Clinical Insights: June 4th, 2025

Clinical Insights: August 6th, 2025

Clinical Insights: July 10th, 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

Ekterly® (sebetralstat) Tablets - New Drug Approval – July 7, 2025 - KalVista Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: KALV) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Ekterly® (sebetralstat), a novel plasma kallikrein inhibitor, for the treatment of acute attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in adult and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older. Ekterly® is the first and only oral on-demand treatment for HAE. <Read More>

Lynozyfic™ (linvoseltamab-gcpt) Injection - New Drug Approval – July 2, 2025 - The Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to linvoseltamab-gcpt (Lynozyfic™, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.), a bispecific B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed CD3 T-cell engager, for adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least four prior lines of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor (PI), an immunomodulatory agent (IMiD), and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody. <Read More> 

Zegfrovy® (sunvozertinib) Tablets – New Drug Approval – July 2, 2025 - The Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to sunvozertinib (Zegfrovy®, Dizal (Jiangsu) Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) for adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 20 insertion mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test, whose disease has progressed on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. <Read More>

Harliku™ (nitisinone) Tablets - New Drug Approval – June 19, 2025 - Cycle Pharmaceuticals announced that the FDA has approved Harliku (nitisinone) Tablets for the reduction of urine homogentisic acid (HGA) in adult patients with AKU. Launching in July 2025, Harliku™ will be the first and only FDA-approved treatment for AKU, an ultra-rare genetic metabolic disorder in which patients have a buildup of HGA that leads to osteoarthritis, ochronosis, and complications in the kidneys, and heart. <Read More> 

Yeztugo® (lenacapavir) Tablets and Injection - New Drug Approval – June 18, 2025 - Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD)  announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Yeztugo® (lenacapavir)—the company’s injectable HIV-1 capsid inhibitor—as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV in adults and adolescents weighing at least 35kg, making it the first and only twice-yearly option available in the United States for people who need or want PrEP. Data show that ≥99.9% of participants who received Yeztugo® in the Phase 3 PURPOSE 1 and PURPOSE 2 trials remained HIV negative. <Read More> 

Andembry® (garadacimab-gxii) Injection - New Drug Approval – June 16, 2025 - Melbourne, Australia – CSL (ASX:CSL; USOTC:CSLLY) announces that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Andembry® for immediate launch in the United States. Andembry® helps prevent attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE). It is the first and only treatment targeting factor XIIa for prophylactic use to provide sustained protection from attacks of HAE in adult and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older. HAE occurs in about 1 in 50,000 people of any ethnic group. <Read More>

Zusduri™ (mitomycin) for Intravesical Solution - formerly UGN-102 - New Drug Approval – June 12, 2025 - UroGen Pharma Ltd. (Nasdaq: URGN), a biotech company dedicated to developing and commercializing innovative solutions that treat urothelial and specialty cancers,  announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Zusduri™, the first and only FDA-approved medication for adults with recurrent LG-IR-NMIBC. Zusduri™ consists of mitomycin and sterile hydrogel, using UroGen’s proprietary sustained release RTGel® technology. ZUSDURI has been designed for potent tumor ablation. <Read More> 

Ibtroz™ (taletrectinib) Capsules - New Drug Approval – June 11, 2025 - Nuvation Bio Inc. (NYSE: NUVB), a global oncology company focused on tackling some of the toughest challenges in cancer treatment, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Ibtrozi™ (taletrectinib) for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive (ROS1+) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Ibtrozi™ is a highly selective, next-generation oral ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) designed to address some of the outstanding challenges of treating ROS1+ NSCLC. It has demonstrated high response rates with durable benefit and intracranial activity and is generally well tolerated, providing a new treatment option for patients with advanced ROS1+ NSCLC. <Read More> 

Enflonsia™ (clesrovimab-cfor) Injection - New Drug Approval – June 9, 2025 - Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada,  announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Enflonsia™ (clesrovimab-cfor) for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) lower respiratory tract disease in neonates (newborns) and infants who are born during or entering their first RSV season. Enflonsia™ is a preventive, long-acting monoclonal antibody (mAb) designed to provide direct, rapid and durable protection through 5 months, a typical RSV season, with the same 105 mg dose regardless of weight. A typical RSV season usually spans autumn to spring of the next year. <Read More>

Widaplik™ (amlodipine, indapamide and telmisartan) Tablets - formerly GMRx2 - New Drug Approval – June 5, 2025 - George Medicines, a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on addressing unmet needs in cardiometabolic disease,  announces that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Widaplik™ (telmisartan, amlodipine and indapamide), formerly known as “GMRx2”, for the treatment of hypertension in adult patients, including as initial treatment, to lower blood pressure. Widaplik™ is a proprietary single pill combination of three medicines: telmisartan, amlodipine and indapamide and is available in three doses: a standard dose and two low doses. It is the first and only FDA-approved triple combination medication for use as an initial therapy in patients likely to need multiple drugs to achieve blood pressure goals. Widaplik™, with its three different doses, can deliver the efficacy benefits of a triple mechanism approach early in the treatment pathway with an established safety profile and good tolerability. <Read More> 

Xifyrm™ (meloxicam) Injection - New Drug Approval – June 5, 2025 - Azurity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.  announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Xifyrm™ (meloxicam injection) an IV non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that offers once daily dosing. Xifyrm™  is indicated for use in adults for the management of moderate-to-severe pain, alone or in combination with non-NSAID analgesics. Xifyrm™ provides a non-opioid analgesic in a 30mg/mL vial for IV bolus injection over 15 seconds. Because of delayed onset of analgesia, Xifyrm™ alone is not recommended for use when rapid onset of analgesia is required. <Read More> 

mNEXSPIKE® (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) Injection - New Vaccine Approval – May 30, 2025 – Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA)  announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved mNEXSPIKE® (mRNA-1283), a new vaccine against COVID-19, for use in all adults 65 and older, as well as individuals aged 12-64 years with at least one or more underlying risk factor as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). <Read More> 

New Label Expansions

Gamifant® (emapalumab-lzsg) Injection – New Label Expansion – June 28, 2025 - Sobi® (STO: SOBI)  announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Gamifant® (emapalumab-lzsg) for the treatment of adult and pediatric (newborn and older) patients with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)/macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) in known or suspected Still’s disease, including systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (sJIA), with an inadequate response or intolerance to glucocorticoids, or with recurrent MAS. <Read More> 

Breyanzi® (lisocabtagene maraleucel) Suspension for Intravenous Infusion – New Label Expansion – June 26, 2025 -  Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY)  announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved label updates for both of its CAR T cell therapies, Breyanzi® (lisocabtagene maraleucel; liso-cel) for the treatment of large B cell lymphoma (LBCL) and other lymphomas and Abecma® (idecabtagene vicleucel; ide-cel) for the treatment of multiple myeloma. These label updates reduce certain patient monitoring requirements and remove the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) programs that had been in place since each product was initially approved. <Read More>

Datroway® (datopotamab deruxtecan-dlnk) Lyophilized Powder for Injection – New Label Expansion – June 23, 2025 - Datroway® (datopotamab deruxtecan-dlnk) has been approved in the U.S. for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have received prior EGFR-directed therapy and platinum-based chemotherapy. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on objective response rate (ORR) and duration of response (DoR). Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trial. <Read More> 

Vizamyl™ (flutemetamol F 18) Injection – New Label Expansion – June 24, 2025 - GE HealthCare (Nasdaq: GEHC)  announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an updated label for its positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agent Vizamyl™ (flutemetamol F 18 injection) for beta-amyloid detection. The revised label, effective immediately, expands the indications for use, enables quantitative analysis of Vizamyl™ scans, and removes significant previous limitations such as monitoring patient response to anti-amyloid therapy. <Read More> 

Benlysta® (belimumab) Injection – New Label Expansion – June 24, 2025 - GSK plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK)  announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a 200 mg/mL autoinjector of Benlysta® (belimumab), a B-lymphocyte stimulator (BlyS)-specific inhibiting monoclonal antibody, for subcutaneous injection in patients five years of age and older with active lupus nephritis (LN) who are receiving standard therapy. With this approval, GSK is expanding choices for belimumab treatment, offering pediatric lupus nephritis patients and caregivers a first-of-its-kind subcutaneous option that can be administered at home. The 200 mg/mL autoinjector was approved for pediatric patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in 2024. <Read More> 

Dupixent® (dupilumab) Injection – New Label Expansion – June 18, 2025 - The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Dupixent® (dupilumab) for the treatment of adult patients with bullous pemphigoid (BP). BP primarily affects elderly patients, and is characterized by intense itch, painful blisters, and lesions, as well as reddening of the skin. It can be chronic and relapsing with underlying type 2 inflammation. The blisters and rash can form over much of the body and cause the skin to bleed and break down, resulting in patients being more prone to infection and affecting their daily functioning. Available treatment options are limited and can add to overall disease burden by suppressing a patient’s immune system. <Read More> 

Monjuvi® (tafasitamab-cxix) for Injection – New Label Expansion – June 18, 2025 - Incyte (Nasdaq:INCY)  announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Monjuvi® (tafasitamab-cxix), a humanized Fc-modified cytolytic CD19-targeting monoclonal antibody, in combination with rituximab and lenalidomide for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL). <Read More> 

Endari® (L-glutamine) Oral Powder – New Label Expansion – June 12, 2025 - Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: EMMA), a leader in sickle cell disease treatment, announced  that it has received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for changes to the labelling of Endari® to reflect additional prescribing information derived from post-marketing pharmacokinetic study data submitted by Emmaus. The additional information provides a more comprehensive characterization of Endari®, including confirmation of dosing by body weight, no unwanted accumulation through twice daily dosing, and the ability to administer Endari® with or without food. Endari® is approved in the U.S. and elsewhere to reduce the acute complications of sickle cell disease in adult and pediatric patients five years of age and older. <Read More> 

Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) for Injection – New Label Expansion – June 12, 2025 - 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 Keytruda® (pembrolizumab), Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, for the treatment of adult patients with resectable locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) whose tumors express PD-L1 (Combined Positive Score [CPS] ≥1) as determined by an FDA-approved test, as a single agent as neoadjuvant treatment, continued as adjuvant treatment in combination with radiotherapy (RT) with or without cisplatin and then as a single agent. <Read More> 

Steqeyma® (ustekinumab-stba) Injection – New Label Expansion – June 12, 2025 - Celltrion, Inc.  announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new presentation of Steqeyma® (ustekinumab-stba), a biosimilar to Stelara® (ustekinumab), in a 45mg/0.5mL solution in a single-dose vial for subcutaneous injection. The additional presentation is approved for the treatment of pediatric patients aged 6 to 17 years, weighing less than 60kg, with plaque psoriasis (PsO) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA). With this approval, Steqeyma® now offers all dosage forms and strengths of its reference product, providing flexibility to meet physicians' clinical needs while supporting treatment continuity for patients. <Read More>  

Mavyret® (glecaprevir and pibrentasvir) Tablets and Oral Pellets – New Label Expansion – June 10, 2025 - AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV)  announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a label expansion for Mavyret® (glecaprevir/pibrentasvir), an oral pangenotypic direct acting antiviral (DAA) therapy. It is now approved for the treatment of adults and pediatric patients three years and older with acute or chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis. With this approval, Mavyret® is the first and only DAA therapy approved to treat patients with acute HCV in eight weeks with a 96% cure rate. <Read More> 

Brukinsa® (zanubrutinib) Capsules and Tablets – New Label Expansion – June 3, 2025 - BeOne Medicines Ltd. (NASDAQ: ONC; HKEX: 06160; SSE: 688235), a global oncology company,  announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new tablet formulation of Brukinsa® (zanubrutinib) for all five approved indications. Brukinsa® remains the leader in new chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patient starts across all lines of therapy in the U.S., and for the first time, has become the overall BTK inhibitor market share leader. <Read More>

Nubeqa® (darolutamide) Tablets – New Label Expansion – June 3, 2025 - Bayer announced  that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its oral androgen receptor inhibitor (ARi) Nubeqa® (darolutamide) for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC), which is also known as metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). The approval is based on positive results from the pivotal Phase III ARANOTE trial, which demonstrated a significant reduction of 46% in the risk of radiographic progression or death (rPFS) for those treated with Nubeqa® plus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) compared to placebo plus ADT (hazard ratio [HR] 0.54; 95% CI 0.41-0.71; p<0.0001). <Read More> 

Xenoview® (xenon Xe 129 hyperpolarized) for Oral Inhalation – New Label Expansion – June 2, 2025 - Polarean Imaging plc (AIM: POLX) (“Polarean” or the “Company”), a commercial-stage medical imaging technology leader in functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging ("MRI") of the lungs, announces that the US Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has approved the Company’s Supplemental New Drug Application (“NDA”) to expand the indication of Xenoview®. This approval immediately lowers the minimum patient age from 12 to six years old, significantly broadening access to this technology and expanding Polarean’s total addressable market. <Read More> 

New Drug Shortage

July 8, 2025

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June 18, 2025

Updated Drug Shortage

July 8, 2025

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June 20, 2025

New Drug Recall and Safety Alerts

Cefazolin for Injection by Sandoz Inc. – New Voluntary Recall – June 27, 2025 - Sandoz, Inc. (“Sandoz”) is initiating a voluntary recall of one (1) lot of Cefazolin for Injection, USP, 1 gram per vial. This single lot is being recalled due to a customer complaint indicating that four (4) Penicillin G Potassium for Injection, USP, 20 million Units labelled vials were incorrectly included in a carton (25 vials per carton) of Cefazolin for Injection, USP 1 gram per vial product. <Read More> 

Zicam® Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs, Zicam® Nasal AllClear Swabs, and Orajel™ Baby Teething Swabs by Church & Dwight Co., Inc. – New Voluntary Recall – June 6, 2025 - Church & Dwight Co., Inc. is voluntarily recalling all lots within expiry of Zicam® Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs, Zicam® Nasal AllClear Swabs, and Orajel™ Baby Teething Swabs to the consumer level. The products are being recalled due to potential microbial contamination identified as fungi in cotton swab components. Swabs found to contain microbial contamination can potentially present a significant risk to the health and safety of consumers including serious and life-threatening blood infections in users whose nasal mucosa may be compromised due to inflammation and mechanical injuries. The risk is highest (potentially severe or life-threatening) among children and individuals with compromised immune systems or other underlying medical conditions. To date, no serious adverse events associated with the affected product have been reported. <Read More> 

Sulfamethoxazole / Trimethoprim Tablets, USP, 400 mg/80 mg Amneal Pharmaceutical LLC – New Voluntary Recall – June 4, 2025 - Amneal Pharmaceutical LLC, is recalling three lots of Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim Tablets, USP, 400 mg/80 mg to the consumer level as the tablets may exhibit black spots on the tablet surface due to microbial contamination. The observance of black spots was reported in a product quality complaint. <Read More>

New Generic/Biosimilar Approval and Launch

No new update.

