Prospect of JAK2 inhibitor therapy in myeloproliferative neoplasms

Abstract

The discovery of the Janus kinase (JAK)2 V617F mutation in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms was a major milestone in understanding the biology of those disorders. Several groups simultaneously reported on the high incidence of this mutation in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms: almost all patients with polycythemia vera harbor the mutation and about 50% of patients with essential thrombocythemia and primary myelofibrosis have the mutation, making the development of JAK2 tyrosine kinase inhibitors an attractive therapeutic goal. In addition, inhibition of JAK2 kinase may have a therapeutic role in other hematologic malignancies, such as chronic myeloid leukemia or lymphoma. A number of molecules that inhibit JAK2 kinase have been described in the literature, and several are being evaluated in a clinical setting. Here, we summarize current clinical experience with JAK2 inhibitors.

Keywords::

• essential thrombocythemia
• JAK2 inhibitor
• myelofibrosis
• myeloproliferative neoplasm
• polycythemia vera

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Srdan Verstovsek has received grants from Cephalon, Incyte, Exelixis and SBio. He has also received honoraria from Incyte and SBio for participating in advisory board meetings. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.