Vemurafenib is approved since 2011 for the treatment of metastatic melanoma with a mutation on BRAF in the valine located in the exon 15 at codon 600, this mutation is denominated as V600E.[A31270] The V600E mutation, a substitution of glutamic acid for valine, accounts for 54% of the cases of cutan
eous melanoma.[A31271]
Vemurafenib approval was extended in 2017, for its use as a treatment of adult patients with Erdheim-Chester Disease whose cancer cells present BRAF V600 mutation.[L1013] Erdheim-Chester disease is an extremely rare histiocyte cell disorder that affects large bones, large vessels, central nervous system, as well as, skin and lungs. It is reported an association of Erdheim-Chester disease and V600E mutation.[A31272]
Vemurafenib is an orally available inhibitor of mutated BRAF-serine-threonine kinase. Vemurafenif is a small molecule that interacts as a competitive inhibitor of the mutated species of BRAF. It is especially potent against the BRAF V600E mutation. Vemurafenib blocks downstream processes to inhibit tumour growth and eventually trigger apoptosis. Vemurafenib does not have antitumour effects against melanoma cell lines with the wild-type BRAF mutation.[L1014]
Resistance Mutations
— 96 resistance samples observed in COSMIC