The FDA approved two new ADHD drugs this year, and they’re being marketed as shiny new medical advances. It sounds exciting, but are these drugs really new and different?
Azstaryz is a stimulant developed by KemPharm, whose CEO called it “the first truly differentiated ADHD medication in years”, and Qelbree is “the first novel non-stimulant approval in a decade,” developed by Supernus Pharmaceuticals.
Azstaryz, which the company’s press release calls “a first-of-its-kind treatment” and “a true advance in ADHD medicine” is made up of 30% d-methylphenidate, or d-MPH, currently on the market as Focalin by Novartis (itself a version of methylphenidate, the OG ADHD drug, Ritalin).