What are the efficacy and effects of Bosutinib? What diseases does it mainly treat?

Bosutinib is a targeted drug that belongs to the tyrosine kinase inhibitor class. Its main effect is to inhibit the activity of BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase, thereby blocking its abnormal signaling in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). By inhibiting this specific kinase, bosutinib can effectively inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells and slow down the progression of the disease. Therefore, it is mainly used to treat chronic myelogenous leukemia, especially in patients who are resistant or intolerant to other treatments.

The mechanism of action of bosutinib focuses on inhibiting the tyrosine kinase activity produced by the BCR-ABL1 fusion gene, which is a key pathological feature of chronic myelogenous leukemia. Abnormal activation of BCR-ABL1 kinase leads to continued proliferation and resistance to apoptosis of leukemia cells, which makes the treatment of leukemia more difficult. Bosutinib effectively controls the expansion of leukemia cells by selectively inhibiting this tyrosine kinase, thereby improving patient prognosis.

In addition to treating chronic myelogenous leukemia, bosutinib is being studied as a treatment for other types of cancer. It has shown potential efficacy against other malignant tumors, such as certain gastrointestinal cancers and non-small cell lung cancer. However, bosutinib is primarily used as a second-line or later-line treatment, often considered when patients are refractory or resistant to initial therapy.
As a targeted therapy drug, bosutinib has higher selectivity and lower systemic toxicity, which is different from traditional chemotherapy drugs. Although bosutinib may cause some side effects during treatment, such as gastrointestinal discomfort, liver function damage, etc., compared with traditional treatment, its side effects are more controllable, and in clinical application, it can effectively improve patients' survival and quality of life. Therefore, bosutinib has gradually become an important treatment option in the treatment of CML.
Reference: https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB06616