Clinical and Pharmacy News

FTC Holds Its First Listening Session on Practices and Regulations Impacting Pharmaceutical Generic or Biosimilar Competition – July 1, 2025 – On June 30, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held the first of three listening sessions focused on ways to lower Americans’ drug prices through competition. The panels are being held as part of the agencies’ implementation of President Donald Trump’s Executive Order No. 14273, titled “Lowering Drug Prices by Once Again Putting Americans First.” That order instructed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary to conduct “joint public listening sessions with the [… DOJ], the Department of Commerce and the [FTC] and issue a report with recommendations to reduce anti-competitive behavior from pharmaceutical manufacturers.” <Read More> 

Major Insurance Changes are Coming for Weight Loss Drugs. Here’s How it Could Affect Patients – July 1, 2025 – Last week, Tara Eacobacci had an appointment with her doctor that was devoted exclusively to the topic of health insurance. A major change to her prescription benefits meant the medication she was using to manage her weight – a treatment that had taken years of trial and error to get right – would no longer be covered by insurance. “I’m completely outraged,” Eacobacci said. “It’s not only causing me stress, but it is making me angry.” Starting Tuesday, CVS Caremark – a major pharmacy benefit manager that serves as a middleman for health insurers, large employers and other payers to manage their prescription drug plans – will stop covering Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, a blockbuster GLP-1 drug that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration since November 2023 for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or who are overweight. <Read More> 

Congress Should Remove the Rare Disease Carve-Out From Medicare Drug Price Negotiation, Not Expand It – June 27, 2025 – The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 allowed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to begin negotiating prices for certain prescription drugs in Medicare. For products to be eligible, they must meet several statutory requirements, including generating more than $200 million in annual Medicare sales (a threshold that increases annually with inflation), being approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for at least seven years (for small-molecule products) or 11 years (for biologic products), and not yet facing biosimilar or generic competition. In addition, Congress exempted from negotiation any drugs that are approved to treat a single rare disease. <Read More> 

Trump Vows to Cut 'The Best Deal' on Drug Prices. What to Expect – June 26, 2025 – Imagine forking out north of $25,000 for a month's supply of the drug keeping you alive. That's what many hepatitis C patients in the U.S. have had to pay for a 28-day course of Gilead Sciences' (GILD) Epclusa. Canadians paid 35% less for the same treatment, while Australians could buy nearly three months of the drug for roughly the same price…The Trump administration has a plan to change that. Dubbed the "Most Favored Nation" approach, the strategy aims to bring drug prices paid by Americans down to roughly the same level charged by pharma companies in other countries. President Donald Trump said he aims to get Americans "the best deal" on their prescriptions. <Read More> 

Generic Cancer Drugs Used Around the World Fail Quality Tests, Investigation Shows – June 25, 2025 – Vital chemotherapy drugs used around the world have failed quality tests, putting cancer patients in more than 100 countries at risk of ineffective treatments and potentially fatal side effects, an investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) reveals. The generic drugs in question form the backbone of treatment plans for numerous common cancers — including breast, ovarian, and leukemia. Some drugs contained so little of their key ingredient that pharmacists said giving them to patients would be as good as doing nothing. Other drugs, containing too much of the active ingredient, create the risk of severe organ damage or even death. “Both scenarios are horrendous,” said one pharmacist. “It’s heartbreaking.” <Read More> 

Increasing Biosimilar Use Reflects Changing Practice in Pediatric IBD Care – June 25, 2025 – Infliximab biosimilar initiation among pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) rose gradually from 1% in 2018 to nearly 42% in 2023, with no consistent differences by age, race, or ethnicity and notable regional variation, according to a retrospective study. The analysis, published in Children, incorporated data from the ImproveCareNow (ICN) Network, a multicenter pediatric IBD quality improvement collaborative. Pediatric IBD is becoming increasingly common, with an incidence of about 10 cases per 100,000 children in the US and Canada and a rising trend. In the US alone, IBD prevalence ranges from 100 to 200 per 100,000 children—amounting to an estimated 70,000 affected children—meaning that most pediatricians are likely to encounter and care for patients with IBD in their practice. <Read More> 

Abbvie Announces Head-to-Head Results Challenging Migraine Treatment Status Quo – June 24, 2025 – For the more than one billion people worldwide living with migraine, the path to effective prevention can feel like an obstacle course. While some migraine patients struggle to find a formal diagnosis, others must navigate a lengthy trial-and-error process with outdated therapies before they can access treatments that provide real relief. Despite migraine ranking as the second leading cause of disability globally, new patients must undergo a “step-therapy” approach, first trying older preventive medications such as anticonvulsants or antidepressants repurposed for migraine before being granted access to newer, more targeted therapies. <Read More> 

HRSA Announces Action to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs for Life-Saving Medications at Health Centers Nationwide – June 24, 2025 – The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA announced new steps to lower out-of-pocket costs for life-saving medications. In alignment with President Trump’s Executive Order “Lowering Drug Prices by Putting Americans First,” HRSA has issued updated award terms requiring HRSA-funded health centers to provide insulin and injectable epinephrine to low-income patients at or below the price paid by the center through the 340B Drug Pricing Program…This new requirement aims to improve access and affordability for two of the most vital medications in emergency and chronic care: insulin, used by millions of Americans to manage diabetes, and injectable epinephrine, critical for the treatment of severe allergic reactions. The high costs of these medications have posed a growing challenge for underserved populations. <Read More> 

Infliximab Biosimilar Switch Due to Flare Risk: Monitoring Patients is Crucial for Pharmacists – June 5, 2025 – Infliximab biosimilars (infliximab-abda and infliximab-dyyb) may delay treatment after patients switch from the reference product, suggesting a possible risk factor for flaring/loss of disease control, according to a study published in the Journal of Pharmacy Technology. Clinicians often treat rheumatic diseases like ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and uveitis, with the anti-tumor necrosis factor agent, infliximab. Over the past few years, the FDA approved 4 infliximab biosimilars. <Read More>

New ACG Guidelines Reflect ‘Tremendous’ Surge in Treatments for Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis – June 4, 2025 – The ACG has released new clinical guidelines for the management of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease in adult patients. The guidelines, published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology, reflect numerous advances and new therapeutic options in the management of the two conditions, according to Gary R. Lichtenstein, MD, FACG, lead author of the CD guideline and vice chief of the division of gastroenterology and hepatology, development and philanthropy at Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania. <Read More> 

340B in the News

340B Could Have a New Cop on The beat - Hospitals are Worried – July 2, 2025 – The Trump administration wants to move oversight of the controversial drug discount program to the CMS, which has a more aggressive history with 340B than its covered providers would prefer. The Trump administration is pushing significant changes to the healthcare status quo that it says will save money, improve oversight and make the $4.9 trillion sector more efficient. Many of the HHS’ most controversial actions since President Donald Trump took office in January have sparked widespread discussion or been litigated in court as the healthcare industry looks to adjust to the “move fast and break things” mentality of the new Washington. <Read More> 

Judge Rules Against J&J, for HHS and 340B Hospitals in Rebate Model Case – June 27, 2025 – A U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia judge June 27 ruled against Johnson & Johnson and sided with the Department of Health and Human Services and hospitals in a lawsuit brought by J&J challenging the government’s authority to reject J&J’s proposed 340B rebate model. “In sum, based on the plain and unambiguous language of the 340B statute, and supported by its purpose and history, HRSA has the authority to ‘provide’ for discounts, rebates, or both,” Judge Rudolph Contreras wrote. “This conclusion defeats J&J’s claim that HRSA lacked the authority to require prior approval of J&J’s rebate model.” <Read More> 

Cancer Patients are Overmedicated to Enrich Health Systems, Study Claims – June 23, 2025 – Are patients being prescribed more medications not for their health, but to generate profit? A new economic study published in The Journal of Health Economics reveals that cancer patients treated by physicians participating in the 340B Program receive more medications—including those outside clinical guidelines—without improvements in survival. The federal program, named after Section 340B of the Public Health Service Act, was created by Congress in 1992 to support hospitals and clinics serving low-income communities. It allows eligible entities to purchase outpatient drugs at steep discounts and sell at full prices, retaining the difference. The Affordable Care Act expanded eligibility criteria, accelerating the program’s growth. <Read More> 


Clinical Insights: September 10th, 2025

New Drug/Vaccine Approval

Wayrilz™ (rilzabrutinib) Tablets – New Drug Approval – August 28, 2025 – The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Wayrilz™ (rilzabrutinib) for adults with persistent or chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) who have had an insufficient response to a previous treatment. The approval was based on the pivotal LUNA 3 phase 3 study, in which Wayrilz™ met the primary and secondary endpoints, showing a positive impact on sustained platelet counts and other ITP symptoms. <Read More>

Dawnzera™ (donidalorsen) Injection – New Drug Approval – August 21, 2025 – Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: IONS) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Dawnzera™ (donidalorsen) for prophylaxis to prevent attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older. Dawnzera™ is the first and only RNA-targeted medicine approved for HAE, designed to target plasma prekallikrein (PKK), a key protein that activates inflammatory mediators associated with acute attacks of HAE. Dawnzera™ 80mg is self-administered via subcutaneous autoinjector once every four (Q4W) or eight weeks (Q8W). <Read More> 

Tonmya™ (cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride) - formerly TNX-102 SL – New Drug Approval – August 15, 2025 – Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: TNXP), a fully-integrated biotechnology company, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Tonmya™ (cyclobenzaprine HCl sublingual tablets) for the treatment of fibromyalgia in adults. Tonmya™ is a first-in-class, non-opioid, once-daily bedtime analgesic with a unique sublingual (under the tongue) formulation that is designed for rapid absorption into the bloodstream. Tonmya™ is the first new FDA-approved therapy for the treatment of fibromyalgia in over 15 years. <Read More>

Papzimeos™ (zopapogene imadenovec-drba) Injection – New Drug Approval – August 14, 2025 – Precigen, Inc. (Nasdaq: PGEN), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the advancement of innovative precision medicines to improve the lives of patients, announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Papzimeos™ (zopapogene imadenovec-drba) for the treatment of adults with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). Papzimeos™ is the first and only FDA-approved therapy for the treatment of adults with RRP. Precigen completed submission of the rolling Biologics License Application (BLA) in December 2024 under an accelerated approval pathway; however, the FDA has granted Papzimeos™ full approval, which does not require a confirmatory clinical trial. Papzimeos™ is a non-replicating adenoviral vector-based immunotherapy designed to express a fusion antigen comprising selected regions of human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11 proteins—the root cause of RRP. Papzimeos™ is delivered via four subcutaneous injections over a 12-week interval. <Read More>

Brinsupri™ (brensocatib) Tablets – New Drug Approval – August 12, 2025 – Insmed Incorporated (Nasdaq: INSM), a people-first global biopharmaceutical company striving to deliver first- and best-in-class therapies to transform the lives of patients facing serious diseases, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved first-in-class Brinsupri™ (brensocatib 10 mg and 25 mg tablets), an oral, once-daily treatment for non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB) in adults and children 12 years and older. Brinsupri™ is the first and only FDA-approved treatment for NCFB, giving hundreds of thousands of patients and clinicians across the U.S. an option to manage this chronic and progressive disease that can lead to permanent lung damage and lung function decline. <Read More> 

Hernexeos® (zongertinib) Tablets – New Drug Approval – August 8, 2025 – Boehringer Ingelheim’s Hernexeos® (zongertinib tablets) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The kinase inhibitor is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have HER2 (ERBB2) tyrosine kinase domain activating mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test, and who have received prior systemic therapy. <Read More>  

KETARx™ (ketamine hydrochloride) Injection – New Drug Approval – August 7, 2025 – PharmaTher Holdings Ltd. (the "Company" or "PharmaTher") (OTCQB: PHRRF) (CSE: PHRM), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on unlocking the pharmaceutical potential of ketamine, announced the advancement of its ketamine transdermal patch as a next-generation, non-opioid pain relief solution, building on the recent FDA approval of its IV ketamine product (KETARx™). <Read More> 

Modeyso™ (dordaviprone) Capsules – New Drug Approval – August 6, 2025 – Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: JAZZ) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval for Modeyso™ (dordaviprone) for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients 1 year of age and older with diffuse midline glioma harboring an H3 K27M mutation with progressive disease following prior therapy. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the Phase 3 ACTION confirmatory trial. <Read More>

New Label Expansions

Leqembi® (lecanemab-irmb) Injection – New Label Expansion – August 29, 2025 – Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, CEO: Haruo Naito, "Eisai") and Biogen Inc. (Nasdaq: BIIB, Headquarters: Cambridge, Massachusetts, CEO: Christopher A. Viehbacher, "Biogen") announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Biologics License Application (BLA) for once weekly lecanemab-irmb subcutaneous injection (U.S. brand name: Leqembi® Iqlik™, pronounced "I Click") for maintenance dosing. Leqembi® Iqlik™ is a subcutaneous autoinjector (SC-AI) developed by Eisai, containing 360 mg/1.8 mL (200 mg/mL) that can be administered in approximately 15 seconds. <Read More> 

Comirnaty® (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) Injection – New Label Expansion – August 27, 2025 – Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE, “Pfizer”) and BioNTech SE (Nasdaq: BNTX, “BioNTech”) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for the companies’ LP.8.1-adapted monovalent COVID-19 vaccine (Comirnaty® LP.8.1; COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) for use in adults ages 65 years and older, as well as in individuals ages 5 through 64 years with at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19. <Read More>

Filspari® (sparsentan) Tablets – New Label Expansion – August 27, 2025 – Travere Therapeutics, Inc., (Nasdaq: TVTX) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved updated Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) labeling for Filspari® (sparsentan), the only Dual Endothelin Angiotensin Receptor Antagonist for the treatment of IgA nephropathy (IgAN). <Read More> 

mNEXSPIKE® (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) Injection – New Label Expansion – August 27, 2025 – Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the supplemental Biologics License Applications (sBLA) for the 2025-2026 formulas for Spikevax® and mNEXSPIKE®, targeting the LP.8.1 variant of SARS-CoV-2 to help prevent COVID-19. <Read More> 

Nuvaxovid™ (COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted) Injectable Suspension – New Label Expansion – August 27, 2025 – Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the Nuvaxovid™ 2025-2026 Formula for the prevention of COVID-19 in individuals 65 years of age and older, or 12 years through 64 years of age with at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19. <Read More> 

Repatha® (evolocumab) Injection – New Label Expansion – August 21, 2025 – Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has broadened the approved use of Repatha® (evolocumab) to include adults at increased risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) due to uncontrolled low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), commonly known as 'bad cholesterol.' The update removes a prior requirement for a patient to have been diagnosed with cardiovascular (CV) disease. <Read More> 

Wegovy® (semaglutide) Injection – New Label Expansion – August 15, 2025 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection to treat metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) in adults with moderate-to-advanced fibrosis (excessive scar tissue in the liver). MASH, also known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, is a serious liver disease. Wegovy®, which was first approved in 2017, is also approved for obesity or overweight and to reduce cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks, in individuals at high risk of these events. Approximately 6% of U.S. adults (14.9 million people) have MASH, and its prevalence is expanding. <Read More> 

Ajovy® (fremanezumab-vfrm) Injection – New Label Expansion – August 5, 2025 – Teva Pharmaceuticals, a U.S. affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA), announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Ajovy® for the preventive treatment of episodic migraine in children and adolescent patients aged 6-17 years who weigh 45 kilograms (99 pounds) or more. <Read More> 

New Drug Shortage

September 8, 2025

September 4, 2025

August 29, 2025

August 27, 2025

August 25, 2025

Updated Drug Shortage

September 5, 2025

September 4, 2025

September 3, 2025

September 2, 2025

August 29, 2025

New Drug Recall and Safety Alerts

Cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride Tablets USP 10 mg by Unichem Pharmaceuticals (USA) Inc. – New Voluntary Recall – August 27, 2025 – Unichem Pharmaceuticals (USA), Inc. is voluntarily recalling one (1) lot of cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride Tablets USP 10 mg, to the consumer level. The Cyclobenzaprine 10mg (90ct) label was inadvertently placed on a bottle containing Meloxicam 7.5 mg tablets. <Read More> 

Lactated Ringer’s Injection USP 1000 mL and 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection USP 1000 mL by B. Braun Medical – New Voluntary Recall  – August 19, 2025 - B. Braun Medical Inc. (B. Braun) is voluntarily recalling two lots of Lactated Ringers Injection USP 1000 mL, and 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection USP 1000 mL to the hospital level due to the presence of particulate matter inside the container. B. Braun has identified through complaints the potential for the product to contain particulate matter in solution. To date there have been no reports of serious injury, death or other adverse events associated with this issue. <Read More> 

New Generic/Biosimilar Approval and Launch

No new update.

