Patient information letter about the targeted cancer drug Glivec being made available on the NHS, 2001.

Patient information letter titled 'Background information and current status of imintib mesylate - clinical usage and licensing (also known as STI571, Glivec, Gleevec)', issued to Doreen Eggleton being treated for Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML), by Hammersmith Hospital, dated August 2001. Summarising information about the Glivec (imatinib) drug trials, cost of the drug made by Novartis, and actions leading to the drug becoming available on the NHS.

Doreen Eggleton was diagnosed with the blood cancer Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) in 1998. At the time treatment options for this disease were limited, however in 2001 Doreen became one of the participants on the first UK clinical trial of a new, effective targeted therapy drug called Glivec (imatinib). This letter to Doreen, issued in August 2001, summarises information about the drug trials, the cost of the drug made by Novartis, and the actions leading to the drug becoming available on the NHS.

Glivec (imatinib) is a type of cancer growth blocker called a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). Tyrosine kinases are proteins that cells use to signal to each other to grow. They act as chemical messengers and blocking them stops the cancer cells growing.