Pharmaceutics

This page contains key pharmaceutical news on drug recalls, FDA clearance, safety communications and research. In cardiology, key pharmaceutic agents include antiplatelet therapies, anticoagulants, hypertension drugs, and drugs for heart failure and arrhythmias.

FDA says years-long tirzepatide shortage is resolved, will give limited leeway to compounders
The tirzepatide shortage that first began in 2022 has been resolved. Drug companies distributing compounded versions of the popular drug now have two to three more months to distribute their remaining supply.
Merck spends up to $2B to license new weight loss drug with potential heart benefits
Merck sent Hansoh Pharma, a Chinese biopharmaceutical company, an upfront payment of $112 million to license a new investigational GLP-1 receptor agonist. There could be many more payments to come if certain milestones are met.
Clopidogrel vs. aspirin: Tracking the chronic maintenance period after PCI for different risk groups
As more high-risk patients undergo PCI, what is the best antiplatelet strategy following an initial event-free period of DAPT? Does it change after complex PCI? Researchers aimed to answer these questions, and many others, with new findings published in JAMA Cardiology.
FDA approves new short-term treatment for AFib, atrial flutter in critical care settings
Landiolol, sold by AOP Health under the brand name Rapiblyk, is an intravenous treatment designed to start working right away.
FDA approves acoramidis, BridgeBio’s new ATTR-CM drug
Acoramidis, a selective transthyretin stabilizer being sold under the brand name Attruby, is now the second ATTR-CM medication to gain FDA approval.

semaglutide wegovy Novo Nordisk major adverse cardiovascular events

New formula could mean diabetes and weight loss drugs such as semaglutide are only needed every 4 months

GLP-1 agonists are often taken as daily or weekly injections. A new delivery system could help make it so those same drugs are only required three times per year.

November 28, 2023

Bayer ends blood thinner trial early due to lack of efficacy

The Independent Data Monitoring Committee recommended Bayer stop the trial due to the drug's poor performance compared to apixaban.

November 22, 2023

ADHD medications associated with heightened CVD risk

"Although the effectiveness of ADHD medications has been demonstrated ... concerns remain regarding their potential cardiovascular safety," one research explained.

November 22, 2023

Gene-editing therapy lowers cholesterol in high-risk heart patients—one dose could potentially last decades

While the therapy has been successfully tested on animals in the past, this study represents the first time it has been used on humans.

November 17, 2023

A closer look at how weight loss drug semaglutide improves the cardiovascular health of obese patients without diabetes

Novo Nordisk shared initial results from the SELECT trial back in August, but now the full analysis—which includes data from more than 17,000 patients—has been published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

November 14, 2023

Rasha Al-Lamee, MBBS, PhD, a cardiologist with the National Heart and Lung Institute in London

PCI benefits patients with stable chest pain, late-breaking data confirm

“Going forward, patients and medical teams have a choice of two pathways for chest pain relief: chest pain medication or PCI," one cardiologist said.

November 13, 2023

tirzepatide injections Zepbound Eli Lilly

FDA approves diabetes drug tirzepatide for chronic weight management under new name

The FDA issued its own statement about the approval, highlighting the importance of taking the drug in combination with an improved diet and regular physical activity.

November 8, 2023

Video of Patrick McGill, MD, explaining how Community Health Network in Indiana eliminated more than 5 million nuisance alerts.

Indiana hospitals reduce nuisance alerts by 77% with medication decision support software

"Changing just six alerts in the system knocked out about 5 million alerts annually," explained Patrick McGill, MD, executive vice president and chief transformation officer at CHN.

November 6, 2023

Pharmaceutics

FDA says years-long tirzepatide shortage is resolved, will give limited leeway to compounders

Merck spends up to $2B to license new weight loss drug with potential heart benefits

Clopidogrel vs. aspirin: Tracking the chronic maintenance period after PCI for different risk groups

FDA approves new short-term treatment for AFib, atrial flutter in critical care settings

FDA approves acoramidis, BridgeBio’s new ATTR-CM drug