Clinical and Pharmacy News

Walgreens Shakeup Sparks Patient Fear as Pharmacies Face More Closures After 295 Shutters – September 8, 2025 – A few months after a definitive agreement signing in March, Walgreens has been officially purchased by private equity firm Sycamore Partners for $10 billion, per a press release. Part of the deal means that Walgreens Boots Alliance and its subsidiaries are split into five separate and privately-owned operations… While the $10 billion was heavily supported by Walgreens shareholders, some industry experts worry that this decision will ultimately lead to more layoffs and closures for the brand, per what they told Healthcare Brew. <Read More>

A Pharmacy Benefit Manager Stopped Covering a GLP-1 for Obesity. Now There’s a Lawsuit – September 6, 2025 – A class-action lawsuit has been filed against CVS Caremark over its decision to stop covering Zepbound®, Eli Lilly’s blockbuster GLP-1 drug to treat obesity. When the major pharmacy benefit manager informed patients about the change this year, it suggested that there was “another covered medication that’s safe and effective for your condition and may cost less”: namely Wegovy®, from Novo Nordisk, with which CVS Caremark announced a partnership just before the change took effect. <Read More> 

The Five Biggest Challenges Facing Retail Pharmacy – August 28, 2025 – Retail pharmacy operators face an array of challenges beyond PBM reform, which many observers say remains the single biggest obstacle to operating successfully in today’s environment. Among the most pressing issues is how the Medicare price negotiations that were included in the Inflation Reduction Act will play out at the retail level. Many retailers are concerned that reimbursement mechanisms might not be adequate to support their cash flow needs. In addition, the reimbursement models that evolve for GLP-1 drugs and other high-cost medications could also pose challenges for retailers. <Read More>

Getting a Covid Shot This Fall Could be a lot More Complicated – August 22, 2025 – The millions of Americans who are used to getting their Covid-19 vaccines at a local pharmacy may face new hurdles this fall depending on where they live and whether federal health officials have decided they qualify. Pharmacists’ authority to vaccinate individuals varies across state lines. In some places, it’s dependent upon a federal advisory process that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has upended. <Read More> 

Determining if LAAO Will Benefit Patients With Afib Using Novel AI Algorithm – August 16, 2025 – Researchers in Mayo Clinic Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery in collaboration with Cardiovascular Medicine developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to identify patients likely to benefit from transcatheter left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) versus direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). This algorithm can help patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) who need to be referred to a subspecialty for consultation. The findings were published in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology. <Read More>

Costco to Not Sell Abortion Pill Mifepristone at its US Pharmacy Stores – August 15, 2025 – Costco Wholesale (COST.O), opens new tab said on Thursday it has decided to not sell abortion pill mifepristone across all its U.S. pharmacy stores, citing low demand. "Our position at this time not to sell mifepristone, which has not changed, is based on the lack of demand from our members and other patients, who we understand generally have the drug dispensed by their medical providers," Costco said. The decision comes amid campaigns against the pill by religious activist groups, including Inspire Investing and Alliance Defending Freedom. <Read More> 

House, Senate Bills Would Expand Pharmacists’ Scope of Practice – August 14, 2025 – H.R. 3164, the Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act, has been sponsored by Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.). The bill would amend the Social Security Act to allow Medicare payment for pharmacists to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients for a range of illnesses including COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and streptococcal pharyngitis. The measure also would let pharmacists test and treat patients in response to an unspecified “public health need” related to a public health emergency. <Read More> 

Eli Lilly Accused of Bribing Providers to Prescribe GLP-1RA Drugs – August 13, 2025 – Despite posting record Q2 growth for its blockbuster weight loss and diabetes drug tirzepatide, Eli Lilly is facing legal challenge from a lawsuit filed in Texas that accuses the pharma company of bribing providers to prescribe its drugs.  Attorney General for Texas Ken Paxton and Health Choice Alliance claim Eli Lilly “offered illegal incentives” to medical providers in the southern state so its most profitable drugs, including popular glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) medications tirzepatide, marketed as Mounjaro® and Zepbound®, would be preferentially prescribed to patients. <Read More> 

An AI “Copilot” Can Reduce Prescription Errors That Put Patients at Risk – August 12, 2025 – “Take two aspirin and call me in the morning.” If only prescribing medications were as simple as that. In reality, the prescription process involves many players and steps. Details must be accurately spelled out, interpreted, and double-checked to ensure patients get the correct drug and dosage…With several collaborators at Amazon, Bayati developed an AI-based system for translating prescriptions with fewer errors. “An AI approach to this problem is a good choice because it’s capable of seeing patterns in prescription data and could flag prescriptions that match error-related patterns and write error-free ones,” Bayati says. <Read More>

340B in the News

AHA Accuses Drug Companies of Colluding to Impose 340B Rebate Plans – September 9, 2025 – The country’s largest hospital lobby is accusing five major drugmakers of secretly conspiring to transition to a rebate model in 340B, in the latest salvo between providers and pharmaceutical companies over the future of the drug discount program. On Monday, the American Hospital Association sent a letter to the heads of the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department’s antitrust division asking them to investigate Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly, Bristol Myers Squibb, Sanofi and Novartis for potential collusion. <Read More>

CBO Confirms 340B Drug Pricing Program Increases Costs for Federal Taxpayers – September 9, 2025 –  Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, issued the following statement in response to the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) report released September 9th, which confirmed the 340B Drug Pricing Program encourages behaviors that increase federal spending and raise prices for American taxpayers. Some of those behaviors include incentivizing the prescription of more expensive drugs, reducing negotiated rebates for insurers, and increasing vertical integration among facilities. <Read More> 

Read More

Clinical Insights: September 10th, 2025

New Drug/Vaccine Approval

Wayrilz™ (rilzabrutinib) Tablets – New Drug Approval – August 28, 2025 – The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Wayrilz™ (rilzabrutinib) for adults with persistent or chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) who have had an insufficient response to a previous treatment. The approval was based on the pivotal LUNA 3 phase 3 study, in which Wayrilz™ met the primary and secondary endpoints, showing a positive impact on sustained platelet counts and other ITP symptoms. <Read More>

Dawnzera™ (donidalorsen) Injection – New Drug Approval – August 21, 2025 – Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: IONS) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Dawnzera™ (donidalorsen) for prophylaxis to prevent attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older. Dawnzera™ is the first and only RNA-targeted medicine approved for HAE, designed to target plasma prekallikrein (PKK), a key protein that activates inflammatory mediators associated with acute attacks of HAE. Dawnzera™ 80mg is self-administered via subcutaneous autoinjector once every four (Q4W) or eight weeks (Q8W). <Read More> 

Tonmya™ (cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride) - formerly TNX-102 SL – New Drug Approval – August 15, 2025 – Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: TNXP), a fully-integrated biotechnology company, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Tonmya™ (cyclobenzaprine HCl sublingual tablets) for the treatment of fibromyalgia in adults. Tonmya™ is a first-in-class, non-opioid, once-daily bedtime analgesic with a unique sublingual (under the tongue) formulation that is designed for rapid absorption into the bloodstream. Tonmya™ is the first new FDA-approved therapy for the treatment of fibromyalgia in over 15 years. <Read More>

Papzimeos™ (zopapogene imadenovec-drba) Injection – New Drug Approval – August 14, 2025 – Precigen, Inc. (Nasdaq: PGEN), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the advancement of innovative precision medicines to improve the lives of patients, announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Papzimeos™ (zopapogene imadenovec-drba) for the treatment of adults with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). Papzimeos™ is the first and only FDA-approved therapy for the treatment of adults with RRP. Precigen completed submission of the rolling Biologics License Application (BLA) in December 2024 under an accelerated approval pathway; however, the FDA has granted Papzimeos™ full approval, which does not require a confirmatory clinical trial. Papzimeos™ is a non-replicating adenoviral vector-based immunotherapy designed to express a fusion antigen comprising selected regions of human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11 proteins—the root cause of RRP. Papzimeos™ is delivered via four subcutaneous injections over a 12-week interval. <Read More>

Brinsupri™ (brensocatib) Tablets – New Drug Approval – August 12, 2025 – Insmed Incorporated (Nasdaq: INSM), a people-first global biopharmaceutical company striving to deliver first- and best-in-class therapies to transform the lives of patients facing serious diseases, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved first-in-class Brinsupri™ (brensocatib 10 mg and 25 mg tablets), an oral, once-daily treatment for non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB) in adults and children 12 years and older. Brinsupri™ is the first and only FDA-approved treatment for NCFB, giving hundreds of thousands of patients and clinicians across the U.S. an option to manage this chronic and progressive disease that can lead to permanent lung damage and lung function decline. <Read More> 

Hernexeos® (zongertinib) Tablets – New Drug Approval – August 8, 2025 – Boehringer Ingelheim’s Hernexeos® (zongertinib tablets) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The kinase inhibitor is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have HER2 (ERBB2) tyrosine kinase domain activating mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test, and who have received prior systemic therapy. <Read More>  

KETARx™ (ketamine hydrochloride) Injection – New Drug Approval – August 7, 2025 – PharmaTher Holdings Ltd. (the "Company" or "PharmaTher") (OTCQB: PHRRF) (CSE: PHRM), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on unlocking the pharmaceutical potential of ketamine, announced the advancement of its ketamine transdermal patch as a next-generation, non-opioid pain relief solution, building on the recent FDA approval of its IV ketamine product (KETARx™). <Read More> 

Modeyso™ (dordaviprone) Capsules – New Drug Approval – August 6, 2025 – Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: JAZZ) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval for Modeyso™ (dordaviprone) for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients 1 year of age and older with diffuse midline glioma harboring an H3 K27M mutation with progressive disease following prior therapy. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the Phase 3 ACTION confirmatory trial. <Read More>

New Label Expansions

Leqembi® (lecanemab-irmb) Injection – New Label Expansion – August 29, 2025 – Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, CEO: Haruo Naito, "Eisai") and Biogen Inc. (Nasdaq: BIIB, Headquarters: Cambridge, Massachusetts, CEO: Christopher A. Viehbacher, "Biogen") announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Biologics License Application (BLA) for once weekly lecanemab-irmb subcutaneous injection (U.S. brand name: Leqembi® Iqlik™, pronounced "I Click") for maintenance dosing. Leqembi® Iqlik™ is a subcutaneous autoinjector (SC-AI) developed by Eisai, containing 360 mg/1.8 mL (200 mg/mL) that can be administered in approximately 15 seconds. <Read More> 

Comirnaty® (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) Injection – New Label Expansion – August 27, 2025 – Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE, “Pfizer”) and BioNTech SE (Nasdaq: BNTX, “BioNTech”) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for the companies’ LP.8.1-adapted monovalent COVID-19 vaccine (Comirnaty® LP.8.1; COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) for use in adults ages 65 years and older, as well as in individuals ages 5 through 64 years with at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19. <Read More>

Filspari® (sparsentan) Tablets – New Label Expansion – August 27, 2025 – Travere Therapeutics, Inc., (Nasdaq: TVTX) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved updated Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) labeling for Filspari® (sparsentan), the only Dual Endothelin Angiotensin Receptor Antagonist for the treatment of IgA nephropathy (IgAN). <Read More> 

mNEXSPIKE® (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) Injection – New Label Expansion – August 27, 2025 – Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the supplemental Biologics License Applications (sBLA) for the 2025-2026 formulas for Spikevax® and mNEXSPIKE®, targeting the LP.8.1 variant of SARS-CoV-2 to help prevent COVID-19. <Read More> 

Nuvaxovid™ (COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted) Injectable Suspension – New Label Expansion – August 27, 2025 – Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the Nuvaxovid™ 2025-2026 Formula for the prevention of COVID-19 in individuals 65 years of age and older, or 12 years through 64 years of age with at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19. <Read More> 

Repatha® (evolocumab) Injection – New Label Expansion – August 21, 2025 – Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has broadened the approved use of Repatha® (evolocumab) to include adults at increased risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) due to uncontrolled low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), commonly known as 'bad cholesterol.' The update removes a prior requirement for a patient to have been diagnosed with cardiovascular (CV) disease. <Read More> 

Wegovy® (semaglutide) Injection – New Label Expansion – August 15, 2025 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection to treat metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) in adults with moderate-to-advanced fibrosis (excessive scar tissue in the liver). MASH, also known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, is a serious liver disease. Wegovy®, which was first approved in 2017, is also approved for obesity or overweight and to reduce cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks, in individuals at high risk of these events. Approximately 6% of U.S. adults (14.9 million people) have MASH, and its prevalence is expanding. <Read More> 

Ajovy® (fremanezumab-vfrm) Injection – New Label Expansion – August 5, 2025 – Teva Pharmaceuticals, a U.S. affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA), announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Ajovy® for the preventive treatment of episodic migraine in children and adolescent patients aged 6-17 years who weigh 45 kilograms (99 pounds) or more. <Read More> 

New Drug Shortage

September 8, 2025

September 4, 2025

August 29, 2025

August 27, 2025

August 25, 2025

Updated Drug Shortage

September 5, 2025

September 4, 2025

September 3, 2025

September 2, 2025

August 29, 2025

New Drug Recall and Safety Alerts

Cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride Tablets USP 10 mg by Unichem Pharmaceuticals (USA) Inc. – New Voluntary Recall – August 27, 2025 – Unichem Pharmaceuticals (USA), Inc. is voluntarily recalling one (1) lot of cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride Tablets USP 10 mg, to the consumer level. The Cyclobenzaprine 10mg (90ct) label was inadvertently placed on a bottle containing Meloxicam 7.5 mg tablets. <Read More> 

Lactated Ringer’s Injection USP 1000 mL and 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection USP 1000 mL by B. Braun Medical – New Voluntary Recall  – August 19, 2025 - B. Braun Medical Inc. (B. Braun) is voluntarily recalling two lots of Lactated Ringers Injection USP 1000 mL, and 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection USP 1000 mL to the hospital level due to the presence of particulate matter inside the container. B. Braun has identified through complaints the potential for the product to contain particulate matter in solution. To date there have been no reports of serious injury, death or other adverse events associated with this issue. <Read More> 

New Generic/Biosimilar Approval and Launch

No new update.

