The U.S. Food and Drug Administration yesterday approved Rixubis [Coagulation Factor IX (Recombinant)] for use in people with hemophilia B who are 16 years of age and older. Rixubis is indicated for the control and prevention of bleeding episodes, perioperative (period extending from the time of hospitalization for surgery to the time of discharge) management, and routine use to prevent or reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes (prophylaxis).

For the first time since the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009 gave the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate tobacco products, the agency has authorized the marketing of two new tobacco products and denied the marketing of four others through the substantial equivalence (SE) pathway.

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it has approved the use of Plan B One-Step (levonorgestrel) as a nonprescription product for all women of child-bearing potential. This action complies with the April 5, 2013 order of the United States District Court in New York to make levonorgestrel-containing emergency contraceptives available as an over-the-counter (OTC) product without age or point-of-sale restrictions.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Stuart F. Delery announced today that the Department of Justice, on behalf of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana against Sage Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Sage), its president Dr. Jivn-Ren Chen, and its Director of Corporate Quality, Charles L. Thomas, all of Shreveport, Louisiana. According to the Complaint, the defendants violated the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) by manufacturing and distributing unapproved and misbranded drug products. Under the FDCA, before a company can sell a new drug product to consumers, it must submit and receive approval of a new drug application from the FDA. The purpose of this approval process is to ensure that drugs manufactured and distributed to consumers are safe and effective for their intended uses. Furthermore, the FDA requires all drug labeling to have adequate directions for use.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that the U.S. is now a “listed” country with the European Commission (EC) so that U.S. companies need not obtain an export certificate from the FDA before shipping certain pharmaceutical products to Europe.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today expanded the approved use of the antibiotic Vibativ (telavancin) to treat patients with hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (HABP/VABP) caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Vibativ should be used for the treatment of HABP/VABP only when alternative treatments are not suitable.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a test that identifies the genotype of hepatitis C virus (HCV) that a patient is carrying. The Abbott RealTime HCV Genotype II, which can differentiate genotypes 1, 1a, 1b, 2, 3, 4, and 5, using a sample of an infected patient’s blood plasma or serum, will aid health care professionals in determining the appropriate approach to treatment. Because the various HCV genotypes respond differently to available drug therapies, knowing the type of HCV a person is infected with can result in better patient outcomes.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the MemoryShape Breast Implant to increase breast size (augmentation) for use in women at least 22 years old and to rebuild breast tissue (reconstruction) in women of any age. The MemoryShape Breast Implants are manufactured by Mentor Worldwide LLC.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today expanded the approved use of Xgeva (denosumab) to treat adults and some adolescents with giant cell tumor of the bone (GCTB), a rare and usually non-cancerous tumor.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that injectable drugs used in total parenteral nutrition (TPN) in critical shortage will be imported into the United States and available to patients this week.