Cholic acid is a primary bile acid synthesized from cholesterol in the liver. Endogenous bile acids including cholic acid enhance bile flow and provide the physiologic feedback inhibition of bile acid synthesis. The mechanism of action of cholic acid has not been fully established; however, it is known that cholic acid and its conjugates are endogenous ligands of the nuclear receptor, farnesoid X receptor (FXR). FXR regulates enzymes and transporters that are involved in bile acid synthesis and in the enterohepatic circulation to maintain bile acid homeostasis under normal physiologic conditions. U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Cholbam (cholic acid) capsules, the first FDA approved treatment for pediatric and adult patients with bile acid synthesis disorders due to single enzyme defects, and for patients with peroxisomal disorders (including Zellweger spectrum disorders).

Osimertinib is an oral, third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) drug developed by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals. Its use is indicated for the treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in cases where tumour EGFR expression is positive for the T790M mutation as detected by FDA-approved testing and which has progressed following therapy with a first-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Approximately 10% of patients with NSCLC have a rapid and clinically effective response to EGFR-TKIs due to the presence of specific activating EGFR mutations within the tumour cells. More specifically, deletions around the LREA motif in exon 19 and exon 21 L858R point mutations are correlated with response to therapy. Osimertinib is an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that binds to certain mutant forms of EGFR (T790M, L858R, and exon 19 deletion) that predominate in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumours following treatment with first-line EGFR-TKIs. As a third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor, osimertinib is specific for the gate-keeper T790M mutation which increases ATP binding activity to EGFR and results in poor prognosis for late-stage disease. Furthermore, osimertinib has been shown to spare wild-type EGFR during therapy, thereby reducing non-specific binding and limiting toxicity. Osimertinib is marketed under the brand name Tagrisso.

Tipiracil is a thymidine phosphorylase inhibitor, that used for the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Tipiracil is used in combination with trifluridine as Lonsurf. Trifluridine is incorporated into DNA via phosphorylation, ultimately inhibiting cell proliferation. Tipiracil increases systemic exposure of trifluridine when coadministered. Lonsurf has recently been approved for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) who are refractory to or are not considered candidates for, current standard chemotherapy and biological therapy in the EU and USA and in unresectable advanced or recurrent CRC in Japan. The approved regimen of oral twice-daily Lonsurf significantly improved overall survival and progression-free survival and was associated with a significantly higher disease control rate than placebo when added to best supportive care in the multinational, pivotal phase III trial (RECOURSE) and a phase II Japanese trial. Trifluridine/tipiracil was associated with an acceptable tolerability profile, with adverse events generally being managed with dose reductions, temporary interruptions in treatment or administration of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor. The most common grade 3–4 adverse events (>10 %) were anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia.

Cobimetinib is an orally active, potent and highly selective small molecule inhibiting mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MAP2K1 or MEK1), and central components of the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signal transduction pathway. It has been approved in Switzerland and the US, in combination with vemurafenib for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic BRAF V600 mutation-positive melanoma. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that Cobimetinib is effective in inhibiting the growth of tumor cells bearing a BRAF mutation, which has been found to be associated with many tumor types. A threonine-tyrosine kinase and a key component of the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signalling pathway that is frequently activated in human tumors, MEK1 is required for the transmission of growth-promoting signals from numerous receptor tyrosine kinases. Cobimetinib is used in combination with vemurafenib because the clinical benefit of a BRAF inhibitor is limited by intrinsic and acquired resistance. Reactivation of the MAPK pathway is a major contributor to treatment failure in BRAF-mutant melanomas, approximately ~80% of melanoma tumors becomes BRAF-inhibitor resistant due to reactivation of MAPK signalling. BRAF-inhibitor resistant tumor cells are sensitive to MEK inhibition, therefore cobimetinib and vemurafenib will result in dual inhibition of BRAF and its downstream target, MEK. Cobimetinib specifically binds to and inhibits the catalytic activity of MEK1, resulting in inhibition of extracellular signal-related kinase 2 (ERK2) phosphorylation and activation and decreased tumor cell proliferation. Cobimetinib and vemurafenib target two different kinases in the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK pathway. Cobimetinib is used for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAF V600E or V600K mutation. Cobimetinib is used in combination with vemurafenib, a BRAF inhibitor. Cobimetinib is marketed under the trade name Cotellic.