Clinical and Pharmacy News

Walgreens Shakeup Sparks Patient Fear as Pharmacies Face More Closures After 295 Shutters – September 8, 2025 – A few months after a definitive agreement signing in March, Walgreens has been officially purchased by private equity firm Sycamore Partners for $10 billion, per a press release. Part of the deal means that Walgreens Boots Alliance and its subsidiaries are split into five separate and privately-owned operations… While the $10 billion was heavily supported by Walgreens shareholders, some industry experts worry that this decision will ultimately lead to more layoffs and closures for the brand, per what they told Healthcare Brew. <Read More>

A Pharmacy Benefit Manager Stopped Covering a GLP-1 for Obesity. Now There’s a Lawsuit – September 6, 2025 – A class-action lawsuit has been filed against CVS Caremark over its decision to stop covering Zepbound®, Eli Lilly’s blockbuster GLP-1 drug to treat obesity. When the major pharmacy benefit manager informed patients about the change this year, it suggested that there was “another covered medication that’s safe and effective for your condition and may cost less”: namely Wegovy®, from Novo Nordisk, with which CVS Caremark announced a partnership just before the change took effect. <Read More> 

The Five Biggest Challenges Facing Retail Pharmacy – August 28, 2025 – Retail pharmacy operators face an array of challenges beyond PBM reform, which many observers say remains the single biggest obstacle to operating successfully in today’s environment. Among the most pressing issues is how the Medicare price negotiations that were included in the Inflation Reduction Act will play out at the retail level. Many retailers are concerned that reimbursement mechanisms might not be adequate to support their cash flow needs. In addition, the reimbursement models that evolve for GLP-1 drugs and other high-cost medications could also pose challenges for retailers. <Read More>

Getting a Covid Shot This Fall Could be a lot More Complicated – August 22, 2025 – The millions of Americans who are used to getting their Covid-19 vaccines at a local pharmacy may face new hurdles this fall depending on where they live and whether federal health officials have decided they qualify. Pharmacists’ authority to vaccinate individuals varies across state lines. In some places, it’s dependent upon a federal advisory process that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has upended. <Read More> 

Determining if LAAO Will Benefit Patients With Afib Using Novel AI Algorithm – August 16, 2025 – Researchers in Mayo Clinic Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery in collaboration with Cardiovascular Medicine developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to identify patients likely to benefit from transcatheter left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) versus direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). This algorithm can help patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) who need to be referred to a subspecialty for consultation. The findings were published in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology. <Read More>

Costco to Not Sell Abortion Pill Mifepristone at its US Pharmacy Stores – August 15, 2025 – Costco Wholesale (COST.O), opens new tab said on Thursday it has decided to not sell abortion pill mifepristone across all its U.S. pharmacy stores, citing low demand. "Our position at this time not to sell mifepristone, which has not changed, is based on the lack of demand from our members and other patients, who we understand generally have the drug dispensed by their medical providers," Costco said. The decision comes amid campaigns against the pill by religious activist groups, including Inspire Investing and Alliance Defending Freedom. <Read More> 

House, Senate Bills Would Expand Pharmacists’ Scope of Practice – August 14, 2025 – H.R. 3164, the Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act, has been sponsored by Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.). The bill would amend the Social Security Act to allow Medicare payment for pharmacists to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients for a range of illnesses including COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and streptococcal pharyngitis. The measure also would let pharmacists test and treat patients in response to an unspecified “public health need” related to a public health emergency. <Read More> 

Eli Lilly Accused of Bribing Providers to Prescribe GLP-1RA Drugs – August 13, 2025 – Despite posting record Q2 growth for its blockbuster weight loss and diabetes drug tirzepatide, Eli Lilly is facing legal challenge from a lawsuit filed in Texas that accuses the pharma company of bribing providers to prescribe its drugs.  Attorney General for Texas Ken Paxton and Health Choice Alliance claim Eli Lilly “offered illegal incentives” to medical providers in the southern state so its most profitable drugs, including popular glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) medications tirzepatide, marketed as Mounjaro® and Zepbound®, would be preferentially prescribed to patients. <Read More> 

An AI “Copilot” Can Reduce Prescription Errors That Put Patients at Risk – August 12, 2025 – “Take two aspirin and call me in the morning.” If only prescribing medications were as simple as that. In reality, the prescription process involves many players and steps. Details must be accurately spelled out, interpreted, and double-checked to ensure patients get the correct drug and dosage…With several collaborators at Amazon, Bayati developed an AI-based system for translating prescriptions with fewer errors. “An AI approach to this problem is a good choice because it’s capable of seeing patterns in prescription data and could flag prescriptions that match error-related patterns and write error-free ones,” Bayati says. <Read More>

340B in the News

AHA Accuses Drug Companies of Colluding to Impose 340B Rebate Plans – September 9, 2025 – The country’s largest hospital lobby is accusing five major drugmakers of secretly conspiring to transition to a rebate model in 340B, in the latest salvo between providers and pharmaceutical companies over the future of the drug discount program. On Monday, the American Hospital Association sent a letter to the heads of the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department’s antitrust division asking them to investigate Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly, Bristol Myers Squibb, Sanofi and Novartis for potential collusion. <Read More>

CBO Confirms 340B Drug Pricing Program Increases Costs for Federal Taxpayers – September 9, 2025 –  Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, issued the following statement in response to the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) report released September 9th, which confirmed the 340B Drug Pricing Program encourages behaviors that increase federal spending and raise prices for American taxpayers. Some of those behaviors include incentivizing the prescription of more expensive drugs, reducing negotiated rebates for insurers, and increasing vertical integration among facilities. <Read More> 

Read More

Clinical Insights: September 10th, 2025

New Drug/Vaccine Approval

Wayrilz™ (rilzabrutinib) Tablets – New Drug Approval – August 28, 2025 – The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Wayrilz™ (rilzabrutinib) for adults with persistent or chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) who have had an insufficient response to a previous treatment. The approval was based on the pivotal LUNA 3 phase 3 study, in which Wayrilz™ met the primary and secondary endpoints, showing a positive impact on sustained platelet counts and other ITP symptoms. <Read More>

Dawnzera™ (donidalorsen) Injection – New Drug Approval – August 21, 2025 – Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: IONS) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Dawnzera™ (donidalorsen) for prophylaxis to prevent attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older. Dawnzera™ is the first and only RNA-targeted medicine approved for HAE, designed to target plasma prekallikrein (PKK), a key protein that activates inflammatory mediators associated with acute attacks of HAE. Dawnzera™ 80mg is self-administered via subcutaneous autoinjector once every four (Q4W) or eight weeks (Q8W). <Read More> 

Tonmya™ (cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride) - formerly TNX-102 SL – New Drug Approval – August 15, 2025 – Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: TNXP), a fully-integrated biotechnology company, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Tonmya™ (cyclobenzaprine HCl sublingual tablets) for the treatment of fibromyalgia in adults. Tonmya™ is a first-in-class, non-opioid, once-daily bedtime analgesic with a unique sublingual (under the tongue) formulation that is designed for rapid absorption into the bloodstream. Tonmya™ is the first new FDA-approved therapy for the treatment of fibromyalgia in over 15 years. <Read More>

Papzimeos™ (zopapogene imadenovec-drba) Injection – New Drug Approval – August 14, 2025 – Precigen, Inc. (Nasdaq: PGEN), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the advancement of innovative precision medicines to improve the lives of patients, announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Papzimeos™ (zopapogene imadenovec-drba) for the treatment of adults with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). Papzimeos™ is the first and only FDA-approved therapy for the treatment of adults with RRP. Precigen completed submission of the rolling Biologics License Application (BLA) in December 2024 under an accelerated approval pathway; however, the FDA has granted Papzimeos™ full approval, which does not require a confirmatory clinical trial. Papzimeos™ is a non-replicating adenoviral vector-based immunotherapy designed to express a fusion antigen comprising selected regions of human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11 proteins—the root cause of RRP. Papzimeos™ is delivered via four subcutaneous injections over a 12-week interval. <Read More>

Brinsupri™ (brensocatib) Tablets – New Drug Approval – August 12, 2025 – Insmed Incorporated (Nasdaq: INSM), a people-first global biopharmaceutical company striving to deliver first- and best-in-class therapies to transform the lives of patients facing serious diseases, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved first-in-class Brinsupri™ (brensocatib 10 mg and 25 mg tablets), an oral, once-daily treatment for non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB) in adults and children 12 years and older. Brinsupri™ is the first and only FDA-approved treatment for NCFB, giving hundreds of thousands of patients and clinicians across the U.S. an option to manage this chronic and progressive disease that can lead to permanent lung damage and lung function decline. <Read More> 

Hernexeos® (zongertinib) Tablets – New Drug Approval – August 8, 2025 – Boehringer Ingelheim’s Hernexeos® (zongertinib tablets) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The kinase inhibitor is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have HER2 (ERBB2) tyrosine kinase domain activating mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test, and who have received prior systemic therapy. <Read More>  

KETARx™ (ketamine hydrochloride) Injection – New Drug Approval – August 7, 2025 – PharmaTher Holdings Ltd. (the "Company" or "PharmaTher") (OTCQB: PHRRF) (CSE: PHRM), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on unlocking the pharmaceutical potential of ketamine, announced the advancement of its ketamine transdermal patch as a next-generation, non-opioid pain relief solution, building on the recent FDA approval of its IV ketamine product (KETARx™). <Read More> 

Modeyso™ (dordaviprone) Capsules – New Drug Approval – August 6, 2025 – Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: JAZZ) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval for Modeyso™ (dordaviprone) for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients 1 year of age and older with diffuse midline glioma harboring an H3 K27M mutation with progressive disease following prior therapy. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the Phase 3 ACTION confirmatory trial. <Read More>

New Label Expansions

Leqembi® (lecanemab-irmb) Injection – New Label Expansion – August 29, 2025 – Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, CEO: Haruo Naito, "Eisai") and Biogen Inc. (Nasdaq: BIIB, Headquarters: Cambridge, Massachusetts, CEO: Christopher A. Viehbacher, "Biogen") announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Biologics License Application (BLA) for once weekly lecanemab-irmb subcutaneous injection (U.S. brand name: Leqembi® Iqlik™, pronounced "I Click") for maintenance dosing. Leqembi® Iqlik™ is a subcutaneous autoinjector (SC-AI) developed by Eisai, containing 360 mg/1.8 mL (200 mg/mL) that can be administered in approximately 15 seconds. <Read More> 

Comirnaty® (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) Injection – New Label Expansion – August 27, 2025 – Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE, “Pfizer”) and BioNTech SE (Nasdaq: BNTX, “BioNTech”) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for the companies’ LP.8.1-adapted monovalent COVID-19 vaccine (Comirnaty® LP.8.1; COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) for use in adults ages 65 years and older, as well as in individuals ages 5 through 64 years with at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19. <Read More>

Filspari® (sparsentan) Tablets – New Label Expansion – August 27, 2025 – Travere Therapeutics, Inc., (Nasdaq: TVTX) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved updated Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) labeling for Filspari® (sparsentan), the only Dual Endothelin Angiotensin Receptor Antagonist for the treatment of IgA nephropathy (IgAN). <Read More> 

mNEXSPIKE® (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) Injection – New Label Expansion – August 27, 2025 – Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the supplemental Biologics License Applications (sBLA) for the 2025-2026 formulas for Spikevax® and mNEXSPIKE®, targeting the LP.8.1 variant of SARS-CoV-2 to help prevent COVID-19. <Read More> 

Nuvaxovid™ (COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted) Injectable Suspension – New Label Expansion – August 27, 2025 – Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the Nuvaxovid™ 2025-2026 Formula for the prevention of COVID-19 in individuals 65 years of age and older, or 12 years through 64 years of age with at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19. <Read More> 

Repatha® (evolocumab) Injection – New Label Expansion – August 21, 2025 – Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has broadened the approved use of Repatha® (evolocumab) to include adults at increased risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) due to uncontrolled low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), commonly known as 'bad cholesterol.' The update removes a prior requirement for a patient to have been diagnosed with cardiovascular (CV) disease. <Read More> 

Wegovy® (semaglutide) Injection – New Label Expansion – August 15, 2025 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection to treat metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) in adults with moderate-to-advanced fibrosis (excessive scar tissue in the liver). MASH, also known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, is a serious liver disease. Wegovy®, which was first approved in 2017, is also approved for obesity or overweight and to reduce cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks, in individuals at high risk of these events. Approximately 6% of U.S. adults (14.9 million people) have MASH, and its prevalence is expanding. <Read More> 

Ajovy® (fremanezumab-vfrm) Injection – New Label Expansion – August 5, 2025 – Teva Pharmaceuticals, a U.S. affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA), announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Ajovy® for the preventive treatment of episodic migraine in children and adolescent patients aged 6-17 years who weigh 45 kilograms (99 pounds) or more. <Read More> 

New Drug Shortage

September 8, 2025

September 4, 2025

August 29, 2025

August 27, 2025

August 25, 2025

Updated Drug Shortage

September 5, 2025

September 4, 2025

September 3, 2025

September 2, 2025

August 29, 2025

New Drug Recall and Safety Alerts

Cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride Tablets USP 10 mg by Unichem Pharmaceuticals (USA) Inc. – New Voluntary Recall – August 27, 2025 – Unichem Pharmaceuticals (USA), Inc. is voluntarily recalling one (1) lot of cyclobenzaprine Hydrochloride Tablets USP 10 mg, to the consumer level. The Cyclobenzaprine 10mg (90ct) label was inadvertently placed on a bottle containing Meloxicam 7.5 mg tablets. <Read More> 

Lactated Ringer’s Injection USP 1000 mL and 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection USP 1000 mL by B. Braun Medical – New Voluntary Recall  – August 19, 2025 - B. Braun Medical Inc. (B. Braun) is voluntarily recalling two lots of Lactated Ringers Injection USP 1000 mL, and 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection USP 1000 mL to the hospital level due to the presence of particulate matter inside the container. B. Braun has identified through complaints the potential for the product to contain particulate matter in solution. To date there have been no reports of serious injury, death or other adverse events associated with this issue. <Read More> 

New Generic/Biosimilar Approval and Launch

No new update.

