November 2024

New Products

• Dapagliflozin (propanediol monohydrate) and sitagliptin (phosphate monohydrate) (Sidapvia) is a combination of the sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, dapagliflozin, and the dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) inhibitor, sitagliptin, with distinct and complementary mechanisms of action to improve glycaemic control. Inhibition of SGLT2 by dapagliflozin reduces reabsorption of glucose from the glomerular filtrate in the proximal renal tubule with a concomitant reduction in sodium reabsorption leading to urinary excretion of glucose and osmotic diuresis. Sitagliptin improves glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes by enhancing the levels of active incretin hormones. Incretin hormones, including glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), are released by the intestine throughout the day, and levels are increased in response to a meal. By enhancing active incretin levels, sitagliptin increases insulin release and decreases glucagon levels in a glucose-dependent manner. In patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with hyperglycaemia, these changes in insulin and glucagon levels lead to lower HbA1c and lower fasting and postprandial glucose concentrations. Sidapvia is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycaemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus when treatment with both dapagliflozin and sitagliptin is appropriate. It should be used in combination with metformin unless contraindicated or not tolerated. Sidapvia tablets contain dapagliflozin 10 mg and sitagliptin 100 mg and are available in packs of 28.

New Indications

• Empagliflozin (Jardiance) is now indicated in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus to improve glycaemic control in children aged 10 years and above as monotherapy when diet and exercise alone do not provide adequate glycaemic control in patients for whom use of metformin is considered inappropriate due to intolerance, and as add-on combination therapy with other glucose-lowering medicinal products including insulin, when these, together with diet and exercise, do not provide adequate glycaemic control.
   
• Empagliflozin and metformin hydrochloride (Jardiamet) is now indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycaemic control in children aged 10 years and above with type 2 diabetes mellitus when treatment with both empagliflozin and metformin is appropriate.
   
• Faricimab (Vabysmo) is now indicated for the treatment of macular oedema secondary to retinal vein occlusion.

New Contraindications

• Disulfiram (Antabuse) is now contraindicated in patients with hypertension, suicidal risk, psychosis and severe personality disorder.
   
• Promethazine hydrochloride (Phenergan) is now contraindicated for use in children under 6 years of age.
   
• Sotalol hydrochloride (Sotacor) is now contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to sulfonamides and hypokalaemia.
   
• Voriconazole (Vfend) is now contraindicated for concomitant use with finerenone. 

Safety Related Changes

• Atezolizumab (Tecentriq and Tecentriq SC) is no longer indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma who are considered ineligible for platinum-containing chemotherapy (other than cisplatin-ineligible with PD-L1 expression ≥ 5% of tumour area).

This list is a summary of only some of the changes that have occurred over the last month.
Before prescribing, always refer to the full product information.