Clinical Insights: August 6th, 2025
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
Vizz™ (aceclidine) Ophthalmic Solution - formerly LNZ100 – New Drug Approval – July 31, 2025 – LENZ Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: LENZ or “LENZ” or the “Company”), announced the US Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) approved Vizz™ (aceclidine ophthalmic solution) 1.44%, the first and only FDA-approved aceclidine-based eye drop for the treatment of presbyopia in adults. Samples are anticipated in the United States as early as October 2025, with commercial product to be broadly available by mid-Q4 2025. Direct-to-eye care professional sales and marketing activities to be initiated immediately. <Read More>
Sephience™ (sepiapterin) Oral Powder – New Drug Approval – July 28, 2025 - PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: PTCT) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Sephience™ (sepiapterin) for the treatment of children and adults living with phenylketonuria (PKU). The approval includes broad labeling for the treatment of hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA) in adult and pediatric patients 1 month of age and older with sepiapterin-responsive PKU. <Read More>
Anzupgo® (delgocitinib) Topical Cream - New Drug Approval – July 23, 2025 - LEO Pharma, a global leader in medical dermatology, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Anzupgo® (delgocitinib) cream (20 mg/g) for the topical treatment of moderate-to-severe chronic hand eczema (CHE) in adults who have had an inadequate response to, or for whom topical corticosteroids are not advisable. Anzupgo® is an innovative steroid-free, topical pan-Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor for adults with CHE. <Read More>
New Label Expansions
Alhemo® (concizumab-mtci) Injection – New Label Expansion – July 31, 2025 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Alhemo® (concizumab-mtci) for routine prophylaxis to prevent or reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes in adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with hemophilia A with factor VIII inhibitors or hemophilia B with factor IX inhibitors. Alhemo® is injected subcutaneously (under the skin) daily. <Read More>
Leqvio® (inclisiran) Injection - New Label Expansion – July 31, 2025 - Novartis announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a label update for Leqvio® (inclisiran), enabling its use as monotherapy along with diet and exercise to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in adults with hypercholesterolemia. The FDA proactively requested the label update based on the robust LDL-C lowering data for PCSK9-targeting therapies. <Read More>
Biktarvy® (bictegravir, emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide) Tablets - New Label Expansion – July 30, 2025 - Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted a new approval for a novel indication for Biktarvy® (bictegravir 50 mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir alafenamide 25 mg tablets, B/F/TAF). This new indication expands Biktarvy®’s label to include the treatment of people with HIV (PWH) with an antiretroviral treatment (ART) history who are not virologically suppressed, with no known or suspected resistance to the integrase strand inhibitor (INSTI) class, emtricitabine or tenofovir. <Read More>
Empaveli® (pegcetacoplan) Injection - New Label Expansion – July 28, 2025 - Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: APLS) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Empaveli® (pegcetacoplan) as the first treatment for C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) or primary immune complex membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN) in patients 12 years of age and older, to reduce proteinuria. C3G and primary IC-MPGN are rare kidney diseases, affecting 5,000 people in the United States. <Read More>
Skytrofa® (lonapegsomatropin-tcgd) Lyophilized Powder for Injection – New Label Expansion – July 28, 2025 - Ascendis Pharma A/S (Nasdaq: ASND) announced that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Skytrofa® (lonapegsomatropin-tcgd; developed as TransCon hGH) for the replacement of endogenous growth hormone in adults with growth hormone deficiency (GHD), a rare disorder resulting from decreased or total loss of growth hormone production. Lonapegsomatropin (approved by the FDA in 2021 for the treatment of pediatric GHD) is a prodrug of somatropin (human growth hormone, or hGH) administered once weekly, providing sustained release of active, unmodified somatropin. <Read More>
Doptelet® (avatrombopag) Tablets and Oral Granules - New Label Expansion – July 25, 2025 - Sobi North America, the North American affiliate of Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (Sobi®), announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Doptelet® (avatrombopag) for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in pediatric patients one year and older with persistent or chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) who have had an insufficient response to a prior therapy. The approval also includes a new formulation, Doptelet® Sprinkle (avatrombopag) oral granules, for use in children ages one to less than six years. <Read More>
