Imatinib

Imatinib, sold under the brand names Gleevec and Glivec (both marketed worldwide by <a href="/facts/Novartis/jDregKez">Novartis</a>) among others, is an oral <a href="/facts/Targeted_therapy/QaHGLjc6">targeted therapy</a> medication used to treat <a href="/facts/Cancer/PVW6n1D0">cancer</a>. Imatinib is a small molecule inhibitor targeting multiple <a href="/facts/Tyrosine_kinase/26Ln0qJ4">tyrosine kinases</a> such as <a href="/facts/Colony_stimulating_factor_1_receptor/Av3kpU8F">CSF1R</a>, <a href="/facts/ABL_(gene)/h9pJd4jf">ABL</a>, <a href="/facts/KIT_(gene)/Lku3gt0m">c-KIT</a>, <a href="/facts/FLT3/oD73IaRb">FLT3</a>, and <a href="/facts/PDGFR-%25CE%25B2/d2G2LSHr">PDGFR-β</a>. Specifically, it is used for <a href="/facts/Chronic_myelogenous_leukemia/FA9TdgQn">chronic myelogenous leukemia</a> (CML) and <a href="/facts/Acute_lymphocytic_leukemia/vRIAjkRJ">acute lymphocytic leukemia</a> (ALL) that are <a href="/facts/Philadelphia_chromosome/YLFIDR3D">Philadelphia chromosome</a>–positive (Ph+), certain types of <a href="/facts/Gastrointestinal_stromal_tumor/DNo6BPgv">gastrointestinal stromal tumors</a> (GIST), <a href="/facts/Hypereosinophilic_syndrome/tVWddsWJ">hypereosinophilic syndrome</a> (HES), <a href="/facts/Chronic_eosinophilic_leukemia/Nx3UvT1B">chronic eosinophilic leukemia</a> (CEL), <a href="/facts/Systemic_mastocytosis/BDzye3Ra">systemic mastocytosis</a>, and <a href="/facts/Myelodysplastic_syndrome/6ppeUYWk">myelodysplastic syndrome</a>.
Common side effects include vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, headache, and rash. Severe side effects may include <a href="/facts/Water_retention_(medicine)/Q6MI3KdH">fluid retention</a>, <a href="/facts/Gastrointestinal_bleeding/ynYL5PXm">gastrointestinal bleeding</a>, <a href="/facts/Bone_marrow_suppression/NEdoL9nj">bone marrow suppression</a>, <a href="/facts/Liver_problems/NHtuS0gU">liver problems</a>, and <a href="/facts/Heart_failure/7fckX3Jm">heart failure</a>. Use during <a href="/facts/Pregnancy/vEKYGpep">pregnancy</a> may result in harm to the baby. Imatinib works by <a href="/facts/Bcr-Abl_tyrosine-kinase_inhibitor/cbQYIFRp">stopping the Bcr-Abl tyrosine-kinase</a>. This can slow growth or result in <a href="/facts/Apoptosis/8dVzSm4y">programmed cell death</a> of certain types of cancer cells.
Imatinib was approved for medical use in the United States in 2001. It is on the <a href="/facts/WHO_Model_List_of_Essential_Medicines/6kmu81Xm">World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines</a>. A generic version became available in the UK as of 2017.

Imatinib open-in-new

Imatinib