The FDA has issued approval for a new once-daily medication to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The new pill, called Breo Ellipta, is an inhaled fluticasone furoate/vilanterol combination powder designed for long-term treatment. The FDA issued final approval last Friday following a last round of clinical testing that involved roughly 7,700 participants.
The overall drug market saw a one percent dip in cost in 2012, dropping to $325.8 billion. This is due to a new influx of quality generic drugs for widely prescribed treatments like cholesterol medications. IMS research director Michael Kleinrock notes that while a one percent dip is a significant hit for drug makers, patients are surely reaping the benefits.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration have announced that it would not approve generic versions of the powerful narcotic OxyContin. The decision marks the first time the agency has allowed a manufacturer to state that a narcotic drug has tamper-resistant properties, said an agency official, Dr. Douglas C. Throckmorton.
A federal health advisory will take another look at the diabetes drug Avandia this June. According to Mary Anne Rhyne, spokeswoman for Avandia drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel will meet on June 5-6 to discuss the drug. Rhyne speculated that the panel will ask for an update on safety information it sought from the drugmaker in 2010.