Shingrix® (zoster vaccine recombinant, adjuvanted) Injection - New Label Expansion – July 17, 2025 - GSK plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a prefilled syringe presentation of Shingrix® (GSK’s Recombinant Zoster Vaccine or RZV) for the prevention of shingles (herpes zoster). The new prefilled syringe removes the need to reconstitute separate vials prior to administration, simplifying the vaccine administration process for healthcare professionals. <Read More>
Kerendia® (finerenone) Tablets - New Label Expansion – July 14, 2025 - Bayer announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Kerendia® (finerenone) to treat patients with heart failure (HF) with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥40%, following the agency’s Priority Review of its supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA). <Read More>
Spikevax® (Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine) (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) Injection - New Label Expansion – July 10, 2025 - Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for Spikevax®, the Company's COVID-19 vaccine, in children 6 months through 11 years of age who are at increased risk for COVID-19 disease. The Company's COVID-19 vaccine, mRNA-1273, was previously available for pediatric populations under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). <Read More>
Kisunla™ (donanemab-azbt) Injection - New Label Expansion – July 9, 2025 - Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a label update with a new recommended titration dosing schedule for Kisunla™ (donanemab-azbt), Lilly's once-monthly amyloid-targeting therapy for adults with early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease (AD), which includes people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) as well as people in the mild dementia stage of AD, with confirmed amyloid pathology. In the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 6 study, the modified titration schedule significantly lowered the incidence of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities with edema/effusion (ARIA-E) versus the original dosing schedule at 24 and 52 weeks, while still achieving similar levels of amyloid plaque removal and P-tau217 reduction. <Read More>
New Drug Shortage
August 4, 2025
Irinotecan Hydrochloride Injection (Discontinuation)
August 1, 2025
Clindamycin Phosphate; Benzoyl Peroxide Gel (Discontinuation)
July 29, 2025
Adefovir Dipivoxil Tablet (Discontinuation)
Esterified Estrogens Tablet (Discontinuation)
July 28, 2025
Voriconazole Tablet (Discontinuation)
July 24, 2025
Glipizide Tablet, Extended Release (Discontinuation)
July 23, 2025
Amantadine Hydrochloride Capsule (Discontinuation)
Amantadine Hydrochloride Tablet (Discontinuation)
Potassium Chloride Tablet, Extended Release (Discontinuation)
July 21, 2025
Insulin Aspart Injection (Discontinuation)
Insulin Aspart Protamine and Insulin Aspart Mix 70/30 Injectable Suspension (Discontinuation)
Insulin Degludec Injection (Discontinuation)
July 17, 2025
Lidocaine Patch (Discontinuation)
Oxaprozin Tablet (Discontinuation)
Pemetrexed Ditromethamine Injection (Discontinuation)
Potassium Citrate Tablet, Extended Release (Discontinuation)
Updated Drug Shortage
August 4, 2025
Heparin Sodium Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Nitroglycerin Injection (Currently In Shortage)
August 1, 2025
Amphetamine Aspartate Monohydrate, Amphetamine Sulfate, Dextroamphetamine Saccharate, Dextroamphetamine Sulfate Tablet (Currently In Shortage)
Indocyanine Green Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate Capsule (Currently In Shortage)
Methamphetamine Hydrochloride Tablet (Currently In Shortage)
Methylphenidate Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release (Currently In Shortage)
Sodium Bicarbonate Injection (Currently In Shortage)
July 31, 2025
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride, Epinephrine Bitartrate Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Clindamycin Phosphate Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Dobutamine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Dopamine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Furosemide Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Hydrocortisone Sodium Succinate Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Hydromorphone Hydrochloride Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Lorazepam Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Meperidine Hydrochloride 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)
Penicillin G Benzathine Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Sodium Bicarbonate Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Sodium Chloride 0.9% Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Sterile Water Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Sufentanil Citrate Injection (Currently In Shortage)
July 28, 2025
Carboplatin Injection (Currently In Shortage)
July 25, 2025
Methylphenidate Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release (Currently In Shortage)
July 24, 2025
Amphetamine Aspartate Monohydrate, Amphetamine Sulfate, Dextroamphetamine Saccharate, Dextroamphetamine Sulfate Tablet (Currently In Shortage)
July 23, 2025
Amino Acid Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Dopamine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Etomidate Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Fentanyl Citrate Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Hydromorphone Hydrochloride Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Ketorolac Tromethamine Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Lidocaine Hydrochloride Solution (Currently In Shortage)
