Ceftazidime-avibactam (Zavicefta) is an intravenously administered combination of the third-generation cephalosporin ceftazidime and the novel, non-β-lactam β-lactamase inhibitor avibactam. In the EU, ceftazidime-avibactam is approved for the treatment of adults with complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs) [including pyelonephritis], complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAIs), hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) [including ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)], and other infections caused by aerobic Gram-negative organisms in patients with limited treatment options. This article discusses the in vitro activity and pharmacological properties of ceftazidime-avibactam, and reviews data on the agent's clinical efficacy and tolerability relating to use in these indications, with a focus on the EU label. Ceftazidime-avibactam has excellent in vitro activity against many important Gram-negative pathogens, including many extended-spectrum β-lactamase-, AmpC-, Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase- and OXA-48-producing Enterobacteriaceae and drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates; it is not active against metallo-β-lactamase-producing strains. The clinical efficacy of ceftazidime-avibactam in the treatment of cUTI, cIAI and HAP (including VAP) in adults was demonstrated in pivotal phase III non-inferiority trials with carbapenem comparators. Ceftazidime-avibactam treatment was associated with high response rates at the test-of-cure visit in patients with infections caused by ceftazidime-susceptible and -nonsusceptible Gram-negative pathogens. Ceftazidime-avibactam was generally well tolerated, with a safety and tolerability profile consistent with that of ceftazidime alone and that was generally typical of the injectable cephalosporins. Thus, ceftazidime-avibactam represents a valuable new treatment option for these serious and difficult-to-treat infections.
Dupilumab (Dupixent) is a fully human monoclonal antibody directed against the interleukin (IL)-4 receptor α (IL-4Rα) subunit. Dupilumab inhibits the signalling of the type 2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-13 and was co-developed by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of atopic or allergic diseases. In March 2017 dupilumab received its first global approval, in the USA, for use in the treatment of adult patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis whose disease is not adequately controlled with topical prescription therapies or when those therapies are not advisable. Dupilumab is in preregistration for this indication in the EU. In addition, dupilumab is currently under phase III development across the world for the treatment of asthma and nasal polyposis as well as for atopic dermatitis in paediatric patients. The agent has also entered phase II development in the USA for the treatment of eosinophilic oesophagitis. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of dupilumab leading to this first approval for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adults.
Ixazomib (Ninlaro(®)) is an orally bioavailable, reversible proteasome inhibitor developed by Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (now Takeda Oncology). Ixazomib acts by binding to and inhibiting the β5 subunit of the 20S proteasome. In November 2015, the US FDA approved ixazomib for use in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy. Ixazomib is under regulatory review for this indication in the EU. Phase III development of ixazomib is underway worldwide for newly-diagnosed multiple myeloma (in patients who are not eligible for stem cell transplant, or as maintenance therapy) and for relapsed or refractory systemic light chain (AL) amyloidosis. Ixazomib is also under phase I-II development for the treatment of several other haematological and non-haematological malignancies, graft-versus-host disease and lupus nephritis. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of ixazomib leading to this first approval for multiple myeloma.
Encorafenib (Braftovi™), a BRAF inhibitor, and binimetinib (Mektovi), a MEK inhibitor, are two orally bioavailable drugs developed by Array BioPharma. In June 2018 they each received their first global approval, in the USA, for use in combination, for patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAF or mutation as detected by an FDA-approved test. Registration applications for encorafenib and binimetinib for use in combination in the treatment of BRAF-mutation-positive advanced melanoma have also been submitted in the EU, Australia, Switzerland and Japan, with the EMA Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use adopting a positive opinion in July 2018 towards granting the drugs marketing authorizations in the EU. Encorafenib plus binimetinib combination therapy is also in ongoing phase III clinical development in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of encorafenib and binimetinib leading to these first approvals for the treatment of BRAF or -mutation-positive unresectable or metastatic melanoma.
Amikacin liposome inhalation suspension (ALIS; Arikayce ® ) [formerly known as liposomal amikacin for inhalation, or LAI] is a liposomal formulation of the aminoglycoside antibacterial drug amikacin. The ALIS formulation, administered via inhalation following nebulization, is designed to facilitate targeted and localized drug delivery to the lungs while minimizing systemic exposure. Based on the prespecified primary endpoint analysis of the ongoing phase III CONVERT trial, ALIS has been approved in the USA for use as part of a combination antibacterial drug regimen against Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung disease that is treatment refractory (i.e. an active infection present despite ≥ 6 consecutive months of a multidrug regimen) in adult patients who have limited or no alternative treatment options. In the CONVERT trial, once-daily ALIS as an add-on to guidelines-based therapy (GBT) significantly increased the odds of achieving sputum culture conversion by month 6 compared with GBT alone in patients with treatment-refractory MAC lung disease. The addition of ALIS to GBT was associated with an increased risk of respiratory adverse events compared with GBT alone; however, serious adverse events were experienced by a similar proportion of patients in the two treatment groups. In conclusion, although current evidence for efficacy is limited to microbiological outcomes (with clinical benefit yet to be established), available data suggest that ALIS is a useful option for the treatment of patients with MAC lung disease who have not responded to conventional therapy and for whom there are limited or no alternative treatment options available.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.