Lumacaftor (VX-809) is an investigational drug developed by the Massachusetts-based pharmaceutical company Vertex for the treatment of patients who suffer from cystic fibrosis (CF) and have the F508del mutation in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). Currently, lumacaftor is approved by the U.S. FDA as a combined oral treatment for CF in combination with Kalydeco (ivacaftor). Lumacaftor is commercialized by Vertex under the brand name Orkambi, and Kalydeco was approved in the United States in 2012. The lumacaftor/Kalydeco combo was approved by the FDA in July 2015 for patients ages 12 and older, while the use of lumacaftor alone is still being studied by Vertex. The mechanism of action of lumacaftor is based on the interference with the F508 CFTR. The chronic disease is caused by a mutation in the gene that controls the salt transportation in the cells, resulting in thick, sticky mucus in the respiratory, digestive, and reproductive systems. To address that genetic defect, lumacaftor helps correct the mutated genes with a novel therapeutic approach. Both lumicaftor and kalydeco work by correcting the misfolded CFTR protein, the root cause of the F508del mutation, which led to the approval of the combined treatment by the FDA. However, while kalydeco alone is also approved by the FDA, the use of lumacftor alone has not yet been approved.

Palbociclib is an oral, reversible, selective, small-molecule inhibitor of CDK4 and CDK6 indicated in combination with letrozole for the treatment of postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced breast cancer as initial endocrine-based therapy for their metastatic disease. CDK4 and CDK6 along with their regulatory partner cyclin D1 play a key role in regulating the G1- to S-phase cell-cycle transition via regulation of phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma (Rb) protein. Inhibition of these proteins leads to reduced phosphorylation of Rb, inhibition of downstream signalling, and increased tumor growth arrest. Palbociclib received an accelerated approval from the Food and Drug Administration on February 3, 2015. Palbociclib is marketed under the trade name Ibrance. IBRANCE is a kinase inhibitor indicated in combination with letrozole for the treatment of postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced breast cancer as initial endocrine-based therapy for their metastatic disease.

Ivabradine (CORLANOR®) is a hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel blocker that reduces the spontaneous pacemaker activity of the cardiac sinus node by selectively inhibiting the If-current, resulting in heart rate reduction at concentrations that do not affect other cardiac ionic currents. Specific heart-rate lowering with ivabradine (CORLANOR®) reduces myocardial oxygen demand, simultaneously improving oxygen supply. It has no negative inotropic or lusitropic effects, preserving ventricular contractility, and does not change any major electrophysiological parameters unrelated to heart rate.

Ceritinib is a selective inhibitor of ALK1, a target found in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Ceritinib is approved by FDA and is indicated for the treatment of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. Ceritinib also targets insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R), insulin receptor (InsR), and ROS1.

Miltefosine is an anti-leishmanial agent. It is an alkyl phospholipids compound, was originally intended for breast cancer and other solid tumors. However, it could not be developed as an oral agent because of dose-limiting gastro-intestinal toxicity, and only a topical formulation is approved for skin metastasis. But Miltefosine showed excellent antileishmanial activity both in vitro and in experimental models. Miltefosine is effective in vitro against both promastigotes and amastigotes of various species of Leishmania and also other kinetoplastidae (Trypanosoma cruzi,T. brucei) and other protozoan parasites (Entamoeba histolytica, Acanthamoeba). Mechanism of action is unknown. It is likely to involve interaction with lipids (phospholipids and sterols), including membrane lipids, inhibition of cytochrome c oxidase (mitochondrial function), and apoptosis-like cell death. Miltefosine is approved for the treatment of Visceral leishmaniasis (due to Leishmania donovani), Cutaneous leishmaniasis (due to Leishmania braziliensis, Leishmania guyanensis, and Leishmania panamensis) and Mucosal leishmaniasis (due to Leishmania braziliensis).

Ledipasvir is an inhibitor of the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) NS5A protein required for viral RNA replication and assembly of HCV virions. Approved in October 2014 by the FDA, ledipasvir and sofosbuvir (tradename Harvoni) are direct-acting antiviral agents indicated for the treatment of HCV genotype 1 with or without cirrhosis.