January 2025, according to a JAPhA study. However, when compared with their retail industry counterparts, independent pharmacies demonstrate a significant need to boost naloxone access and decrease OOP costs for their patient populations. <Read More>
Grocery Pharmacy Conglomerate to Pay $40 Million for Violating False Claims Act – June 26, 2026 - Federal prosecutors alleged promotional discount programs at Giant, Hannaford, Food Lion, and Stop & Shop were not reflected in “usual and customary” submissions, inflating reimbursement ceilings. Qui tam enforcement remained central, with the relator pharmacist credited for exposing pricing-reporting discrepancies and receiving >$6 million from the federal recovery. Parallel litigation against CVS and Walgreens highlights sector-wide vulnerability around U&C definitions, PBM-driven reimbursement pressure, and compliance risk in high-volume retail dispensing. Strategic responses include transitioning grocery pharmacies into integrated care-and-food “health hubs,” leveraging GLP-1 demand, AI-enabled workflow, and fintech platforms (e.g., RxSense) to improve pricing transparency. <Read More>
As Manufacturers Catch On to Alternative Funding Programs, More Specialty Patients Routed to Overseas Pharmacies – June 18, 2026 - More drug manufacturers are identifying and rejecting alternative funding program (AFP) applications, pushing commercially insured AFP-enrolled patients toward international pharmacies to obtain their specialty medications, according to new data presented at the ASHP Pharmacy Futures 2026 meeting, in St. Louis. The multisite cohort study, conducted by Vanderbilt Specialty Pharmacy, in Nashville, Tennessee, and previously covered in Specialty Pharmacy Continuum, has been conducted across 12 integrated health-system specialty pharmacies and now spans January 2024 through December 2025 and a larger population of 846 patients, 299 of them enrolled in an AFP and 547 not. <Read More>
340B in the News
CMS Proposes Increases to Medicare Hospital Outpatient Department Payment Rates, Site-Neutral and 340B Changes – July 2, 2026 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services July 2 issued a proposed rule that would increase Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system rates by a net 2.4% in calendar year 2027 compared to 2026. This includes a proposed 3.2% market basket update, offset by a 0.8 percentage point cut for productivity… CMS also proposes to accelerate 340B recoupment by reducing the outpatient PPS conversion factor further from 0.5% annually to 3% annually, allowing the agency to complete recoupment by CY 2029 instead of CY 2041. AHA said that by proposing to speed up its clawback, the agency “will punish 340B hospitals for CMS’ own error in implementing a policy that a unanimous Supreme Court held to be unlawful. <Read More>
Lilly Slams Door on 340B Drug Deals as Hospitals Cry Foul – June 25, 2026 - Eli Lilly has cut off access to 340B discount pricing for some hospital pharmacies that did not hand over de-identified in-house claims data by the company’s June 8 deadline, escalating a long-simmering fight over who polices the federal discount program and how. Lilly says it is trying to stop duplicate discounts. Hospital trade groups say the move is unlawful and will squeeze already thin safety-net care. <Read More>
Cassidy's New Plan to Overhaul 340B: Rebates, Contract Pharmacy Limits and More Changes – June 25, 2026 - After years of investigation, the outgoing chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee has released his take on new legislation to reform the controversial 340B Drug Pricing Program. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, unveiled a legislative discussion draft that would stand as the first statutory update to the subsidy program in 15 years if introduced and signed into law. Broadly, it contains a slew of measures that have been vehemently opposed by the hospital industry, such as allowances for drug manufacturers to offer upfront discounts or rebates following the submission of claims data “in order to reduce diversion or duplication of discounts,” as well as regular reporting from participating nonprofits on their 340B revenues, costs and eligibility. <Read More>
Clinical Insights: July 10, 2026
New Drug/Vaccine Approval
Tregzi™ (allogeneic regulatory T cell immunotherapy with HSPC and T cells-vldq) - formerly Orca-T – New Drug Approval – June 30, 2026 – Orca Bio, a commercial-stage biotechnology company committed to transforming the lives of patients through high-precision cell therapy, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tregzi™ (allogeneic regulatory T cell immunotherapy with HSPC and T cells-vldq), clinically known as Orca-T®, a precision-engineered cell therapy for use in matched-donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with myeloablative preparative regimen, for hematopoietic and immunologic reconstitution and to improve chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)-free survival (cGFS), in the treatment of adults with hematological malignancies. <Read More>
Lumvoa™ (veligrotug-vvze) Injection – New Drug Approval – June 26, 2026 - Viridian Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRDN), a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing potentially best-in-class medicines for autoimmune and rare diseases, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Lumvoa™ (veligrotug-vvze) for the treatment of thyroid eye disease (TED). TED is a rare, debilitating autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation and tissue remodeling around and behind the eyes that can lead to proptosis, diplopia, pain, and vision impairment. <Read More>
