Needless to say, these things are, ahem, subjective, and shouldn’t be read as making light of the therapies or the conditions they are meant to treat.

The best drug names of 2025

Third place: Forzinity

Forzinity, made by Stealth BioTherapeutics, is designed to improve muscle strength in patients with a rare disease called Barth syndrome, which leads to muscle weakness and heart failure. Stealth endured a turbulent and controversial process to convince the FDA to grant accelerated approval, so the drug’s name seems apt in regards not only to its intended treatment effect, but also to the company’s fortitude in getting it onto the market.

Also, it’s fun to pronounce. “Forzinity rolls right off the tongue,” one colleague said. “Up there with Skyrizi for drugs I want to take based on the coolness of their names alone.”

Second place: Rhapsido

Rhapsido, made by Novartis, treats chronic spontaneous urticaria, or chronic hives. As a pill, it could be much more attractive to patients than the currently approved shots.

It’s pretty clear why my colleagues voted for this. “I want to rhapsodize about my cure,” one of them said. The name evokes such enthusiasm that another colleague said he’s “surprised FDA allowed it.”

First place: Vizz

Vizz is an eye drop for presbyopia, the age-related loss of the eye’s ability to focus on close objects. The rare single-syllable-named drug is made by Lenz Therapeutics.

“At first Vizz struck me as a little harsh-sounding,” one voter said, “but when I realized what the drug was for, I was like — well, it’s simple, easy to remember, relates to the condition it’s treating. Gotta give it to them.”

The worst drug names of 2025

There were unfortunately so many bad names that when presented with the list of nominees, one colleague said, “this is nuts.”

Third place: Tryptyr

Tryptyr, made by Alcon, is an eye drop used to treat dry eye disease. Whether intentional or not, I do want to cry when trying to read the name.

Second place: Qfitlia

Qfitlia, made by Sanofi, is approved to prevent or reduce bleeding episodes in people with hemophilia A or B.

Similar to Tryptyr, the name has quite a few consonants and not what one might consider a deficit of vowels.

First place: Avmapki Fakzynja Co-Pack

But speaking of an abundance of consonants, no other name from 2025 tops Avmapki Fakzynja Co-Pack, a combination therapy for ovarian cancer made by Verastem Oncology.

“It’s not one but two unpronounceable names,” one colleague said. “Someone just mashed the keyboard on that one,” said another one.

One brave colleague, however, defended the name. “I want to reward boldness. I also am not entirely sure it’s not the name of a traditional holiday in a language I do not know, or the name of a hero.”