Clinical and Pharmacy News

Walgreens Shakeup Sparks Patient Fear as Pharmacies Face More Closures After 295 Shutters – September 8, 2025 – A few months after a definitive agreement signing in March, Walgreens has been officially purchased by private equity firm Sycamore Partners for $10 billion, per a press release. Part of the deal means that Walgreens Boots Alliance and its subsidiaries are split into five separate and privately-owned operations… While the $10 billion was heavily supported by Walgreens shareholders, some industry experts worry that this decision will ultimately lead to more layoffs and closures for the brand, per what they told Healthcare Brew. <Read More>

A Pharmacy Benefit Manager Stopped Covering a GLP-1 for Obesity. Now There’s a Lawsuit – September 6, 2025 – A class-action lawsuit has been filed against CVS Caremark over its decision to stop covering Zepbound®, Eli Lilly’s blockbuster GLP-1 drug to treat obesity. When the major pharmacy benefit manager informed patients about the change this year, it suggested that there was “another covered medication that’s safe and effective for your condition and may cost less”: namely Wegovy®, from Novo Nordisk, with which CVS Caremark announced a partnership just before the change took effect. <Read More> 

The Five Biggest Challenges Facing Retail Pharmacy – August 28, 2025 – Retail pharmacy operators face an array of challenges beyond PBM reform, which many observers say remains the single biggest obstacle to operating successfully in today’s environment. Among the most pressing issues is how the Medicare price negotiations that were included in the Inflation Reduction Act will play out at the retail level. Many retailers are concerned that reimbursement mechanisms might not be adequate to support their cash flow needs. In addition, the reimbursement models that evolve for GLP-1 drugs and other high-cost medications could also pose challenges for retailers. <Read More>

Getting a Covid Shot This Fall Could be a lot More Complicated – August 22, 2025 – The millions of Americans who are used to getting their Covid-19 vaccines at a local pharmacy may face new hurdles this fall depending on where they live and whether federal health officials have decided they qualify. Pharmacists’ authority to vaccinate individuals varies across state lines. In some places, it’s dependent upon a federal advisory process that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has upended. <Read More> 

Determining if LAAO Will Benefit Patients With Afib Using Novel AI Algorithm – August 16, 2025 – Researchers in Mayo Clinic Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery in collaboration with Cardiovascular Medicine developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to identify patients likely to benefit from transcatheter left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) versus direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). This algorithm can help patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) who need to be referred to a subspecialty for consultation. The findings were published in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology. <Read More>

Costco to Not Sell Abortion Pill Mifepristone at its US Pharmacy Stores – August 15, 2025 – Costco Wholesale (COST.O), opens new tab said on Thursday it has decided to not sell abortion pill mifepristone across all its U.S. pharmacy stores, citing low demand. "Our position at this time not to sell mifepristone, which has not changed, is based on the lack of demand from our members and other patients, who we understand generally have the drug dispensed by their medical providers," Costco said. The decision comes amid campaigns against the pill by religious activist groups, including Inspire Investing and Alliance Defending Freedom. <Read More> 

House, Senate Bills Would Expand Pharmacists’ Scope of Practice – August 14, 2025 – H.R. 3164, the Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act, has been sponsored by Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.). The bill would amend the Social Security Act to allow Medicare payment for pharmacists to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients for a range of illnesses including COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and streptococcal pharyngitis. The measure also would let pharmacists test and treat patients in response to an unspecified “public health need” related to a public health emergency. <Read More> 

Eli Lilly Accused of Bribing Providers to Prescribe GLP-1RA Drugs – August 13, 2025 – Despite posting record Q2 growth for its blockbuster weight loss and diabetes drug tirzepatide, Eli Lilly is facing legal challenge from a lawsuit filed in Texas that accuses the pharma company of bribing providers to prescribe its drugs.  Attorney General for Texas Ken Paxton and Health Choice Alliance claim Eli Lilly “offered illegal incentives” to medical providers in the southern state so its most profitable drugs, including popular glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) medications tirzepatide, marketed as Mounjaro® and Zepbound®, would be preferentially prescribed to patients. <Read More> 

An AI “Copilot” Can Reduce Prescription Errors That Put Patients at Risk – August 12, 2025 – “Take two aspirin and call me in the morning.” If only prescribing medications were as simple as that. In reality, the prescription process involves many players and steps. Details must be accurately spelled out, interpreted, and double-checked to ensure patients get the correct drug and dosage…With several collaborators at Amazon, Bayati developed an AI-based system for translating prescriptions with fewer errors. “An AI approach to this problem is a good choice because it’s capable of seeing patterns in prescription data and could flag prescriptions that match error-related patterns and write error-free ones,” Bayati says. <Read More>

340B in the News

AHA Accuses Drug Companies of Colluding to Impose 340B Rebate Plans – September 9, 2025 – The country’s largest hospital lobby is accusing five major drugmakers of secretly conspiring to transition to a rebate model in 340B, in the latest salvo between providers and pharmaceutical companies over the future of the drug discount program. On Monday, the American Hospital Association sent a letter to the heads of the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department’s antitrust division asking them to investigate Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly, Bristol Myers Squibb, Sanofi and Novartis for potential collusion. <Read More>

CBO Confirms 340B Drug Pricing Program Increases Costs for Federal Taxpayers – September 9, 2025 –  Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, issued the following statement in response to the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) report released September 9th, which confirmed the 340B Drug Pricing Program encourages behaviors that increase federal spending and raise prices for American taxpayers. Some of those behaviors include incentivizing the prescription of more expensive drugs, reducing negotiated rebates for insurers, and increasing vertical integration among facilities. <Read More> 

Read More

Clinical Insights: August 6th, 2025

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

August 1, 2025

July 29, 2025

July 28, 2025

July 24, 2025

July 23, 2025

July 21, 2025

July 17, 2025

Updated Drug Shortage

August 4, 2025

August 1, 2025

July 31, 2025

July 28, 2025

July 25, 2025

July 24, 2025

July 23, 2025

July 22, 2025

July 18, 2025

July 17, 2025

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> 


Read More

Clinical Insights: August 6th, 2025

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

August 1, 2025

July 29, 2025

July 28, 2025

July 24, 2025

July 23, 2025

July 21, 2025

July 17, 2025

Updated Drug Shortage

August 4, 2025

August 1, 2025

July 31, 2025

July 28, 2025

July 25, 2025

July 24, 2025

July 23, 2025

July 22, 2025

July 18, 2025

July 17, 2025

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> 


Read More

Clinical Insights: August 6th, 2025

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

August 1, 2025

July 29, 2025

July 28, 2025

July 24, 2025

July 23, 2025

July 21, 2025

July 17, 2025

Updated Drug Shortage

August 4, 2025

August 1, 2025

July 31, 2025

July 28, 2025

July 25, 2025

July 24, 2025

July 23, 2025

July 22, 2025

July 18, 2025

July 17, 2025

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> 


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Clinical Insights: June 4th, 2025

New Drug/Vaccine Approval

Tryptyr® (acoltremon) Ophthalmic Solution – New Drug Approval – May 28, 2025 - Alcon (SIX/NYSE: ALC), the global leader in eye care dedicated to helping people see brilliantly, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tryptyr® (acoltremon ophthalmic solution) 0.003%, formerly known as AR-15512, for the treatment of signs and symptoms of Dry Eye Disease (DED). Tryptyr® is a first-in-class TRPM8 receptor agonist (neuromodulator) that stimulates corneal sensory nerves to rapidly increase natural tear production. DED is a complex, multifactorial condition driven by a deficiency in natural tears, whether due to decreased tear production or increased tear evaporation. <Read More>

Yutrepia™ (treprostinil) Inhalation Powder - formerly LIQ861 – New Drug Approval – May 23, 2025 - Liquidia Corporation (NASDAQ: LQDA), a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies for patients with rare cardiopulmonary disease, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Yutrepia™ (treprostinil) inhalation powder, a prostacyclin analog for adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD) to improve exercise ability. Yutrepia™ is the first and only prostacyclin dry-powder formulation enabled by Liquidia’s proprietary PRINT™ technology, which yields uniform, free-flowing particles designed to enhance deep-lung delivery via an easy-to-use, low-effort device requiring less inspiratory effort. <Read More> 

Nuvaxovid™ (COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted) Injectable Suspension - formerly Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine – New Vaccine Approval – May 16, 2025 - Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Biologics License Application (BLA) for Nuvaxovid™ for active immunization to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in adults 65 years and older and individuals 12 through 64 years who have at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19 (e.g. asthma, cancer, diabetes, obesity, smoking).1 Achievement of the U.S. license approval has triggered a $175 million milestone payment from Sanofi. <Read More> 

Emrelis™ (telisotuzumab vedotin-tllv) Lyophilized Powder for Injection - formerly Teliso-V – New Drug Approval – May 14, 2025 - AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) announced that Emrelis™ (telisotuzumab vedotin-tllv) has been granted accelerated approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic, non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with high c-Met protein overexpression (OE) who have received a prior systemic therapy. High c-Met protein overexpression is defined as ≥ 50% of tumor cells with strong (3+) staining as determined by an FDA-approved test. <Read More> 

Brekiya® (dihydroergotamine mesylate) Injection – New Drug Approval – May 14, 2025 - Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMRX) (“Amneal” or the “Company”) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Brekiya® (dihydroergotamine mesylate) injection, the first and only dihydroergotamine (DHE) autoinjector for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura and the acute treatment of cluster headaches in adults. <Read More> 

Avmapki™ Fakzynja™ Co-Pack (avutometinib and defactinib, co-packaged) Capsules/Tablets – New Drug Approval – May 8, 2025 - The Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to the combination of avutometinib and defactinib (Avmapki™ Fakzynja™ Co-pack, Verastem, Inc.) for adult patients with KRAS-mutated recurrent low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC) who have received prior systemic therapy. Efficacy was evaluated in RAMP-201 (NCT04625270), an open-label, multicenter trial that included 57 adult patients with measurable KRAS-mutated recurrent LGSOC. <Read More>  

Atzumi™ (dihydroergotamine mesylate) Nasal Powder - formerly STS101 – New Drug Approval – April 30, 2025 - Satsuma Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a late-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to bringing novel treatments to people who suffer from migraine and other debilitating conditions, and its corporate parent, Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories, Ltd. (TSE:2395), announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a 505(b)(2) New Drug Application (NDA) for Atzumi™ (dihydroergotamine (DHE)) nasal powder for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults. Atzumi™ was previously known as STS101. <Read More> 

Imaavy™ (nipocalimab-aahu) Injection – New Drug Approval – April 29, 2025 - Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Imaavy™ (nipocalimab-aahu), a human FcRn-blocking monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). The approval, which follows FDA Priority Review designation, offers a new treatment option in a proven class with the potential for lasting disease control in the broadest population of people living with gMG (adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older who are anti-acetylcholine receptor [AChR] or anti-muscle-specific kinase [MuSK] antibody positive). <Read More> 

Zevaskyn™ (prademagene zamikeracel) Gene-Modified Cellular Sheets – New Drug Approval – April 28, 2025 - Abeona Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: ABEO) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Zevaskyn™ (pronounced as ‘ZEE-vah-skin’) (prademagene zamikeracel) gene-modified cellular sheets, also known as pz-cel, as the first and only autologous cell-based gene therapy for the treatment of wounds in adult and pediatric patients with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), a serious and debilitating genetic skin disease. There is no cure for RDEB and Zevaskyn™ is the only FDA-approved product to treat RDEB wounds with a single application. <Read More> 

New Label Expansions

Nucala® (mepolizumab) Injection – New Label Expansion – May 22, 2025 – GSK plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Nucala® (mepolizumab) as an add-on maintenance treatment for adult patients with inadequately controlled COPD and an eosinophilic phenotype. FDA’s approval was based on data from the positive MATINEE and METREX phase III trials. Across these trials, mepolizumab showed a clinically meaningful and statistically significant reduction in the annualised rate of moderate/severe exacerbations versus placebo in a wide spectrum of COPD patients with an eosinophilic phenotype. <Read More> 

Zoryve® (roflumilast) Cream and Foam – New Label Expansion – May 22, 2025 – Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQT), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing meaningful innovations in immuno-dermatology, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for Zoryve® (roflumilast) topical foam 0.3% for the treatment of plaque psoriasis of the scalp and body in adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older. Zoryve® foam is a once-daily, steroid-free topical and is now widely available as a treatment for plaque psoriasis. <Read More>

Susvimo® (ranibizumab) Injection for Intravitreal Use via Ocular Implant – New Label Expansion – May 21, 2025 – Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Susvimo® (ranibizumab injection) 100 mg/mL for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR), a potentially blinding condition that affects almost 10 million people in the U.S. and more than 100 million people globally. It is the first and only FDA-approved continuous delivery treatment shown to maintain vision in people with DR with just one refill every nine months. <Read More> 

Yuflyma® (adalimumab-aaty) Injection – New Label Expansion – May 21, 2025 – Celltrion, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted an expanded interchangeable designation for Yuflyma® (adalimumab-aaty), now including prefilled syringe (40mg) and autoinjectors (40mg and 80mg) presentations. With this approval, Yuflyma® is now fully interchangeable with the reference product, Humira® (adalimumab), across all marketed dosage forms and strengths. Yuflyma® is a high-concentration, citrate-free biosimilar to Humira®, approved for multiple inflammatory indications including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), ulcerative colitis (UC), plaque psoriasis (Ps), hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), and uveitis (UV) in adult patients; Crohn's disease (CD) in adults and pediatric patients 6 years of age and older; and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in patients 2 years of age and older. <Read More> 

