Expert opinion on investigational drugs
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Expert Opin Investig Drugs · Feb 2012
ReviewBrentuximab Vedotin (SGN-35), an antibody-drug conjugate for the treatment of CD30-positive malignancies.
CD30-positive hematological malignancies are potentially curable with frontline combination chemotherapy regimens; however, those patients who relapse or are refractory to initial therapies have less favorable prognosis. ⋯ These data support an expanded development program for brentuximab vedotin in multiple CD30-positive indications.
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Expert Opin Investig Drugs · Feb 2012
ReviewMisoprostol for the prevention and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage.
Uterotonic drugs are recommended for the prevention and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), and oxytocin is considered the gold standard for both indications due to its established efficacy and safety. Unfortunately, access to oxytocin is still limited in many low-resource settings due to the need for cool storage, sterile equipment and administration by skilled personnel. Misoprostol , an E1 prostaglandin analog, has therefore been explored as an alternative for such settings due to its proven ability to induce uterine contractions, low cost, stability at room temperature and ease of administration. ⋯ There is now a solid body of evidence to justify the use of misoprostol for postpartum hemorrhage indications in many settings. The evidence supports use of 600 μg orally for the prevention of PPH and 800 μg sublingually for the treatment of PPH. There is no evidence to support the adjunct use of misoprostol following administration of conventional uterotonics for prevention or treatment purposes.