Imatinib
BCR-ABL InhibitorFor the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML), Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative diseases, aggressive systemic mastocytosis, hypereosinophilic syndrome and/or chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL), dermatofibrosarcoma protu
Imatinib mesylate is a protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor that inhibits the Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase, the constitutive abnormal tyrosine kinase created by the Philadelphia chromosome abnormality in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). It inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in Bcr-Abl positive cell lines as well as fresh leukemic cells from Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia. Imatinib also inhibits the receptor tyrosine kinases for platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) and stem cell factor (SCF) - called c-kit. Imatinib was identified in the late 1990s by Dr Brian J. Druker. Its development is an excellent example of rational drug design. Soon after identification of the bcr-abl target, the search for an inhibitor began. Chemists used a high-throughput screen of chemical libraries to identify the molecule 2-phenylaminopyrimidine. This lead compound was then tested and modified by the introduction of methyl and benzamide groups to give it enhanced binding properties, resulting in imatinib.
Resistance mutations sourced from COSMIC Drug Resistance database. Cyan = on-target · Amber = off-target · numbered badge = PubMed references for that mutation