Utebzi™ (tebipenem pivoxil) Tablets – New Drug Approval – June 17, 2026 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Utebzi™ (tebipenem pivoxil) tablets for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), including pyelonephritis, caused by several susceptible microorganisms in adults who have limited or no alternative oral treatment options. <Read More>
Ambelvist® (gadoquatrane) Injection – New Drug Approval – June 12, 2026 – Bayer announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Ambelvist® (gadoquatrane), a new, intravenous macrocyclic gadolinium (Gd)-based contrast agent (mGBCA) indicated for contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect and visualize lesions with abnormal vascularity in the central nervous system (CNS) and non-CNS body regions in adult and pediatric patients, including term neonates. <Read More>
New Label Expansions
Zoryve® (roflumilast) Cream and Foam – New Label Expansion – Patient Population Altered: June 29, 2026 - Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQT), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing meaningful innovations in immuno-dermatology, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) to expand the indication for Zoryve® (roflumilast) cream 0.3% for the topical treatment of plaque psoriasis, including intertriginous areas, to children down to age 2. <Read More>
Skyrizi® (risankizumab-rzaa) Injection – New Label Expansion – Patient Population Altered: June 26, 2026 - AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Skyrizi® (risankizumab-rzaa) for the treatment of children six years of age and older with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy, or active psoriatic arthritis. A new 55 mg pre-filled syringe (PFS) has also been approved to support weight-based dosing for patients weighing less than 40 kg, while the currently available 150 mg PFS and Pen are approved for patients weighing 40 kg or greater. <Read More>
Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) for Injection – New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: June 25, 2026 - Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) and Keytruda Qlex™ (pembrolizumab and berahyaluronidase alfa-pmph), each in combination with Trodelvy® (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy), Gilead’s Trop-2-directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), for the first-line treatment of adult patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) whose tumors express PD-L1 (Combined Positive Score [CPS] ≥10) as determined by an FDA-authorized test. <Read More>
Ibrance® (palbociclib) Capsules and Tablets – New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: June 24, 2026 - Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Ibrance® (palbociclib) in combination with trastuzumab, with or without pertuzumab, and endocrine therapy for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer (MBC) following induction treatment. <Read More>
Trodelvy® (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) Injection – New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: June 24, 2026 - Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Trodelvy® (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy), a first-in-class Trop-2-directed antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), for the first-line treatment of adult patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC). <Read More>
Tryngolza® (olezarsen) Injection – New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: June 24, 2026 - Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: IONS) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tryngolza® (olezarsen) as an adjunct to diet to reduce triglycerides (TG) and the risk of acute pancreatitis in adults with severe hypertriglyceridemia (sHTG: TG greater than or equal to 500 mg/dL). <Read More>
Capvaxive (pneumococcal 21-valent conjugate vaccine) Injection – New Label Expansion – Patient Population Altered: June 18, 2026 - Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an expanded indication for Capvaxive® (Pneumococcal 21-valent Conjugate Vaccine) to include children and adolescents aged 2 through 17 years who have completed a primary pediatric pneumococcal vaccination series and have one or more chronic medical conditions that put them at an increased risk for pneumococcal disease. <Read More>
Rextovy™ (naloxone hydrochloride) Nasal Spray – New Label Expansion – Labeling Revision Approved: June 16, 2026 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved another over-the-counter (OTC) intranasal naloxone product, Rextovy™, a 4 milligram (mg) naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for the emergency treatment of opioid overdose. Consumers may directly purchase this product without a prescription in places such as pharmacies, convenience stores, and online. <Read More>
Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) for Injection – New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: June 12, 2026 - Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) and Keytruda Qlex™ (pembrolizumab and berahyaluronidase alfa-pmph), Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapies, each in combination with Welireg® (belzutifan), Merck’s first-in-class, oral hypoxia-inducible factor-2 alpha (HIF-2α) inhibitor, for the adjuvant treatment of adult patients with renal cell carcinoma with a clear cell component (ccRCC) at intermediate-high or high risk of recurrence following nephrectomy, or following nephrectomy and resection of metastatic lesions. <Read More>
