Imetelstat Sodium
Imetelstat sodium works by blocking the activity of an enzyme called telomerase, which is found at high levels in cells that divide rapidly, including cancer cells. Blocking this enzyme keeps cancer cells from dividing and causes them to die. Imetelstat sodium is a type of targeted therapy called an enzyme inhibitor.
FDA label information for this drug is available at DailyMed.
Use in Cancer
Imetelstat sodium is approved to treat:
- Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) that is low risk or intermediate-1 risk. It is used in adults who:
- have anemia that required blood transfusions of 4 or more red blood cell units over 8 weeks, and
- have not responded to, have stopped responding to, or cannot be treated with an erythropoiesis-stimulating agent.
Imetelstat sodium is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer.
More About Imetelstat Sodium
Definition from the NCI Drug Dictionary - Detailed scientific definition and other names for this drug.
MedlinePlus Information on Imetelstat Sodium - A lay language summary of important information about this drug that may include the following:
- warnings about this drug,
- what this drug is used for and how it is used,
- what you should tell your doctor before using this drug,
- what you should know about this drug before using it,
- other drugs that may interact with this drug, and
- possible side effects.
Drugs are often studied to find out if they can help treat or prevent conditions other than the ones they are approved for. This patient information sheet applies only to approved uses of the drug. However, much of the information may also apply to unapproved uses that are being studied.
Research Results and Related Resources
Targeted Therapy to Treat Cancer
Clinical Trials Accepting Patients
Find Clinical Trials for Imetelstat Sodium - Check for trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials now accepting patients.