Hadlima™ (adalimumab-bwwd) Injection – New Label Expansion – May 21, 2025 – Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd. and Organon & Co. (NYSE: OGN) announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated the Hadlima™ (adalimumab-bwwd) high- and low-concentration (40 mg/0.4 mL, 40 mg/0.8 mL) autoinjectors and high-concentration prefilled syringe as interchangeable biosimilars to Humira® (adalimumab). These interchangeability designations follow the interchangeability designation received for the HADLIMA low-concentration (40 mg/0.8 mL) prefilled syringe and single-dose vial in June 2024. With these additional interchangeability designations, Hadlima™ is now interchangeable with all presentations of the reference product. An interchangeability designation enables a pharmacist to substitute the reference product with a biosimilar without the need to consult the prescriber, depending on state pharmacy laws. <Read More> 

Jivi® (antihemophilic factor [recombinant] PEGylated-aucl) Injection – New Label Expansion – May 19, 2025 – Bayer announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Jivi®, a recombinant DNA-derived, extended half-life factor VIII concentrate, for use in pediatric patients 7 years of age and older with hemophilia A (congenital Factor VIII deficiency). The approval is based on data from the Alfa-PROTECT and PROTECT Kids studies, demonstrating Jivi’s safety and efficacy in children aged 7 to under 12 years with severe hemophilia A. <Read More> 

Zynyz® (retifanlimab-dlwr) Injection – New Label Expansion – May 15, 2025 – Incyte (Nasdaq:INCY) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Zynyz® (retifanlimab-dlwr), a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1), in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel (platinum-based chemotherapy) for the first-line treatment of adult patients with inoperable locally recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCAC). In addition, the FDA granted approval for Zynyz® as a single agent for the treatment of adult patients with locally recurrent or with metastatic SCAC with disease progression on or intolerance to platinum-based chemotherapy. <Read More>

Welireg® (belzutifan) Tablets – New Label Expansion – May 14, 2025 – Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Welireg® (belzutifan), Merck’s oral hypoxia-inducible factor-2 alpha (HIF-2α) inhibitor, for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients 12 years and older with locally advanced, unresectable, or metastatic pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma (PPGL). Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma are rare tumors that come from the same tissue, but pheochromocytoma form in the adrenal gland and paraganglioma form outside the adrenal gland. These tumors can be caused by certain genetic syndromes or mutations. The approval is based on data from the single-arm LITESPARK-015 clinical trial, where the primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR). <Read More> 

Selarsdi™ (ustekinumab-aekn) Injection – New Label Expansion – April 30, 2025 – Teva Pharmaceuticals, a U.S. affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA), and Alvotech (NASDAQ: ALVO) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Selarsdi™ (ustekinumab-aekn) injection as interchangeable with the reference biologic Stelara® (ustekinumab). As of April 30, 2025, Selarsdi™ is available and interchangeable in all presentations matching the reference product, including the treatment of adults and pediatric psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis, as well as Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis. <Read More> 

Otulfi® (ustekinumab-aauz) Injection – New Label Expansion – April 30, 2025 – Fresenius Kabi, an operating company of Fresenius, and Formycon AG, announced that the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designated Otulfi® (ustekinumab-aauz) as an interchangeable biosimilar to the reference product Stelara® (ustekinumab). Depending on state pharmacy laws in the U.S., an interchangeable biosimilar can be dispensed at the pharmacy as a substitute for the reference product without requiring direct approval from the prescribing healthcare provider. Not all biosimilars receive interchangeability status. <Read More> 

Rinvoq® (upadacitinib) Extended-Release Tablets – New Label Expansion – April 28, 2025 - AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Rinvoq® (upadacitinib), 15 mg, once daily, for the treatment of adults with giant cell arteritis (GCA). This comes after the European Commission recently granted marketing authorization of Rinvoq® for the treatment of GCA in adult patients. The approvals are supported by results of the pivotal Phase 3 SELECT-GCA clinical trial, which met the primary endpoint of sustained remission. <Read More> 

New Drug Shortage

May 30, 2025

May 28, 2025

May 23, 2025

May 19, 2025

May 14, 2025

Updated Drug Shortage

May 28, 2025

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May 22, 2025

May 21, 2025

May 20, 2025

New Drug Recall and Safety Alerts

No new update.

New Generic/Biosimilar Approval and Launch

Tasigna® (nilotinib) Capsules – New Generic Approval – May 27, 2025 – Apotex Corp. announced the launch of nilotinib capsules, a generic version of Tasigna®, in the United States, with 180 days of exclusivity. Nilotinib is a kinase inhibitor indicated to treat certain types of leukemia, including newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia ("Ph+ CML") in chronic phase in adults and children aged 1 year and older. It is also indicated for adults and pediatric patients with chronic or accelerated phase Ph+ CML with resistance or intolerance to prior therapy, demonstrating higher efficacy compared with other available treatments. <Read More> 

Starjemza® (ustekinumab-hmny) Injection – New Stelara® Biosimilar Approval – May 22, 2025 - Bio-Thera Solutions, Ltd (688177:SH), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a pipeline of biosimilars and innovative assets and Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC, along with its wholly owned subsidiary Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Starjemza® (ustekinumab-hmny) Injection, a biosimilar referencing Stelara® (ustekinumab) Injection. Starjemza® is Bio-Thera’s third FDA approved product. <Read More> 

Clinical and Pharmacy News

Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Recommendations for Nondrug Treatment – June 1, 2025 – First-line recommendations for chronic musculoskeletal pain include cognitive behavioral therapy, multicomponent self-management interventions, and, for specific areas, exercise and psychological therapies. Other treatments may be effective, but quality of evidence issues preclude making recommendations about those treatments. It is important for care to be patient-centered and use a shared decision-making model between providers and individuals experiencing chronic pain. <Read More> 

Medical Errors are Still Harming Patients. AI Could Help Change That – May 25, 2025 – John Wiederspan is well aware of how things can go wrong in the high-pressure, high-stakes environment of an operating room. “During situations such as trauma or a patient doing poorly, there’s a real rush to try and get emergency drugs into the patient as fast as possible,” said Wiederspan, a nurse anesthetist at UW Medicine in Seattle. “And that’s when mistakes can occur, when you’re flustered, your adrenaline’s rushing, you’re drawing up drugs and you’re trying to push them.” <Read More> 

New Migraine Recommendations Make Treatment Options More Accessible – May 21, 2025 – More than 15% of adults in the United States (that’s roughly 41 million Americans) experience migraine attacks. This neurologic condition—which may include blinding pain, nausea, a loss or distortion of vision, and a heightened sensitivity to light and sound—contributes to lost work and healthcare costs. But until recently, there were no official, evidenced-based recommendations for primary care physicians on how to treat these types of episodic (occurring less than 15 times a month) headaches. Now for the first time the American College of Physicians (ACP) has issued new treatment guidelines based on an extensive and independent review… <Read More> 

Closing the Affordability Gap: How Automation is Advancing Biosimilar Adoption – May 19, 2025 – Millions of Americans are currently facing a difficult choice: either pay for expensive biologic medications or ration doses to afford basic needs. Cost-related nonadherence (CRN) is where patients either skip or delay their medication due to cost concerns, a challenge that is widespread throughout the U.S. The financial burden is even greater for those managing multiple chronic conditions, where prescription costs can quickly add up to unmanageable amounts. Despite the financial strain, biosimilars—lower-cost alternatives to expensive biologics—remain vastly underutilized. <Read More> 

FDA Biosimilar Approvals set for Record-Breaking Year Amid US Pricing Reforms – May 16, 2025 – 2024 saw the highest number of biosimilars approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a calendar year, with this year set to break this record again, analysis suggests. The FDA approved 19 biosimilars last year, a sharp jump from the five greenlit by the agency in 2023. GlobalData’s Bio/Pharmaceutical Outsourcing Report notes that momentum for biosimilars is set to accelerate. A total of 18 biologics will lose patent protection in 2025, up from 14 in 2024. This includes blockbuster products such as Amgen’s Prolia® (denosumab) and Roche’s Perjeta® (pertuzumab). <Read More> 

Trump's Drug Pricing Order Delivers Blow to Pharmacy Benefit Managers – May 12, 2025 -President Donald Trump on Monday delivered a blow to the private-sector middlemen who negotiate U.S. drug prices in his executive order on drug pricing, saying he would cut them out as part of a goal to bring the U.S. in line with other countries. The news drove their shares down even as pharmaceutical stocks rose in investor relief about the broad order. "We're going to cut out the middlemen and facilitate the direct sale of drugs at the most favored nation price, directly to the American citizen," Trump said during a press conference. <Read More> 

340B in the News

Unpacking the 25% HHS Budget Cut Proposed by the Trump Administration – June 2, 2025 – A recent budget document prepared by the White House is giving new clarity over how the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) could operate for fiscal year 2026. The document closely mirrored other budgetary insights from earlier this year. Under the wishes of President Donald Trump’s staff, the department’s discretionary budget would be nearly $95 billion, a $32 billion decrease amounting to a one-fourth slashing. Congress has final authority on submitting the budget, so some proposals may not be carried out, but the newest budget outline gives the clearest sense yet of the administration’s priorities. Committees on the Hill are expected to begin marking up the budget this week. <Read More> 

Future of 340B Rebate Models Hinges on Regulatory Decision Point – May 20, 2025 – A federal judge has sided with a US government agency in a simmering battle over a federal drug discount plan, ruling that it has the right to first approve a controversial proposal by several pharmaceutical companies to use rebates – instead of upfront discounts – when selling medicines to hospitals. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is expected to take a more definitive move next month. The ruling came after some companies sought to change payment terms for transactions conducted as part of the 340B Drug Discount Program, which was created to make sure vulnerable patients have access to medicines. <Read More> 

Judge Shuts Down Drugmakers’ 340B Rebate Plans, for now – May 19, 2025 – Drugmakers have to continue paying hospitals upfront discounts for drugs in the 340B program — at least in the near term — after a federal court ruled late last week against major manufacturers that wanted to issue rebates for 340B drugs instead. However, the D.C. district court didn’t entirely rule out drugmakers’ paying after-the-fact rebates in the future, instead determining that the companies would need to get prior approval from the Health Resources and Services Administration, the HHS subagency that oversees 340B. It also directed HRSA to reconsider a rebate plan from Sanofi that regulators had denied. <Read More> 

Read More

Clinical Insights: June 4th, 2025

New Drug/Vaccine Approval

Tryptyr® (acoltremon) Ophthalmic Solution – New Drug Approval – May 28, 2025 - Alcon (SIX/NYSE: ALC), the global leader in eye care dedicated to helping people see brilliantly, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tryptyr® (acoltremon ophthalmic solution) 0.003%, formerly known as AR-15512, for the treatment of signs and symptoms of Dry Eye Disease (DED). Tryptyr® is a first-in-class TRPM8 receptor agonist (neuromodulator) that stimulates corneal sensory nerves to rapidly increase natural tear production. DED is a complex, multifactorial condition driven by a deficiency in natural tears, whether due to decreased tear production or increased tear evaporation. <Read More>

Yutrepia™ (treprostinil) Inhalation Powder - formerly LIQ861 – New Drug Approval – May 23, 2025 - Liquidia Corporation (NASDAQ: LQDA), a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies for patients with rare cardiopulmonary disease, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Yutrepia™ (treprostinil) inhalation powder, a prostacyclin analog for adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD) to improve exercise ability. Yutrepia™ is the first and only prostacyclin dry-powder formulation enabled by Liquidia’s proprietary PRINT™ technology, which yields uniform, free-flowing particles designed to enhance deep-lung delivery via an easy-to-use, low-effort device requiring less inspiratory effort. <Read More> 

Nuvaxovid™ (COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted) Injectable Suspension - formerly Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine – New Vaccine Approval – May 16, 2025 - Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Biologics License Application (BLA) for Nuvaxovid™ for active immunization to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in adults 65 years and older and individuals 12 through 64 years who have at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19 (e.g. asthma, cancer, diabetes, obesity, smoking).1 Achievement of the U.S. license approval has triggered a $175 million milestone payment from Sanofi. <Read More> 

Emrelis™ (telisotuzumab vedotin-tllv) Lyophilized Powder for Injection - formerly Teliso-V – New Drug Approval – May 14, 2025 - AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) announced that Emrelis™ (telisotuzumab vedotin-tllv) has been granted accelerated approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic, non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with high c-Met protein overexpression (OE) who have received a prior systemic therapy. High c-Met protein overexpression is defined as ≥ 50% of tumor cells with strong (3+) staining as determined by an FDA-approved test. <Read More> 

Brekiya® (dihydroergotamine mesylate) Injection – New Drug Approval – May 14, 2025 - Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMRX) (“Amneal” or the “Company”) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Brekiya® (dihydroergotamine mesylate) injection, the first and only dihydroergotamine (DHE) autoinjector for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura and the acute treatment of cluster headaches in adults. <Read More> 

Avmapki™ Fakzynja™ Co-Pack (avutometinib and defactinib, co-packaged) Capsules/Tablets – New Drug Approval – May 8, 2025 - The Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to the combination of avutometinib and defactinib (Avmapki™ Fakzynja™ Co-pack, Verastem, Inc.) for adult patients with KRAS-mutated recurrent low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC) who have received prior systemic therapy. Efficacy was evaluated in RAMP-201 (NCT04625270), an open-label, multicenter trial that included 57 adult patients with measurable KRAS-mutated recurrent LGSOC. <Read More>  

Atzumi™ (dihydroergotamine mesylate) Nasal Powder - formerly STS101 – New Drug Approval – April 30, 2025 - Satsuma Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a late-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to bringing novel treatments to people who suffer from migraine and other debilitating conditions, and its corporate parent, Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories, Ltd. (TSE:2395), announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a 505(b)(2) New Drug Application (NDA) for Atzumi™ (dihydroergotamine (DHE)) nasal powder for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults. Atzumi™ was previously known as STS101. <Read More> 

Imaavy™ (nipocalimab-aahu) Injection – New Drug Approval – April 29, 2025 - Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Imaavy™ (nipocalimab-aahu), a human FcRn-blocking monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). The approval, which follows FDA Priority Review designation, offers a new treatment option in a proven class with the potential for lasting disease control in the broadest population of people living with gMG (adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older who are anti-acetylcholine receptor [AChR] or anti-muscle-specific kinase [MuSK] antibody positive). <Read More> 

Zevaskyn™ (prademagene zamikeracel) Gene-Modified Cellular Sheets – New Drug Approval – April 28, 2025 - Abeona Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: ABEO) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Zevaskyn™ (pronounced as ‘ZEE-vah-skin’) (prademagene zamikeracel) gene-modified cellular sheets, also known as pz-cel, as the first and only autologous cell-based gene therapy for the treatment of wounds in adult and pediatric patients with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), a serious and debilitating genetic skin disease. There is no cure for RDEB and Zevaskyn™ is the only FDA-approved product to treat RDEB wounds with a single application. <Read More> 

