Lithium Salts and Lorbrena

• Generic Name: lithium
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names: Lithobid, Eskalith, Lithonate, Lithotabs, Eskalith-CR

Management of bipolar disorder, particularly acute manic or mixed episodes in patients with bipolar 1 or bipolar 2 disorder.

A first-line agent in the initial treatment of depressive, manic, or mixed episodes in patients with bipolar disorder.

Combination therapy with an atypical antipsychotic, another mood stabilizing agent, and/or antidepressant may be required to adequately treat rapid cycling and more severe depressive, manic, or mixed episodes.

Maintenance therapy has been shown to prevent or diminish the intensity of subsequent manic episodes in patients with bipolar disorder with a history of mania.

Should be used only in patients who fail to respond to other antidepressants.

Limited effectiveness when used alone; should be used only after antipsychotic agents have failed.

May be added to existing antipsychotic therapy, but efficacy of such combined therapy has varied in different clinical studies. Careful monitoring (e.g., serum lithium concentrations, adverse effects, possible adverse drug interactions) recommended.

Has reduced temper outbursts, impulsive antisocial behavior, and the number of assaultive acts in a small number of adults with disorders of impulse control.

Treatment of children with apparent mixed bipolar disorder symptomatology, hyperactivity with psychotic or neurotic components, or aggressive behavior or aggressive outbursts associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); should be used only after more conservative therapies have failed.

Treatment of neutropenia or anemia secondary to antineoplastic drugs.

Routine use not recommended for congenital, idiopathic, or cyclic neutropenias; Felty’s syndrome; or aplastic anemia.

Treatment of hyperthyroidism; other treatments (e.g., radioactive iodine, surgery, propylthiouracil, methimazole) currently are preferred.

No longer considered one of the therapies of choice; generally has been replaced with other more effective and/or less toxic therapies (e.g., demeclocycline).

• Generic Name: lorlatinib
• Dosage Forms: tablet, film coated
• Other Brand Names: Lorbrena

Lorbrena (lorlatinib) is prescription medicine used to treat a certain type of non-small cell lung cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

Lorbrena is used only if your cancer has a specific genetic marker (an abnormal "ALK" gene). Your doctor will test you for this gene.

Lorbrena is given after other cancer treatments did not work or have stopped working.

Lorbrena was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on an "accelerated" basis. In clinical studies, some people responded to this medicine, but further studies are needed.