A new drug used in the treatment of CML and other cancers that works by inhibiting the enzyme that causes the cancer. 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 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. In colony formation assays using ex vivo peripheral blood and bone marrow samples, imatinib shows inhibition of Bcr-Abl positive colonies from CML patients. Learn more. Also known as Glivec (outside of the United States) and STI571. Gleevec (imatinib mesylate) is made by Novartis. Read more on the Novartis site.

A drug used to treat certain types of chronic myelogenous leukemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Gleevec blocks the protein made by the bcr/abl oncogene. It belongs to the family of drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Also called imatinib mesylate and STI571.