Clinical therapeutics
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Clinical therapeutics · Jul 2012
ReviewVemurafenib in patients with BRAF V600E mutation-positive advanced melanoma.
Vemurafenib is an oral, small-molecule kinase inhibitor that selectively targets activated BRAF V600E and has been approved for the treatment of advanced BRAF mutation-positive melanoma. ⋯ Vemurafenib is effective for advanced melanomas expressing the BRAF V600E mutations. Resistance to BRAF inhibition can be problematic, but new evidence suggests that combination therapy may attenuate the issue. Targeting the cellular activity of melanoma cells is reported to be efficacious and is expected to delay progression and prolong survival.
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Clinical therapeutics · Jul 2012
ReviewTetrabenazine for the treatment of hyperkinetic movement disorders: a review of the literature.
Tetrabenazine (TBZ) is a monoamine storage inhibitor that was first introduced in the 1970s for the management of hyperkinetic movement disorders. Despite acceptance and usage worldwide, TBZ was only recently approved in the United States for the treatment of Huntington chorea. This review focuses on the use of TBZ in various hyperkinetic movement disorders, which are considered "rare" or "orphan" diseases, to help practitioners better understand its clinical role and use. ⋯ TBZ is an effective oral therapy for chorea of Huntington disease and may be considered as an alternative agent for the management of dystonia, TDk, and tic disorders (these latter 3 conditions are off-label uses in the United States). The drug possesses an acceptable tolerability profile and has been used in pediatric and adult populations.