new drug

noun

: a drug that has not been declared safe and effective by qualified experts under the conditions prescribed, recommended, or suggested in the label and that may be a new chemical formula or an established drug prescribed for use in a new way

Examples of new drug in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Investors called on Novo Nordisk to pivot to sectors beyond weight loss after disappointing trial results for a new drug saw the Danish pharmaceutical giant’s stock plummet. —J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 23 Feb. 2026

Last year, five different people acted as director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, the arm of the agency that oversees new drugs. —Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2026

Clinical trials for new drugs can cost up to hundreds of millions of dollars, a condition that drugmakers often cite when pricing the cost of new medications. —Joseph Choi, The Hill, 17 Feb. 2026

That is, this new drug lowers the mother's blood pressure while also improving blood flow to the womb at a time when the baby appears to need it. —Ari Daniel, NPR, 14 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1951, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for new drug

• debug
• humbug
• prodrug
• unplug
• antidrug
• mealybug
• multidrug
• chug
• doug
• dug
• hug
• jug

Medical Definition

new drug

noun

: a drug that has not been declared safe and effective by qualified experts under the conditions prescribed, recommended, or suggested in the label and that may be a new chemical formula or an established drug prescribed for use in a new way