Imatinib is the first in a class of targeted therapies that act in a unique way to destroy leukemic, but not normal, cells. Virtually overnight, imatinib became the standard of treatment for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) because it was relatively non-toxic, easy to administer, and worked fast to produce excellent clinical remissions. Over time, some CML patients have developed a resistance to imatinib. Disease relapse is seen in about 4% of patients each year. Now two new successors to imatinib seem to be able to treat imatinib resistance with few side effects.
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