FDA actions in brief

Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal, Novartis) was approved as adjunctive therapy to treat partial seizures in children aged 2 years or older with epilepsy.

Abatacept (Orencia, Bristol-Myers Squibb) was approved to reduce the signs and symptoms of moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis in adult patients who have had an inadequate response to 1 or more disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

FDA approved divalproex extended-release tablets (Depakote ER, Abbott) for the treatment of acute manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar disorder, with or without psychotic features.