New Label Expansions

Nucala® (mepolizumab) Injection – New Label Expansion – May 22, 2025 – GSK plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Nucala® (mepolizumab) as an add-on maintenance treatment for adult patients with inadequately controlled COPD and an eosinophilic phenotype. FDA’s approval was based on data from the positive MATINEE and METREX phase III trials. Across these trials, mepolizumab showed a clinically meaningful and statistically significant reduction in the annualised rate of moderate/severe exacerbations versus placebo in a wide spectrum of COPD patients with an eosinophilic phenotype. <Read More> 

Zoryve® (roflumilast) Cream and Foam – New Label Expansion – May 22, 2025 – Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQT), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing meaningful innovations in immuno-dermatology, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for Zoryve® (roflumilast) topical foam 0.3% for the treatment of plaque psoriasis of the scalp and body in adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older. Zoryve® foam is a once-daily, steroid-free topical and is now widely available as a treatment for plaque psoriasis. <Read More>

Susvimo® (ranibizumab) Injection for Intravitreal Use via Ocular Implant – New Label Expansion – May 21, 2025 – Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Susvimo® (ranibizumab injection) 100 mg/mL for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR), a potentially blinding condition that affects almost 10 million people in the U.S. and more than 100 million people globally. It is the first and only FDA-approved continuous delivery treatment shown to maintain vision in people with DR with just one refill every nine months. <Read More> 

Yuflyma® (adalimumab-aaty) Injection – New Label Expansion – May 21, 2025 – Celltrion, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted an expanded interchangeable designation for Yuflyma® (adalimumab-aaty), now including prefilled syringe (40mg) and autoinjectors (40mg and 80mg) presentations. With this approval, Yuflyma® is now fully interchangeable with the reference product, Humira® (adalimumab), across all marketed dosage forms and strengths. Yuflyma® is a high-concentration, citrate-free biosimilar to Humira®, approved for multiple inflammatory indications including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), ulcerative colitis (UC), plaque psoriasis (Ps), hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), and uveitis (UV) in adult patients; Crohn's disease (CD) in adults and pediatric patients 6 years of age and older; and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in patients 2 years of age and older. <Read More> 

Hadlima™ (adalimumab-bwwd) Injection – New Label Expansion – May 21, 2025 – Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd. and Organon & Co. (NYSE: OGN) announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated the Hadlima™ (adalimumab-bwwd) high- and low-concentration (40 mg/0.4 mL, 40 mg/0.8 mL) autoinjectors and high-concentration prefilled syringe as interchangeable biosimilars to Humira® (adalimumab). These interchangeability designations follow the interchangeability designation received for the HADLIMA low-concentration (40 mg/0.8 mL) prefilled syringe and single-dose vial in June 2024. With these additional interchangeability designations, Hadlima™ is now interchangeable with all presentations of the reference product. An interchangeability designation enables a pharmacist to substitute the reference product with a biosimilar without the need to consult the prescriber, depending on state pharmacy laws. <Read More> 

Jivi® (antihemophilic factor [recombinant] PEGylated-aucl) Injection – New Label Expansion – May 19, 2025 – Bayer announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Jivi®, a recombinant DNA-derived, extended half-life factor VIII concentrate, for use in pediatric patients 7 years of age and older with hemophilia A (congenital Factor VIII deficiency). The approval is based on data from the Alfa-PROTECT and PROTECT Kids studies, demonstrating Jivi’s safety and efficacy in children aged 7 to under 12 years with severe hemophilia A. <Read More> 

Zynyz® (retifanlimab-dlwr) Injection – New Label Expansion – May 15, 2025 – Incyte (Nasdaq:INCY) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Zynyz® (retifanlimab-dlwr), a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1), in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel (platinum-based chemotherapy) for the first-line treatment of adult patients with inoperable locally recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCAC). In addition, the FDA granted approval for Zynyz® as a single agent for the treatment of adult patients with locally recurrent or with metastatic SCAC with disease progression on or intolerance to platinum-based chemotherapy. <Read More>

Welireg® (belzutifan) Tablets – New Label Expansion – May 14, 2025 – Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Welireg® (belzutifan), Merck’s oral hypoxia-inducible factor-2 alpha (HIF-2α) inhibitor, for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients 12 years and older with locally advanced, unresectable, or metastatic pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma (PPGL). Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma are rare tumors that come from the same tissue, but pheochromocytoma form in the adrenal gland and paraganglioma form outside the adrenal gland. These tumors can be caused by certain genetic syndromes or mutations. The approval is based on data from the single-arm LITESPARK-015 clinical trial, where the primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR). <Read More> 

Selarsdi™ (ustekinumab-aekn) Injection – New Label Expansion – April 30, 2025 – Teva Pharmaceuticals, a U.S. affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA), and Alvotech (NASDAQ: ALVO) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Selarsdi™ (ustekinumab-aekn) injection as interchangeable with the reference biologic Stelara® (ustekinumab). As of April 30, 2025, Selarsdi™ is available and interchangeable in all presentations matching the reference product, including the treatment of adults and pediatric psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis, as well as Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis. <Read More> 

Otulfi® (ustekinumab-aauz) Injection – New Label Expansion – April 30, 2025 – Fresenius Kabi, an operating company of Fresenius, and Formycon AG, announced that the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designated Otulfi® (ustekinumab-aauz) as an interchangeable biosimilar to the reference product Stelara® (ustekinumab). Depending on state pharmacy laws in the U.S., an interchangeable biosimilar can be dispensed at the pharmacy as a substitute for the reference product without requiring direct approval from the prescribing healthcare provider. Not all biosimilars receive interchangeability status. <Read More> 

Rinvoq® (upadacitinib) Extended-Release Tablets – New Label Expansion – April 28, 2025 - AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Rinvoq® (upadacitinib), 15 mg, once daily, for the treatment of adults with giant cell arteritis (GCA). This comes after the European Commission recently granted marketing authorization of Rinvoq® for the treatment of GCA in adult patients. The approvals are supported by results of the pivotal Phase 3 SELECT-GCA clinical trial, which met the primary endpoint of sustained remission. <Read More> 

New Drug Shortage

May 30, 2025

May 28, 2025

May 23, 2025

May 19, 2025

May 14, 2025

Updated Drug Shortage

May 28, 2025

May 23, 2025

May 22, 2025

May 21, 2025

May 20, 2025

New Drug Recall and Safety Alerts

No new update.

New Generic/Biosimilar Approval and Launch

Tasigna® (nilotinib) Capsules – New Generic Approval – May 27, 2025 – Apotex Corp. announced the launch of nilotinib capsules, a generic version of Tasigna®, in the United States, with 180 days of exclusivity. Nilotinib is a kinase inhibitor indicated to treat certain types of leukemia, including newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia ("Ph+ CML") in chronic phase in adults and children aged 1 year and older. It is also indicated for adults and pediatric patients with chronic or accelerated phase Ph+ CML with resistance or intolerance to prior therapy, demonstrating higher efficacy compared with other available treatments. <Read More> 

Starjemza® (ustekinumab-hmny) Injection – New Stelara® Biosimilar Approval – May 22, 2025 - Bio-Thera Solutions, Ltd (688177:SH), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a pipeline of biosimilars and innovative assets and Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC, along with its wholly owned subsidiary Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Starjemza® (ustekinumab-hmny) Injection, a biosimilar referencing Stelara® (ustekinumab) Injection. Starjemza® is Bio-Thera’s third FDA approved product. <Read More> 

Clinical and Pharmacy News

Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Recommendations for Nondrug Treatment – June 1, 2025 – First-line recommendations for chronic musculoskeletal pain include cognitive behavioral therapy, multicomponent self-management interventions, and, for specific areas, exercise and psychological therapies. Other treatments may be effective, but quality of evidence issues preclude making recommendations about those treatments. It is important for care to be patient-centered and use a shared decision-making model between providers and individuals experiencing chronic pain. <Read More> 

Medical Errors are Still Harming Patients. AI Could Help Change That – May 25, 2025 – John Wiederspan is well aware of how things can go wrong in the high-pressure, high-stakes environment of an operating room. “During situations such as trauma or a patient doing poorly, there’s a real rush to try and get emergency drugs into the patient as fast as possible,” said Wiederspan, a nurse anesthetist at UW Medicine in Seattle. “And that’s when mistakes can occur, when you’re flustered, your adrenaline’s rushing, you’re drawing up drugs and you’re trying to push them.” <Read More> 

New Migraine Recommendations Make Treatment Options More Accessible – May 21, 2025 – More than 15% of adults in the United States (that’s roughly 41 million Americans) experience migraine attacks. This neurologic condition—which may include blinding pain, nausea, a loss or distortion of vision, and a heightened sensitivity to light and sound—contributes to lost work and healthcare costs. But until recently, there were no official, evidenced-based recommendations for primary care physicians on how to treat these types of episodic (occurring less than 15 times a month) headaches. Now for the first time the American College of Physicians (ACP) has issued new treatment guidelines based on an extensive and independent review… <Read More> 

Closing the Affordability Gap: How Automation is Advancing Biosimilar Adoption – May 19, 2025 – Millions of Americans are currently facing a difficult choice: either pay for expensive biologic medications or ration doses to afford basic needs. Cost-related nonadherence (CRN) is where patients either skip or delay their medication due to cost concerns, a challenge that is widespread throughout the U.S. The financial burden is even greater for those managing multiple chronic conditions, where prescription costs can quickly add up to unmanageable amounts. Despite the financial strain, biosimilars—lower-cost alternatives to expensive biologics—remain vastly underutilized. <Read More> 

FDA Biosimilar Approvals set for Record-Breaking Year Amid US Pricing Reforms – May 16, 2025 – 2024 saw the highest number of biosimilars approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a calendar year, with this year set to break this record again, analysis suggests. The FDA approved 19 biosimilars last year, a sharp jump from the five greenlit by the agency in 2023. GlobalData’s Bio/Pharmaceutical Outsourcing Report notes that momentum for biosimilars is set to accelerate. A total of 18 biologics will lose patent protection in 2025, up from 14 in 2024. This includes blockbuster products such as Amgen’s Prolia® (denosumab) and Roche’s Perjeta® (pertuzumab). <Read More> 

Trump's Drug Pricing Order Delivers Blow to Pharmacy Benefit Managers – May 12, 2025 -President Donald Trump on Monday delivered a blow to the private-sector middlemen who negotiate U.S. drug prices in his executive order on drug pricing, saying he would cut them out as part of a goal to bring the U.S. in line with other countries. The news drove their shares down even as pharmaceutical stocks rose in investor relief about the broad order. "We're going to cut out the middlemen and facilitate the direct sale of drugs at the most favored nation price, directly to the American citizen," Trump said during a press conference. <Read More> 

340B in the News

Unpacking the 25% HHS Budget Cut Proposed by the Trump Administration – June 2, 2025 – A recent budget document prepared by the White House is giving new clarity over how the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) could operate for fiscal year 2026. The document closely mirrored other budgetary insights from earlier this year. Under the wishes of President Donald Trump’s staff, the department’s discretionary budget would be nearly $95 billion, a $32 billion decrease amounting to a one-fourth slashing. Congress has final authority on submitting the budget, so some proposals may not be carried out, but the newest budget outline gives the clearest sense yet of the administration’s priorities. Committees on the Hill are expected to begin marking up the budget this week. <Read More> 

Future of 340B Rebate Models Hinges on Regulatory Decision Point – May 20, 2025 – A federal judge has sided with a US government agency in a simmering battle over a federal drug discount plan, ruling that it has the right to first approve a controversial proposal by several pharmaceutical companies to use rebates – instead of upfront discounts – when selling medicines to hospitals. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is expected to take a more definitive move next month. The ruling came after some companies sought to change payment terms for transactions conducted as part of the 340B Drug Discount Program, which was created to make sure vulnerable patients have access to medicines. <Read More> 

Judge Shuts Down Drugmakers’ 340B Rebate Plans, for now – May 19, 2025 – Drugmakers have to continue paying hospitals upfront discounts for drugs in the 340B program — at least in the near term — after a federal court ruled late last week against major manufacturers that wanted to issue rebates for 340B drugs instead. However, the D.C. district court didn’t entirely rule out drugmakers’ paying after-the-fact rebates in the future, instead determining that the companies would need to get prior approval from the Health Resources and Services Administration, the HHS subagency that oversees 340B. It also directed HRSA to reconsider a rebate plan from Sanofi that regulators had denied. <Read More> 

Read More

Clinical Insights: June 4th, 2025

New Drug/Vaccine Approval

Tryptyr® (acoltremon) Ophthalmic Solution – New Drug Approval – May 28, 2025 - Alcon (SIX/NYSE: ALC), the global leader in eye care dedicated to helping people see brilliantly, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tryptyr® (acoltremon ophthalmic solution) 0.003%, formerly known as AR-15512, for the treatment of signs and symptoms of Dry Eye Disease (DED). Tryptyr® is a first-in-class TRPM8 receptor agonist (neuromodulator) that stimulates corneal sensory nerves to rapidly increase natural tear production. DED is a complex, multifactorial condition driven by a deficiency in natural tears, whether due to decreased tear production or increased tear evaporation. <Read More>

Yutrepia™ (treprostinil) Inhalation Powder - formerly LIQ861 – New Drug Approval – May 23, 2025 - Liquidia Corporation (NASDAQ: LQDA), a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies for patients with rare cardiopulmonary disease, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Yutrepia™ (treprostinil) inhalation powder, a prostacyclin analog for adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD) to improve exercise ability. Yutrepia™ is the first and only prostacyclin dry-powder formulation enabled by Liquidia’s proprietary PRINT™ technology, which yields uniform, free-flowing particles designed to enhance deep-lung delivery via an easy-to-use, low-effort device requiring less inspiratory effort. <Read More> 

Nuvaxovid™ (COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted) Injectable Suspension - formerly Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine – New Vaccine Approval – May 16, 2025 - Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Biologics License Application (BLA) for Nuvaxovid™ for active immunization to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in adults 65 years and older and individuals 12 through 64 years who have at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19 (e.g. asthma, cancer, diabetes, obesity, smoking).1 Achievement of the U.S. license approval has triggered a $175 million milestone payment from Sanofi. <Read More> 

Emrelis™ (telisotuzumab vedotin-tllv) Lyophilized Powder for Injection - formerly Teliso-V – New Drug Approval – May 14, 2025 - AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) announced that Emrelis™ (telisotuzumab vedotin-tllv) has been granted accelerated approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic, non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with high c-Met protein overexpression (OE) who have received a prior systemic therapy. High c-Met protein overexpression is defined as ≥ 50% of tumor cells with strong (3+) staining as determined by an FDA-approved test. <Read More> 

