Dermatology

May 30, 2013

FDA has approved dabrafenib (Tafinlar, GlaxoSmithKline) and trametinib (Mekinist, GlaxoSmithKline) for patients with advanced (metastatic) or unresectable melanoma.

May 20, 2013

Actavis Inc. announced May 20 its plans to acquire Warner Chilcott in a stock transaction deal, which is worth approximately $8.5 billion. The merger is expected to create a global specialty pharmaceutical company serving the women’s health, gastroenterology, urology, and dermatology therapeutic sectors, according to a joint company release.

February 19, 2013

FDA has approved the topical acne drug adapalene 0.1%/benzoyl peroxide 2.5% (Epiduo, Galderma) in children ages 9 and older, according to a news release.

May 01, 2011

The FDA has released a safety communication alerting healthcare providers to a new risk evaluation and mitigation strategy for ipilimumab.

April 12, 2011

FDA has approved peginterferon alfa-2b (Sylatron, Merck) for the adjuvant treatment of melanoma with microscopic or gross nodal involvement within 84 days of definitive surgical resection including complete lymphadenectomy.

April 01, 2011

FDA has approved ipilimumab (Yervoy, Bristol-Myers Squibb) to treat patients with late-stage (metastatic) melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer.

March 25, 2011

FDA has approved ipilimumab (Yervoy, Bristol-Myers Squibb) to treat patients with late-stage (metastatic) melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer.

November 12, 2010

In the beginning of September, FDA released a safety announcement reminding healthcare providers of an increased mortality risk associated with the use of the intravenous antibiotic tigecycline (Tygacil) compared to that of other drugs used to treat similar serious infections.

November 01, 2009

New biologic: Ustekinumab (Stelara) was approved on September 25, 2009, for the treatment of adult patients aged 18 years or older with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapy.

October 01, 2009

New molecular entity: Telavancin for injection (Vibativ) was approved on September 11, 2009, for the treatment of complicated skin and skin-structure infections (cSSSIs)

March 01, 2009

Ustekinumab is a novel investigational human monoclonal antibody (mAb) that is pending approval for the treatment of plaque psoriasis. Subcutaneous administration of ustekinumab has demonstrated efficacy in both phase 2 and 3 trials.

March 01, 2009

New formulation: Calcitriol (Vectical), a Vitamin D analogue, was approved on January 23, 2009, for the treatment of mild-to-moderate plaque psoriasis

October 14, 2008

Genentech informed healthcare professionals that a 70-year-old patient who has been treated with efalizumab (Raptiva) for chronic psoriasis for >4 years has developed progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare, progressive disease of the central nervous system that is usually fatal.

June 01, 2007

Retapamulin ointment, 1% is now approved by FDA as an antibacterial agent for the topical treatment of impetigo due to Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pyogenes.

May 01, 2007

New research presented at the AAD's 65th Annual Meeting regarding treatment of biologic psoriasis with adalimumab and efalizumab.

November 01, 2006

Infliximab acts through the inhibition of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, which is responsible for the induction of inflammatory cytokines, the enhancement of leukocyte migration, and the activation of neutrophil and eosinophil functional activity. Infliximab was approved on September 27, 2006, for the treatment of adult patients with chronic severe (ie, extensive and/or disabling) plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy and when other systemic therapies are medically less appropriate.

November 01, 2006

This agent targets the overexpression of histone deacetylase (HDAC) or the aberrant recruitment of HDACs to oncogenic transcription factors in cancer cells. Vorinostat was approved on October 6, 2006, for the treatment of cutaneous manifestations in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) who have progressive, persistent, or recurrent disease following 2 systemic therapies.

October 01, 2006

A review of adverse event data associated with the synthetic vitamin A retinoid isotretinoin between 1997 and 2002 suggests that the acne treatment is a "probable" cause of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and may precipitate its presentation within a certain subset of patients who are either predisposed to the disease or have subclinical symptoms.

October 01, 2006

An ointment containing calcipotriol (50mcg/g) plus betamethasone diproprionate (0.5mg/g) demonstrated significant efficacy against psoriasis within 4 weeks compared with 12 weeks of biological therapy, regardless of disease severity, as measured by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), according to a meta-analysis recently reported in the International Journal of Dermatology.

June 01, 2006

A lower dose of the oral retinoid acitretin is effective for moderate-to-severe psoriasis and can minimize adverse effects, according to a study presented at the 64th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology in San Francisco. Current practice is to administer the maximal tolerated dose of 25 mg to 50 mg acitretin daily.