MPR News Wirehttp://www.prescribingreference.comLatest MPR Drug News and New Products. CELGENE DISTRIBUTES A LETTER FOR INNOHEP Celgene has issued a Dear Healthcare Professional letter describing a controlled clinical study suggesting that Innohep injection (tinzaparin sodium) may increase the risk for death, compared to unfractionared heparin (UFH) when used to treat elderly patients with renal insufficiency. http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/CelgeneDistributesALetterForInnohep10501/ http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/CelgeneDistributesALetterForInnohep10501/ NEXTERONE APPROVED FOR VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION AND TACHYCARDIA The FDA has approved Nexterone (amiodarone HCl, from Prism Pharmaceuticals) Injection, a cosolvent-free formulation of Amiodarone IV. http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/NexteroneApprovedForVentricularFibrillationAndTachycardia10502/ http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/NexteroneApprovedForVentricularFibrillationAndTachycardia10502/ PRICARA RECALLS DURAGESIC PATCHES PriCara, a division of Ortho-McNeil Janssen Pharmaceuticals, has voluntarily recalled one lot of 50micrograms/hour Duragesic (fentanyl transdermal system) CII patches and one lot of 50micrograms/hour fentanyl patches sold by Sandoz due to a cut-system defect. http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/PriCaraRecallsDuragesic50mcg12312/ http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/PriCaraRecallsDuragesic50mcg12312/ RYZOLT APPROVED FOR MODERATE TO MODERATELY SEVERE CHRONIC PAIN The FDA has approved once-daily Ryzolt (tramadol HCl extended release tablets, from Labopharm) for the management of moderate to moderately severe chronic pain in adults who require around-the-clock pain treatment for an extended period of time. http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/FDAApprovesRyzolt12311/ http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/FDAApprovesRyzolt12311/ DEGARELIX APPROVED FOR ADVANCED PROSTATE CANCER Degarelix (injectable gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor antagonist, from Ferring Pharmaceuticals) has been approved by the FDA for treatment of hormonally-sensitive advanced prostate cancer. http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/FDAApprovesDegarelix12291/ http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/FDAApprovesDegarelix12291/ LATISSE APPROVED FOR TREATMENT OF HYPOTRICHOSIS OF THE EYELASHES The FDA has approved Allergan’s Latisse (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03% for the treatment of hypotrichosis of the eyelashes. http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/FDAApprovesLatisse12292/ http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/FDAApprovesLatisse12292/ GENENTECH WARNS AGAINST OFF-LABEL INTRAVITREAL AVASTIN Genentech is warning healthcare providers of 36 reports of intraocular adverse events following the off-label intravitreal use of Avastin (bevacizumab) injection. http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/GenentechWarnsAgainstOffLabelIntravitrealAvastin122403/ http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/GenentechWarnsAgainstOffLabelIntravitrealAvastin122403/ GLEEVEC APPROVED TO TREAT POST-SURGICAL GI STROMAL TUMORS The FDA has approved Novartis' Gleevec (imatinib) tablets for the post-surgical treatment of adults following complete surgical removal of Kit (CD117)-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/GleevecApprovedToTreatPostSurgicalGIStromalTumors122404/ http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/GleevecApprovedToTreatPostSurgicalGIStromalTumors122404/ TEVA LAUNCHES THINNER GAUGE NEEDLE FOR COPAXONE Teva has launched a thinner, 29-gauge pre-filled syringe for its multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment, Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) injection. http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/TevaLaunchesThinnerGaugeNeedleForCopaxone122401/ http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/TevaLaunchesThinnerGaugeNeedleForCopaxone122401/ VASOVIST APPROVED TO EVALUATE AORTOILIAC OCCLUSIVE DISEASE The FDA has approved Vasovist (gadofosveset trisodium, from EPIX), a blood pool magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) agent used to evaluate aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD) in adults with known or suspected peripheral vascular disease. http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/VasovistApprovedToEvaluateAortoiliacOcclusiveDisease122402/ http://www.prescribingreference.com/news/showNews/which/VasovistApprovedToEvaluateAortoiliacOcclusiveDisease122402/