News in brief - June 2014 (updated)

• The antifungal Noxafil (posaconazole) is now available as a 100mg gastroresistant tablet. Owing to differences in dosing, the tablets and the existing 40mg/ml oral suspension cannot be used interchangeably.
• Updated prescribing information for Betmiga (mirabegron) states that it should be prescribed with caution in patients with clinically significant bladder outlet obstruction and those taking antimuscarinic medications for overactive bladder.
• The licensed indications for Nexavar (sorafenib) have been extended to include the treatment of progressive, locally advanced or metastatic, differentiated thyroid carcinoma refractory to radioactive iodine.
• Budenofalk (budesonide) granules can now be prescribed for the induction of remission in patients with mild to moderate active Crohn’s disease affecting the ileum and/or the ascending colon, providing an alternative formulation to Budenofalk capsules in this indication.
• Meda has launched Treclin, a topical combination gel containing clindamycin 1% and tretinoin 0.025% for the treatment of moderate to severe acne vulgaris when comedones, papules and pustules are present.
• Voncento (human coagulation factor VIII/human von Willebrand factor) has been launched for the prophylaxis and treatment of haemorrhage in patients with haemophilia A and in those with von Willebrand disease when desmopressin treatment alone is ineffective or contraindicated.
• Sirturo (bedaquiline) is a new antimycobacterial approved for use in combination with at least three other drugs for pulmonary multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.
• Defitelio (defibrotide) is the first licensed product for the treatment of severe hepatic veno-occlusive disease in patients undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

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