Two new drugs are now part of our anti-cytomegalovirus (CMV) therapeutic toolbox: letermovir (Prevymis, Merck), which is effective for prophylaxis of CMV disease in high-risk patients, and maribavir (Livtencity, Takeda), which is effective for treatment of established disease. Neither of these drugs is associated with the cytopenias of ganciclovir and valganciclovir ([val]ganciclovir) or the renal and electrolyte disturbances of foscarnet.
In April 2022, I reviewed the