A roundup of the latest drug approvals, including from the pharmaceutical majors, featuring news from Pfizer and J&J.

Editor’s Note: This article was updated on a continuous basis for news announced from Wednesday, October 11, 2017 to Tuesday, October 17, 2017.

FDA OKs Pfizer’s New Formulation for Nerve Pain Medication Lyrica
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new formulation of Pfizer’s drug, Lyrica CR (pregabalin), extended-release tablets CV as once-daily therapy for managing neuropathic pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy and managing postherpetic neuralgia. Lyrica CR did not receive approval for managing fibromyalgia.

Lyrica had 2016 global sales of $4.2 billion and is approved for neuropathic pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy and postherpetic neuralgia.

Source: Pfizer

FDA OKs New Use for J&J’s Plaque Psoriasis Drug Stelara
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new indication for Johnson & Johnson’s Stelara (ustekinumab) for treating adolescents (12 years of age or older) with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for phototherapy or systemic therapy.

Stelara is a fully human interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-23 antagonist. It is now indicated for treating adult patients 18 years and older with active psoriatic arthritis, alone or with the medicine methotrexate, and for treating adult patients 18 years or older with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease who have already taken other medicines that did not work well enough or they could not tolerate it.

Source: Johnson & Johnson