Brekiya® (dihydroergotamine mesylate) Injection – New Drug Approval – May 14, 2025 - Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMRX) (“Amneal” or the “Company”) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Brekiya® (dihydroergotamine mesylate) injection, the first and only dihydroergotamine (DHE) autoinjector for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura and the acute treatment of cluster headaches in adults. <Read More> 

Avmapki™ Fakzynja™ Co-Pack (avutometinib and defactinib, co-packaged) Capsules/Tablets – New Drug Approval – May 8, 2025 - The Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to the combination of avutometinib and defactinib (Avmapki™ Fakzynja™ Co-pack, Verastem, Inc.) for adult patients with KRAS-mutated recurrent low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC) who have received prior systemic therapy. Efficacy was evaluated in RAMP-201 (NCT04625270), an open-label, multicenter trial that included 57 adult patients with measurable KRAS-mutated recurrent LGSOC. <Read More>  

Atzumi™ (dihydroergotamine mesylate) Nasal Powder - formerly STS101 – New Drug Approval – April 30, 2025 - Satsuma Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a late-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to bringing novel treatments to people who suffer from migraine and other debilitating conditions, and its corporate parent, Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories, Ltd. (TSE:2395), announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a 505(b)(2) New Drug Application (NDA) for Atzumi™ (dihydroergotamine (DHE)) nasal powder for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults. Atzumi™ was previously known as STS101. <Read More> 

Imaavy™ (nipocalimab-aahu) Injection – New Drug Approval – April 29, 2025 - Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Imaavy™ (nipocalimab-aahu), a human FcRn-blocking monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). The approval, which follows FDA Priority Review designation, offers a new treatment option in a proven class with the potential for lasting disease control in the broadest population of people living with gMG (adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older who are anti-acetylcholine receptor [AChR] or anti-muscle-specific kinase [MuSK] antibody positive). <Read More> 

Zevaskyn™ (prademagene zamikeracel) Gene-Modified Cellular Sheets – New Drug Approval – April 28, 2025 - Abeona Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: ABEO) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Zevaskyn™ (pronounced as ‘ZEE-vah-skin’) (prademagene zamikeracel) gene-modified cellular sheets, also known as pz-cel, as the first and only autologous cell-based gene therapy for the treatment of wounds in adult and pediatric patients with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), a serious and debilitating genetic skin disease. There is no cure for RDEB and Zevaskyn™ is the only FDA-approved product to treat RDEB wounds with a single application. <Read More> 

New Label Expansions

Nucala® (mepolizumab) Injection – New Label Expansion – May 22, 2025 – GSK plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Nucala® (mepolizumab) as an add-on maintenance treatment for adult patients with inadequately controlled COPD and an eosinophilic phenotype. FDA’s approval was based on data from the positive MATINEE and METREX phase III trials. Across these trials, mepolizumab showed a clinically meaningful and statistically significant reduction in the annualised rate of moderate/severe exacerbations versus placebo in a wide spectrum of COPD patients with an eosinophilic phenotype. <Read More> 

Zoryve® (roflumilast) Cream and Foam – New Label Expansion – May 22, 2025 – Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQT), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing meaningful innovations in immuno-dermatology, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for Zoryve® (roflumilast) topical foam 0.3% for the treatment of plaque psoriasis of the scalp and body in adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older. Zoryve® foam is a once-daily, steroid-free topical and is now widely available as a treatment for plaque psoriasis. <Read More>

Susvimo® (ranibizumab) Injection for Intravitreal Use via Ocular Implant – New Label Expansion – May 21, 2025 – Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Susvimo® (ranibizumab injection) 100 mg/mL for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR), a potentially blinding condition that affects almost 10 million people in the U.S. and more than 100 million people globally. It is the first and only FDA-approved continuous delivery treatment shown to maintain vision in people with DR with just one refill every nine months. <Read More> 

Yuflyma® (adalimumab-aaty) Injection – New Label Expansion – May 21, 2025 – Celltrion, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted an expanded interchangeable designation for Yuflyma® (adalimumab-aaty), now including prefilled syringe (40mg) and autoinjectors (40mg and 80mg) presentations. With this approval, Yuflyma® is now fully interchangeable with the reference product, Humira® (adalimumab), across all marketed dosage forms and strengths. Yuflyma® is a high-concentration, citrate-free biosimilar to Humira®, approved for multiple inflammatory indications including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), ulcerative colitis (UC), plaque psoriasis (Ps), hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), and uveitis (UV) in adult patients; Crohn's disease (CD) in adults and pediatric patients 6 years of age and older; and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in patients 2 years of age and older. <Read More> 

Hadlima™ (adalimumab-bwwd) Injection – New Label Expansion – May 21, 2025 – Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd. and Organon & Co. (NYSE: OGN) announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated the Hadlima™ (adalimumab-bwwd) high- and low-concentration (40 mg/0.4 mL, 40 mg/0.8 mL) autoinjectors and high-concentration prefilled syringe as interchangeable biosimilars to Humira® (adalimumab). These interchangeability designations follow the interchangeability designation received for the HADLIMA low-concentration (40 mg/0.8 mL) prefilled syringe and single-dose vial in June 2024. With these additional interchangeability designations, Hadlima™ is now interchangeable with all presentations of the reference product. An interchangeability designation enables a pharmacist to substitute the reference product with a biosimilar without the need to consult the prescriber, depending on state pharmacy laws. <Read More> 

Jivi® (antihemophilic factor [recombinant] PEGylated-aucl) Injection – New Label Expansion – May 19, 2025 – Bayer announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Jivi®, a recombinant DNA-derived, extended half-life factor VIII concentrate, for use in pediatric patients 7 years of age and older with hemophilia A (congenital Factor VIII deficiency). The approval is based on data from the Alfa-PROTECT and PROTECT Kids studies, demonstrating Jivi’s safety and efficacy in children aged 7 to under 12 years with severe hemophilia A. <Read More> 

Zynyz® (retifanlimab-dlwr) Injection – New Label Expansion – May 15, 2025 – Incyte (Nasdaq:INCY) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Zynyz® (retifanlimab-dlwr), a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1), in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel (platinum-based chemotherapy) for the first-line treatment of adult patients with inoperable locally recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCAC). In addition, the FDA granted approval for Zynyz® as a single agent for the treatment of adult patients with locally recurrent or with metastatic SCAC with disease progression on or intolerance to platinum-based chemotherapy. <Read More>

Welireg® (belzutifan) Tablets – New Label Expansion – May 14, 2025 – Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Welireg® (belzutifan), Merck’s oral hypoxia-inducible factor-2 alpha (HIF-2α) inhibitor, for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients 12 years and older with locally advanced, unresectable, or metastatic pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma (PPGL). Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma are rare tumors that come from the same tissue, but pheochromocytoma form in the adrenal gland and paraganglioma form outside the adrenal gland. These tumors can be caused by certain genetic syndromes or mutations. The approval is based on data from the single-arm LITESPARK-015 clinical trial, where the primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR). <Read More> 

Selarsdi™ (ustekinumab-aekn) Injection – New Label Expansion – April 30, 2025 – Teva Pharmaceuticals, a U.S. affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA), and Alvotech (NASDAQ: ALVO) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Selarsdi™ (ustekinumab-aekn) injection as interchangeable with the reference biologic Stelara® (ustekinumab). As of April 30, 2025, Selarsdi™ is available and interchangeable in all presentations matching the reference product, including the treatment of adults and pediatric psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis, as well as Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis. <Read More> 

Otulfi® (ustekinumab-aauz) Injection – New Label Expansion – April 30, 2025 – Fresenius Kabi, an operating company of Fresenius, and Formycon AG, announced that the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designated Otulfi® (ustekinumab-aauz) as an interchangeable biosimilar to the reference product Stelara® (ustekinumab). Depending on state pharmacy laws in the U.S., an interchangeable biosimilar can be dispensed at the pharmacy as a substitute for the reference product without requiring direct approval from the prescribing healthcare provider. Not all biosimilars receive interchangeability status. <Read More> 

Rinvoq® (upadacitinib) Extended-Release Tablets – New Label Expansion – April 28, 2025 - AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Rinvoq® (upadacitinib), 15 mg, once daily, for the treatment of adults with giant cell arteritis (GCA). This comes after the European Commission recently granted marketing authorization of Rinvoq® for the treatment of GCA in adult patients. The approvals are supported by results of the pivotal Phase 3 SELECT-GCA clinical trial, which met the primary endpoint of sustained remission. <Read More> 

New Drug Shortage

May 30, 2025

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Updated Drug Shortage

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New Drug Recall and Safety Alerts

No new update.

New Generic/Biosimilar Approval and Launch

Tasigna® (nilotinib) Capsules – New Generic Approval – May 27, 2025 – Apotex Corp. announced the launch of nilotinib capsules, a generic version of Tasigna®, in the United States, with 180 days of exclusivity. Nilotinib is a kinase inhibitor indicated to treat certain types of leukemia, including newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia ("Ph+ CML") in chronic phase in adults and children aged 1 year and older. It is also indicated for adults and pediatric patients with chronic or accelerated phase Ph+ CML with resistance or intolerance to prior therapy, demonstrating higher efficacy compared with other available treatments. <Read More> 

Starjemza® (ustekinumab-hmny) Injection – New Stelara® Biosimilar Approval – May 22, 2025 - Bio-Thera Solutions, Ltd (688177:SH), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a pipeline of biosimilars and innovative assets and Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC, along with its wholly owned subsidiary Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Starjemza® (ustekinumab-hmny) Injection, a biosimilar referencing Stelara® (ustekinumab) Injection. Starjemza® is Bio-Thera’s third FDA approved product. <Read More> 

Clinical and Pharmacy News

Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Recommendations for Nondrug Treatment – June 1, 2025 – First-line recommendations for chronic musculoskeletal pain include cognitive behavioral therapy, multicomponent self-management interventions, and, for specific areas, exercise and psychological therapies. Other treatments may be effective, but quality of evidence issues preclude making recommendations about those treatments. It is important for care to be patient-centered and use a shared decision-making model between providers and individuals experiencing chronic pain. <Read More> 

Medical Errors are Still Harming Patients. AI Could Help Change That – May 25, 2025 – John Wiederspan is well aware of how things can go wrong in the high-pressure, high-stakes environment of an operating room. “During situations such as trauma or a patient doing poorly, there’s a real rush to try and get emergency drugs into the patient as fast as possible,” said Wiederspan, a nurse anesthetist at UW Medicine in Seattle. “And that’s when mistakes can occur, when you’re flustered, your adrenaline’s rushing, you’re drawing up drugs and you’re trying to push them.” <Read More> 

New Migraine Recommendations Make Treatment Options More Accessible – May 21, 2025 – More than 15% of adults in the United States (that’s roughly 41 million Americans) experience migraine attacks. This neurologic condition—which may include blinding pain, nausea, a loss or distortion of vision, and a heightened sensitivity to light and sound—contributes to lost work and healthcare costs. But until recently, there were no official, evidenced-based recommendations for primary care physicians on how to treat these types of episodic (occurring less than 15 times a month) headaches. Now for the first time the American College of Physicians (ACP) has issued new treatment guidelines based on an extensive and independent review… <Read More> 

Closing the Affordability Gap: How Automation is Advancing Biosimilar Adoption – May 19, 2025 – Millions of Americans are currently facing a difficult choice: either pay for expensive biologic medications or ration doses to afford basic needs. Cost-related nonadherence (CRN) is where patients either skip or delay their medication due to cost concerns, a challenge that is widespread throughout the U.S. The financial burden is even greater for those managing multiple chronic conditions, where prescription costs can quickly add up to unmanageable amounts. Despite the financial strain, biosimilars—lower-cost alternatives to expensive biologics—remain vastly underutilized. <Read More> 

FDA Biosimilar Approvals set for Record-Breaking Year Amid US Pricing Reforms – May 16, 2025 – 2024 saw the highest number of biosimilars approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a calendar year, with this year set to break this record again, analysis suggests. The FDA approved 19 biosimilars last year, a sharp jump from the five greenlit by the agency in 2023. GlobalData’s Bio/Pharmaceutical Outsourcing Report notes that momentum for biosimilars is set to accelerate. A total of 18 biologics will lose patent protection in 2025, up from 14 in 2024. This includes blockbuster products such as Amgen’s Prolia® (denosumab) and Roche’s Perjeta® (pertuzumab). <Read More> 

Trump's Drug Pricing Order Delivers Blow to Pharmacy Benefit Managers – May 12, 2025 -President Donald Trump on Monday delivered a blow to the private-sector middlemen who negotiate U.S. drug prices in his executive order on drug pricing, saying he would cut them out as part of a goal to bring the U.S. in line with other countries. The news drove their shares down even as pharmaceutical stocks rose in investor relief about the broad order. "We're going to cut out the middlemen and facilitate the direct sale of drugs at the most favored nation price, directly to the American citizen," Trump said during a press conference. <Read More> 

340B in the News

Unpacking the 25% HHS Budget Cut Proposed by the Trump Administration – June 2, 2025 – A recent budget document prepared by the White House is giving new clarity over how the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) could operate for fiscal year 2026. The document closely mirrored other budgetary insights from earlier this year. Under the wishes of President Donald Trump’s staff, the department’s discretionary budget would be nearly $95 billion, a $32 billion decrease amounting to a one-fourth slashing. Congress has final authority on submitting the budget, so some proposals may not be carried out, but the newest budget outline gives the clearest sense yet of the administration’s priorities. Committees on the Hill are expected to begin marking up the budget this week. <Read More> 

Future of 340B Rebate Models Hinges on Regulatory Decision Point – May 20, 2025 – A federal judge has sided with a US government agency in a simmering battle over a federal drug discount plan, ruling that it has the right to first approve a controversial proposal by several pharmaceutical companies to use rebates – instead of upfront discounts – when selling medicines to hospitals. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is expected to take a more definitive move next month. The ruling came after some companies sought to change payment terms for transactions conducted as part of the 340B Drug Discount Program, which was created to make sure vulnerable patients have access to medicines. <Read More> 

Judge Shuts Down Drugmakers’ 340B Rebate Plans, for now – May 19, 2025 – Drugmakers have to continue paying hospitals upfront discounts for drugs in the 340B program — at least in the near term — after a federal court ruled late last week against major manufacturers that wanted to issue rebates for 340B drugs instead. However, the D.C. district court didn’t entirely rule out drugmakers’ paying after-the-fact rebates in the future, instead determining that the companies would need to get prior approval from the Health Resources and Services Administration, the HHS subagency that oversees 340B. It also directed HRSA to reconsider a rebate plan from Sanofi that regulators had denied. <Read More> 

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The Pillr Health team is here to empower your 340B program, and beyond. Reach out at the link below.

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Ready to get started?

The Pillr Health team is here to empower your 340B program, and beyond. Reach out at the link below.

Contact Us