Contemporary Pediatrics week in review: Infant mortality rates, FDA approvals, and more

Thank you for visiting the Contemporary Pediatrics® website. Take a look at some of our top stories from last week (Monday, October 30 to Friday, November 3, 2023), and click on each link to read and watch anything you may have missed.

1.) Infant mortality rate sees first year-to-year increase in 2 decades

For the first time since 2001 to 2002, a year-to-year increase in the infant mortality rate was observed in the United States from 2021 to 2022. The provisional 20,538 infant deaths reported in 2022 were a 3% increase compared to 2021.

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2.) FDA broadens abatacept usage to include psoriatic arthritis patients aged 2 years and older

The FDA has approved abatacept (Orencia) for patients aged ≥2 years with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA), a condition causing joint damage in pediatric patients, offering a new treatment option for juvenile PsA, benefiting young patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals.

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3.) FDA approves vamorolone to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Vamorolone, oral suspension 40 mg/ml, has been approved by the FDA to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in patients aged 2 years and up, according to Santhera Pharmaceuticals.

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4.) Caregiver-administered influenza vaccine’s Biologics License Application accepted by FDA

A usability study demonstrated that individuals older than 18 years could self-administer the intranasal treatment or administer it to eligible patients aged 2 to 49 years when given instructions and no additional guidance.

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5.) Dupilumab demonstrates efficacy in children with eosinophilic esophagitis for up to 1 year

Longer-term data was recently released for dupilumab as a treatment for eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) in children aged 1 to 11 years, demonstrating a similar safety and efficacy profile for up to 1 year of treatment. A supplemental Biologic License Application was accepted by the FDA in September 2023 with a Priority Review designation.

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