Drugs

McCormack, Paul

doi: 10.2165/11209070-000000000-00000pmid: 22397329

Tranexamic acid, a synthetic derivative of the amino acid lysine, is an antifibrinolytic agent that acts by binding to plasminogen and blocking the interaction of plasmin (ogen) with fibrin, thereby preventing dissolution of the fibrin clot. Tranexamic acid (Transamin®) is indicated in Japan for use in certain conditions with abnormal bleeding or bleeding tendencies in which local or systemic hyperfi-brinolysis is considered to be involved. This article reviews the efficacy and tolerability of tranexamic acid in conditions amenable to antifibrinolytic therapy and briefly overviews the pharmacological properties of the drug.

Perry, Caroline

doi: 10.2165/11208370-000000000-00000pmid: 22439668

Telaprevir (Incivo®, Incivek®), an orally administered inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus non-structural protein NS3-4A serine protease, is used in combination with pegylated interferon (peginterferon)-alpha and ribavirin in the treatment of adults with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (chronic hepatitis C). This article reviews data on the clinical efficacy and tolerability of telaprevir in adults with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C and provides a summary of its pharmacological properties.

Hoy, Sheridan; Keating, Gillian

doi: 10.2165/11207560-000000000-00000pmid: 22439669

Rasagiline (Azilect®), a selective, irreversible, monoamine oxidase-B inhibitor, is available in the EU, the US and in several other countries worldwide, including Canada and Israel. It is indicated for the treatment of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease as monotherapy or as adjunctive therapy to levodopa in patients with end-of-dose fluctuations in the EU and for the treatment of adult patients with the signs and symptoms of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease in the US. This article reviews the pharmacological properties, therapeutic efficacy and tolerability of rasagiline as monotherapy or as adjunctive therapy to levodopa in patients with Parkinson’s disease.

Wagner, Steven; Brennan, Daniel

doi: 10.2165/11631300-000000000-00000pmid: 22439670

The goal of organ transplantation is to provide durable organ function while minimizing risks such as infection and cancer. Induction therapy in renal transplantation provides improved short- and long-term graft outcomes compared with placebo. Three agents are currently available and widely used in the US; rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (rATG), basiliximab and alemtuzumab. These agents are all clinically effective in transplantation. In patients at high risk of rejection, graft outcomes are improved with the use of depleting agents, such as rATG or alemtuzumab, rather than basiliximab. Depleting agents are associated with more complications, such as infection and malignancy. The risk-benefit analysis for low-risk patients indicates that basiliximab may be the preferred agent in this population. Use of induction therapy, particularly with rATG, may not only allow for but also mandate reduction of maintenance immunosuppression.

Tragiannidis, Athanasios; Dokos, Charalampos; Lehrnbecher, Thomas; Groll, Andreas

doi: 10.2165/11599810-000000000-00000pmid: 22413762

Invasive opportunistic fungal infections are important causes of morbidity and mortality in children and adolescents with cancer or haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Difficulties in establishing the diagnosis continue to delay antifungal therapy, and this has been shown to adversely impact on survival. Apart from ongoing attempts to improve early recognition, effective chemoprophylaxis of invasive fungal infections remains a goal of high priority in populations with disease-related incidence rates of 10% or higher. These include patients with acute myeloid leukaemia, high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukaemias, recurrent leukaemias and those following allogeneic HSCT. Incidence rates in other paediatric cancer entities, including autologous HSCT, are considerably lower and do not justify the general implementation of antifungal prophylaxis.

Hill, Emily; Dizon, Don

doi: 10.2165/11631840-000000000-00000pmid: 22439671

While early-stage endometrial cancer is often successfully treated with surgical intervention, treatment of advanced endometrial carcinoma can be difficult and prognosis poor, particularly in the context of metastatic or recurrent disease. Standard chemotherapy agents for both adjuvant first-line treatment (for selected patients deemed at high risk of relapse) and recurrent endometrial cancer include doxorubicin, platinum agents and paclitaxel. Investigational options currently being studied in phase II trials include both combined regimens of standard chemotherapeutic agents versus radiation as well as targeted treatments such as epothilones, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors and anti-angiogenic agents. Recent interest in the molecular pathways of carcinogenesis have lead to increased investigation of these novel agents and the hope that they will impact positively on the overall survival of women with endometrial cancer.

Seto, Katherine; Marra, Fawziah; Raymakers, Adam; Marra, Carlo

doi: 10.2165/11599470-000000000-00000pmid: 22413761

Introduction: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the world’s most common sexually transmitted infections, and has been associated with a number of cervical and non-cervical diseases, including cancer. HPV vaccines have been licensed for use in females for some time, but the quadrivalent vaccine has only recently become licensed for use in males. Many countries have adopted a vaccination programme for adolescent females based on results of cost-effectiveness analyses. However, given the new indications for use of the vaccine in males, decision makers require information on the cost effectiveness of vaccinating males in order to make policy decisions on whether or not to fund such programmes.

Scott, Lesley

doi: 10.2165/11631030-000000000-00000pmid: N/A