Tzield® (teplizumab-mzwv) Injection – New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: June 12, 2026 - The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval to Tzield® (teplizumab-mzwv) to delay the decline in endogenous (own) insulin production in children aged eight to 17 years recently diagnosed with stage 3 T1D. Tzield is not effective as a disease-modifying therapy in non-autoimmune dysglycemic conditions. <Read More>
Truqap™ (capivasertib) Tablets – New Label Expansion – New Indication Approved: June 12, 2026 - AstraZeneca’s Truqap™ (capivasertib) in combination with abiraterone and prednisone has been approved in the US as the first and only targeted treatment for adult patients with PTEN-deficient metastatic androgen pathway modulation-naïve or sensitive (mAPMN/S) prostate cancer, previously referred to as metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC), as detected by a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-authorised test. <Read More>
Ebglyss® (lebrikizumab-lbkz) injection – New Label Expansion – New Dosage Regimen: June 9, 2026 - Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a regimen of one maintenance dose every eight weeks of a single injection (250 mg/2 mL) of Ebglyss® (lebrikizumab-lbkz) for subcutaneous use in adults and children 12 years of age and older who weigh at least 88 pounds (40 kg) with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. <Read More>
New Drug Shortage
July 02, 2026
Desflurane Liquid for Inhalation (Discontinuation)
June 30, 2026
Caspofungin Acetate Injection (Discontinuation)
Daptomycin Injection (Discontinuation)
Gadobutrol Injection (Discontinuation)
Gadoterate Meglumine Injection (Discontinuation)
June 29, 2026
Oxaliplatin Injection (Discontinuation)
June 17, 2026
Emtricitabine Capsule (Discontinuation)
Emtricitabine Oral Solution (Discontinuation)
June 15, 2026
Donepezil Hydrochloride; Memantine Hydrochloride Capsule, Extended Release (Discontinuation)
Lorlatinib Tablet (Discontinuation)
Updated Drug Shortage
July 04, 2026
Amphetamine Aspartate Monohydrate, Amphetamine Sulfate, Dextroamphetamine Saccharate, Dextroamphetamine Sulfate Tablet (Currently in Shortage)
July 02, 2026
Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Heparin Sodium Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ifosfamide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ketorolac Tromethamine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Methylprednisolone Acetate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Rocuronium Bromide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
July 01, 2026
Amphetamine Aspartate Monohydrate, Amphetamine Sulfate, Dextroamphetamine Saccharate, Dextroamphetamine Sulfate Tablet (Currently in Shortage)
Dextrose Monohydrate 50% Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Methylphenidate Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release (Currently in Shortage)
June 26, 2026
Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate Capsule (Currently in Shortage)
Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate Tablet, Chewable (Currently in Shortage)
Methylphenidate Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release (Currently in Shortage)
Technetium TC-99M Pyrophosphate Kit Injection (Currently in Shortage)
June 25, 2026
Azacitidine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bumetanide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride, Epinephrine Bitartrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Carboplatin Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Cefotaxime Sodium Powder, for Solution (Currently in Shortage)
Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dobutamine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Dopamine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Epinephrine Bitartrate, Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Etomidate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Fentanyl Citrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Furosemide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Furosemide Oral Solution (Currently in Shortage)
Hydromorphone Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ifosfamide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Ketorolac Tromethamine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Liraglutide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Lorazepam Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Methylprednisolone Acetate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Midazolam Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Morphine Sulfate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Penicillin G Benzathine Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Promethazine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Propranolol Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Remifentanil Hydrochloride Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Rocuronium Bromide Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sodium Acetate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sodium Bicarbonate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sterile Water Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Sufentanil Citrate Injection (Currently in Shortage)
Valproate Sodium Injection (Currently in Shortage)
New Drug Recall and Safety Alerts
No new update.
