FRIDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- The anti-cancer drug Gleevec (imatinib) has received new U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to treat the most common type of pediatric cancer, affecting some 2,900 children each year, the agency said Friday.
Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) progresses rapidly if left untreated. Gleevec, among a class of drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors, blocks proteins that promote development of cancer cells, the FDA said in a news release.
The most common side effects observed in pediatric testing included infection and a decrease in white blood cells and blood platelets.
Gleevec was first approved in 2001 to treat a form of chronic myeloid leukemia, and has since been approved to treat several other conditions. The drug is marketed by Novartis, based in East Hanover, N.J.
More information
To learn more about Gleevec, visit the U.S. National Cancer Institute.
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sebochris
Fri Feb 08, 2013 06:55 PM
Hi,
What i have to say is not really a comment as such....
I'm Sebastien Christopher from Trinidad, West Indies Island.
I'm CML Phil.Chromosome Positive for the past 15 yrs. I was on Alpha Interferon 3.5 MIU's from the Initial stages for 5 yrs. plus, then i went straight to Gleevec 400Mg daily. Just about Oct. 2012 i had my Bone Marrow done, my results stated Complete Cytogentic Remission. I was told a long time ago that Gleevec is a Bone Marrow in a Bottle........I'm not 46 yrs. old.
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