Lorazepam Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Methamphetamine Hydrochloride Tablet (Currently In Shortage)
Nitroglycerin Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Promethazine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Sodium Chloride 0.9% Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Sufentanil Citrate Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Valproate Sodium Injection (Currently In Shortage)
July 22, 2025
Azacitidine Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Methotrexate Sodium Injection (Currently In Shortage)
July 18, 2025
Amphetamine Aspartate Monohydrate, Amphetamine Sulfate, Dextroamphetamine Saccharate, Dextroamphetamine Sulfate Tablet (Currently In Shortage)
Azacitidine Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Carboplatin Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Hydromorphone Hydrochloride Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate Capsule (Currently In Shortage)
Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate Tablet, Chewable (Currently In Shortage)
Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablet (Currently In Shortage)
Methotrexate Sodium Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Methylphenidate Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release (Currently In Shortage)
Naltrexone Hydrochloride Tablet (Currently In Shortage)
Streptozocin Powder, For Solution (Currently In Shortage)
Technetium TC-99M Pyrophosphate Kit Injection (Currently In Shortage)
July 17, 2025
Azacitidine Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Carboplatin Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Furosemide Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Methylprednisolone Acetate Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Rocuronium Bromide Injection (Currently In Shortage)
Ropivacaine Hydrochloride Injection (Currently In Shortage)
New Drug Recall and Safety Alerts
Sucralfate Tablets USP 1 Gram by Nostrum Laboratories, Inc. – New Voluntary Recall – July 14, 2025 – Nostrum Laboratories, Inc. (“Nostrum Labs”) filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy on September 30, 2024. In connection with that filing, the company has ceased and shutdown operations and terminated its operational employees at all domestic U.S. sites. Nostrum Labs is initiating a voluntary recall of Sucralfate Tablets USP 1 gram, all lots within expiry, as a result of the closures and discontinuation of its Quality activities. This recall pertains only to Sucralfate Tablets USP 1 gram, all lots with expiry, manufactured by Nostrum Labs after June 2023. <Read More>
New Generic/Biosimilar Approval and Launch
Kirsty™ (insulin aspart-xjhz) Injection - New NovoLog® Biosimilar Approval – July 15, 2025 - Biocon Biologics Ltd (BBL), a fully integrated global biosimilars company and subsidiary of Biocon Ltd. (BSE code: 532523, NSE: BIOCON), announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Kirsty™ (Insulin Aspart-xjhz), 100 units/mL as the first and only interchangeable biosimilar to NovoLog® (Insulin Aspart). Kirsty™ is a rapid-acting human insulin analog indicated to improve glycemic control in adults and pediatric patients with diabetes mellitus. Kirsty™ will be available as a single-patient-use prefilled pen for subcutaneous use and a multiple-dose vial for subcutaneous and intravenous use. <Read More>
Clinical and Pharmacy News
PBM Markets are at Risk of Harming Patients – July 31, 2025 – The American Medical Association (AMA) published a new annual analysis (PDF) measuring competition in pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) markets and vertical integration of insurers with PBMs. The assessment demonstrates low competition in PBM markets across the nation and high vertical integration as the largest PBMs share ownership with health insurers. The AMA analysis adds to growing concern over anticompetitive harm resulting from low competition and high vertical integration in the PBM industry. It comes on the heels of reports by the Federal Trade Commission and U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability finding that a handful of PBMs have vast power and control over medication access and affordability. <Read More>
First Guideline on Alzheimer’s Blood-Based Biomarker Tests Released – July 31, 2025 – An expert panel convened by the Alzheimer’s Association has released the first clinical guidelines to help clinicians choose the most appropriate blood-based biomarker (BBM) test to aid in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The evidence-based guideline recommends that tests with ≥ 90% sensitivity and specificity can serve as a substitute for amyloid PET or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker testing. Tests with ≥ 90% sensitivity but only ≥ 75% specificity should be used as a triaging test. In this case, a negative result rules out AD pathology with high probability and a positive result should be confirmed with CSF or PET testing. <Read More>