New Generic/Biosimilar Approval and Launch
Ranluspec™ (ranibizumab-hkdz) Intravitreal Injection – New Lucentis® Biosimilar Approval – June 2, 2026 - Global pharma major Lupin Limited (Lupin) announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) has approved its ranibizumab, Ranluspec™ (ranibizumab-hkdz), as an interchangeable biosimilar referencing Lucentis® (Genentech). Ranluspec™ is the only interchangeable biosimilar ranibizumab approved in the United States in both vials and pre-filled syringes (PFS). <Read More>
Clinical and Pharmacy News
A New Era of Precision Depression Treatment – July 6, 2026 - For millions of people living with depression, finding an effective treatment can feel like a long and uncertain journey. Patients often spend months trying different medications, enduring side effects and persistent symptoms while waiting to discover whether a prescription will help. A new study led by researchers at the University of California, Irvine and Mass General Brigham-affiliated McLean Hospital suggests there may be a better way. <Read More>
Patient Enrollment Begins in a Scientific Trial to Identify the First Effective Treatments for Bundibugyo Virus Disease – July 2, 2026 - In a major international effort to evaluate potential treatments for Ebola disease due to Bundibugyo virus (BVD), the PARTNERS clinical trial has opened enrollment for patients in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The PARTNERS (Platform Adaptive Randomised Trial for New and Repurposed Filovirus TreatmentS) trial will assess whether two antiviral therapies – a monoclonal antibody (MBP134) and remdesivir – can improve survival among people diagnosed with BVD. It will also evaluate whether combining the two antivirals provides additional benefits. <Read More>
ChatGPT Misses the Mark in Complex Cases – July 1, 2026 - The artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT often misses medication-related problems (MRPs) or flags nonexistent issues, suggesting that AI cannot replace professional judgment or structured training in pharmacy education, according to research presented at the ASHP Midyear 2025 Clinical Meeting & Exhibition, in Las Vegas (poster 4-045). <Read More>
PBM–Pharmacy Collaboration Improves Medicaid Outcomes – July 1, 2026 - A pharmacy benefit manager (PBM)–community pharmacy collaboration focused on expanding access to care for Medicaid members with chronic conditions significantly improved patient outcomes, increasing medication adherence by 6 to 11 percentage points across almost all drug categories after program participation, according to a new report from the Elevance Health Public Policy Institute. Patients engaged in the Community Pharmacy Total Care (CPTC) program, created by PBM CarelonRx (a subsidiary of Elevance Health), also improved their treatment compliance rates across multiple Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) measures. <Read More>
New in Clinical Guidance | Postpartum CV Care – July 1, 2026 - A new ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway (ECDP) addressing "Optimization of Postpartum Care for Patients With and at Risk for Premature and Long-Term Cardiovascular (CV) Disease" provides recommended strategies for successful postpartum cardiovascular care, which should begin before birth and continue through the first year after delivery. Published in JACC, the ECDP acknowledges the many barriers to care during the postpartum period and emphasizes the importance of following a structured approach for optimized maternal cardiovascular health care that begins immediately after delivery and extends through the first year. <Read More>
ACC Guidance Explores Antiplatelet Therapies for the Management of ASCVD – June 30, 2026 - Major changes have occurred in recent years when it comes to cutting down on the widespread use of aspirin. In fact, numerous clinical trials looking at potentially shortening the duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) following revascularization have prompted the American College of Cardiology (ACC) to develop a new scientific statement on that very topic. The document, "Antiplatelet Therapy in the Management of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: 2026 ACC Scientific Statement," provides a detailed overview of current clinical evidence for the use of antiplatelet medications in the primary and secondary prevention and management of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). <Read More>
