The September update to the AHFS Patient Medication Information (PMI) database has been published. Highlights of the update include:
New PMI Monographs
- Neratinib (Nerlynx®)
- Neratinib is used to treat a certain type of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer (breast cancer that depends on hormones such as estrogen to grow) in adults after treatment with trastuzumab (Herceptin®) and other medications.
- L-glutamine (Endari®)
- L-glutamine is used to is used to reduce the frequency of painful episodes (crises) in adults and children 5 years of age and older with sickle cell anemia (an inherited blood disorder in which the red blood cells are abnormally shaped [shaped like a sickle] and cannot bring enough oxygen to all parts of the body).
- Guselkumab Injection (Tremfya®)
- Guselkumab injection is used to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (a skin disease in which red, scaly patches form on some areas of the body) in people whose psoriasis is too severe to be treated by topical medications alone.
- Sofosbuvir, Velpatasvir, and Voxilaprevir (Vosevi®)
- The combination of sofosbuvir, velpatasvir, and voxilaprevir is used to treat chronic (long-term) hepatitis C infection (swelling of the liver caused by a virus) in adults who have already received other HCV treatments.
- Abaloparatide Injection (Tymlos®)
- Abaloparatide injection is used to treat osteoporosis (condition in which the bones become thin and weak and break easily) in women who have undergone menopause (‘change in life,’ end of menstrual periods), who are at high risk of fractures (broken bones) or who could not be treated successfully with other medications.
FDA MedWatch Alert Revisions
- Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate (Kayexalate®)
- FDA is recommending that patients avoid taking the potassium-lowering drug sodium polystyrene sulfonate at the same time as other medicines taken by mouth.
- Pembrolizumab Injection (Keytruda®)
- FDA is warning about the risks associated with the use of pembrolizumab in combination with dexamethasone and an immunomodulatory agent (lenalidomide or pomalidomide) for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma. Pembrolizumab is not approved for treatment of multiple myeloma.