This Year’s Prescription Drug Bills Aim to Reduce Consumer Costs – July 30, 2025 – More than 800 prescription drug access and affordability proposals were introduced across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and the territories in this year’s legislative sessions. The more than 130 enacted bills included some familiar policies as well as some new ones. Lawmakers were looking for ways to hold costs down through pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform, with more than 40 states considering some 270 PBM-related bills. Several themes emerged, including Prohibiting spread pricing. States may enter contractual arrangements with PBMs to administer state employee health plan and Medicaid prescription benefits. Spread pricing, which is a traditional PBM business model, is a contractual agreement where an insurer or employer pays a higher amount for a prescription drug than the PBM reimbursement to the pharmacy. The PBM then keeps a portion of the spread. Regulating agencies in several states have raised concerns over the spread PBMs retain. <Read More>
Drugmaker Novo Nordisk Slashes Wegovy® Sales Forecasts, Blaming Compounding – July 29, 2025 – Novo Nordisk's shares plunged more than 20% Tuesday, after the company cut the forecast for its flagship obesity drug. Before the markets opened, the company announced that sales of its obesity medicine, Wegovy®, are expected to grow no more than 14% this year. That's down from its prediction of up to 21% on May 7. The company blames cheaper alternatives made by compounding pharmacies, which are allowed to make what are essentially copies of drugs when they're in short supply. Wegovy® and Ozempic®, a diabetes drug sometimes prescribed for weight loss, had been on the Food and Drug Administration's drug shortage list, paving the way for a boom in compounded versions. <Read More>
Delinking Pharmacy Benefit Manager Compensation From Drug List Prices Could Unleash Major Savings – July 24, 2025 – Breaking the link between prescription drug list prices and compensation to middlemen like pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) could cut a significant portion of the U.S.'s annual drug tab, finds a new analysis from the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics. The work is published in the journal Health Affairs Scholar. PBMs, who negotiate drug benefits on behalf of insurers and employers, are typically paid based on a percentage of a drug's list price before rebates and other discounts are applied. Federal and state policymakers have proposed delinking PBM compensation from list prices in response to evidence that PBMs often steer patients toward higher-priced drugs—even when cheaper alternatives are available—to boost their own profits. <Read More>
New Biosimilars Metric Confirms Switching Efficacy – July 23, 2025 – Most patients who were switched from adalimumab (Humira®, AbbVie) to an interchangeable biosimilar experienced clinical success, with the vast majority remaining on a biosimilar three months after conversion, according to a study conducted at Brown University Health and presented in a poster (38-M) at the ASHP Pharmacy Futures 2025 meeting. The study used data from the center’s electronic health records and specialty pharmacy from Jan. 1, 2023, to June 1, 2024. The primary objective was to evaluate the rate of reversion to the reference product three months after a payor mandated a switch to a biosimilar. <Read More>
Specialty Pharmacies Can Dispense the Emotional Script to Support Patients – July 23, 2025 – Behind every specialty medication is a person facing uncertainty. As this market surges toward unprecedented growth over the next decade, specialty pharmacies are increasingly turning to automation to meet demand and manage costs. However, while efficiency metrics climb, something essential gets lost—the human experience. Specialty pharmacies that prioritize efficiency over empathy risk missing what matters most: meaningful connection during a critical moment in care. Research suggests that adherence may be influenced not only by logistical or clinical barriers but also by emotional and psychological factors, such as fear, uncertainty, and loneliness. <Read More>
HHS and Private Health Insurers Team Up to Improve Prior Authorization Process – July 14, 2025 - Stakeholders from federal health agencies and leading payors have pledged to streamline the often burdensome prior authorization process that can lead to delays in treatment and poorer clinical outcomes. The new pledge, by America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), a trade organization representing many health insurance companies, was at the center of a recent roundtable discussion that AHIP held with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Mehmet Oz, MD, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). <Read More>
340B in the News
HHS Announces New 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program – July 31, 2025 – The Department of Health and Human Services issued a notice announcing a 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program as a voluntary mechanism for qualifying drug manufacturers to effectuate the 340B ceiling price on select drugs to all 340B-covered entities. The notice said HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration’s Office of Pharmacy Affairs, which currently oversees the 340B Drug Pricing Program, is inviting certain drug manufacturers to apply for participation in the pilot program for a minimum of one year. HRSA said the pilot program will be limited to the NDC-11s included on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Selected Drug List regardless of payer. HRSA said manufacturers must submit applications to participate in the pilot program by Sept. 15, and approvals will be made by Oct. 15 for a Jan. 1, 2026, effective date. <Read More>
