Orladeyo (Berotralstat): A Novel Oral Therapy for the Prevention of Hereditary Angioedema.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to review the available trials that led to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of berotralstat, an oral kallikrein inhibitor, for the prevention of hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks. DATA SOURCES: PubMed and ClincalTrials.gov were searched using key term berotralstat to identify phase III clinical trials related to the FDA approval of berotralstat from April 2018 to May 2021. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Trials selected were those that influenced the FDA approval of berotralstat or provided novel information regarding the safety and efficacy of this therapy in the treatment of HAE. DATA SYNTHESIS: Both APeX-2 and ApeX-J found clinically significant benefit with berotralstat 150 mg daily for reduction in HAE attacks when compared with placebo (1.31 vs 2.35, P < 0.001, and 1.11 vs 2.18, P < 0.001, attacks in the APeX-2 and APeX-J trials, respectively). APeX-2 also showed a statistically significant benefit for berotralstat 110 mg daily (1.65 vs 2.35 attacks [1.65 attacks, P = 0.024]). RELEVANCE TO PATIENT CARE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE: An advantage berotralstat has over the other approved therapies is that it is administered orally, which may garner patient preference because of ease of administration. Berotralstat has also shown a potential benefit in reducing the need for standard-of-care treatment for HAE attacks, which has not been studied with alternative agents. CONCLUSIONS: Berotralstat 150 mg daily has been proven safe and effective in clinical studies and appears to be a viable oral alternative to parenteral medications currently used in HAE prophylaxis.

Bempedoic Acid: A New Tool in the Battle Against Hyperlipidemia.

PURPOSE: This article discusses the pharmacology of bempedoic acid, the trials that led to United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of its use, and the overall safety and efficacy of this therapy in heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and hyperlipidemia. METHODS: A database search of PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov was conducted for articles published between January 2012 to September 2020 and containing the key words bempedoic acid, ezetimibe, Nexletol and Nexlizet. Trials from the CLEAR series were selected, as they played a pivotal role in the establishment of FDA approval, along with additional trials published after FDA approval, which provided novel evidence on the use of bempedoic acid in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Publications that were not randomized, controlled trials were not included in this review. Only randomized controlled trials in which ezetimibe was used in conjunction with bempedoic acid were included in this review as they were relevant to the new FDA approval of bempedoic acid. FINDINGS: The findings of the present review show that bempedoic acid is both an effective and well-tolerated option for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia when used without ezetimibe in addition to standard therapy. It also appears that the combination with ezetimibe increases the cholesterol-lowering effect more than either agent alone when added to standard therapy. IMPLICATIONS: Hypercholesteremia continues to be a major contributing factor leading to ASCVD. Bempedoic acid is an additional treatment option, along with both statins and diet and exercise, for reducing cholesterol levels and ASCVD events. With the new FDA approval, bempedoic acid may offer an effective therapy for reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in patients at high risk for cardiovascular events due to established ASCVD or heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.

Oral Semaglutide: The First-available Noninjectable Glucagon-like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonist.

PURPOSE: There are roughly 30 million Americans diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM), with nearly 95% of these cases being type 2 (T2)-DM. The American Diabetes Association continues to recommend metformin as the first-line initial treatment of T2DM, in combination with lifestyle modifications; yet, many require multiple therapies to achieve adequate glycemic control. In patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heart failure, or chronic kidney disease, adding a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist is a preferred treatment option; however, many patients are apprehensive about injecting medications. Semaglutide is the first oral option in this life-saving medication class. The purpose of this article was to review the pharmacology, clinical trials, safety profile, along with recommended dosing and costs, of oral semaglutide used for managing patients with T2DM. METHODS: A search through the PubMed, MEDLINE and Cochrane libraries was conducted for literature published from January 2017 through December 2020, using the key word semaglutide. Articles were selected if they were related to the approval of oral semaglutide or provided novel clinical information regarding this drug entity in its oral dosage formulation. FINDINGS: Three Phase II studies of the pharmacokinetic properties and Phase III trials from the PIONEER series were ultimately selected, as these trials were thought to provide pivotal information to the US Food and Drug Administration for the approval of oral semaglutide. IMPLICATIONS: On review of the literature, it appeared that semaglutide is a viable option in treating T2DM. The use of this medication has been associated with glycosylated hemoglobin lowering similar to that with the injectable medication in its same class. Semaglutide was also showed some potential in preventing cardiovascular events as well as increasing weight loss.

Solriamfetol for Excessive Sleepiness in Narcolepsy and Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to review the available clinical trial data that led to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of solriamfetol as well as its role in clinical practice. DATA SOURCES: A MEDLINE/PubMed search was conducted (January 2000 to February 2020) using the keyword solriamfetol to discover appropriate clinical trials. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Articles were included that were published in the English language and related to the FDA approval of solriamfetol or provided novel information regarding this drug entity. DATA SYNTHESIS: The findings of the review show that solriamfetol may be a safe and effective option for the treatment of excessive sleepiness (ES) related to narcolepsy and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). RELEVANCE TO PATIENT CARE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE: Solriamfetol is distinguished from other stimulants in that it has lower binding affinity to dopamine and norepinephrine transporters and does not have the monoamine-releasing effects of amphetamines at usual therapeutic doses. Because of solriamfetol's unique mechanism of action, there may be a reduction in abuse potential compared with the other currently FDA-approved options. CONCLUSIONS: In clinical trials, solriamfetol has shown dose-dependent improvement in wakefulness over placebo and adds another option for clinicians when treating ES in narcolepsy and OSA.

Brexanolone (Zulresso): Finally, an FDA-Approved Treatment for Postpartum Depression.

Objective: To review the safety and efficacy of brexanolone for the treatment of moderate to severe postpartum depression (PPD). Data Sources: A literature search through PubMed was conducted (January 2012 to July 2019) using the keyword brexanolone for clinical trials published in the English language. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Articles were selected if they were related to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of brexanolone or provided novel clinical information regarding this drug entity. Data Synthesis: The findings of the review show that brexanolone administered via IV infusion is both an effective and a fairly safe option for the treatment of PPD. Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: There are several antidepressants currently used to treat PPD; however, this is the first with FDA approval for this indication. The rapid onset of action of brexanolone may offer a quicker relief of these symptoms and may possibly lead to improved quality of life for both the mother and the child. Conclusion and Relevance: The recent FDA approval of brexanolone may offer an effective treatment of moderate to severe PPD and has been shown to rapidly decrease depression symptoms.