Naloxone Access Continuously Improves as Gaps Persist in Pharmacy – June 30, 2026 - Following the official approval of OTC naloxone products, availability and out-of-pocket (OOP) patient costs have improved significantly between March 2023 and January 2025, according to a JAPhA study. However, when compared with their retail industry counterparts, independent pharmacies demonstrate a significant need to boost naloxone access and decrease OOP costs for their patient populations. <Read More>
Grocery Pharmacy Conglomerate to Pay $40 Million for Violating False Claims Act – June 26, 2026 - Federal prosecutors alleged promotional discount programs at Giant, Hannaford, Food Lion, and Stop & Shop were not reflected in “usual and customary” submissions, inflating reimbursement ceilings. Qui tam enforcement remained central, with the relator pharmacist credited for exposing pricing-reporting discrepancies and receiving >$6 million from the federal recovery. Parallel litigation against CVS and Walgreens highlights sector-wide vulnerability around U&C definitions, PBM-driven reimbursement pressure, and compliance risk in high-volume retail dispensing. Strategic responses include transitioning grocery pharmacies into integrated care-and-food “health hubs,” leveraging GLP-1 demand, AI-enabled workflow, and fintech platforms (e.g., RxSense) to improve pricing transparency. <Read More>
As Manufacturers Catch On to Alternative Funding Programs, More Specialty Patients Routed to Overseas Pharmacies – June 18, 2026 - More drug manufacturers are identifying and rejecting alternative funding program (AFP) applications, pushing commercially insured AFP-enrolled patients toward international pharmacies to obtain their specialty medications, according to new data presented at the ASHP Pharmacy Futures 2026 meeting, in St. Louis. The multisite cohort study, conducted by Vanderbilt Specialty Pharmacy, in Nashville, Tennessee, and previously covered in Specialty Pharmacy Continuum, has been conducted across 12 integrated health-system specialty pharmacies and now spans January 2024 through December 2025 and a larger population of 846 patients, 299 of them enrolled in an AFP and 547 not. <Read More>
340B in the News
CMS Proposes Increases to Medicare Hospital Outpatient Department Payment Rates, Site-Neutral and 340B Changes – July 2, 2026 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services July 2 issued a proposed rule that would increase Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system rates by a net 2.4% in calendar year 2027 compared to 2026. This includes a proposed 3.2% market basket update, offset by a 0.8 percentage point cut for productivity… CMS also proposes to accelerate 340B recoupment by reducing the outpatient PPS conversion factor further from 0.5% annually to 3% annually, allowing the agency to complete recoupment by CY 2029 instead of CY 2041. AHA said that by proposing to speed up its clawback, the agency “will punish 340B hospitals for CMS’ own error in implementing a policy that a unanimous Supreme Court held to be unlawful. <Read More>
Lilly Slams Door on 340B Drug Deals as Hospitals Cry Foul – June 25, 2026 - Eli Lilly has cut off access to 340B discount pricing for some hospital pharmacies that did not hand over de-identified in-house claims data by the company’s June 8 deadline, escalating a long-simmering fight over who polices the federal discount program and how. Lilly says it is trying to stop duplicate discounts. Hospital trade groups say the move is unlawful and will squeeze already thin safety-net care. <Read More>
Cassidy's New Plan to Overhaul 340B: Rebates, Contract Pharmacy Limits and More Changes – June 25, 2026 - After years of investigation, the outgoing chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee has released his take on new legislation to reform the controversial 340B Drug Pricing Program. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, unveiled a legislative discussion draft that would stand as the first statutory update to the subsidy program in 15 years if introduced and signed into law. Broadly, it contains a slew of measures that have been vehemently opposed by the hospital industry, such as allowances for drug manufacturers to offer upfront discounts or rebates following the submission of claims data “in order to reduce diversion or duplication of discounts,” as well as regular reporting from participating nonprofits on their 340B revenues, costs and eligibility. <Read More>
Ready to get started?
The Pillr Health team is here to empower your 340B program, and beyond. Reach out at the link below.
Ready to get started?
The Pillr Health team is here to empower your 340B program, and beyond. Reach out at the link below.
