Potential of imatinib mesylate as a novel treatment for pulmonary fibrosis

Abstract

Pulmonary fibrosis is a disease characterized by progressive scarring of the lungs, with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) being the most aggressive form. The diagnosis of IPF is made after other conditions are excluded and is based on a characteristic clinical presentation, radiographic features and, sometimes, pathologic specimen. Existing IPF drug regimens, including corticosteroids and cytotoxic medications, are generally ineffective. To date, only lung transplantation has been shown to improve mortality in carefully selected patients. Multiple therapeutic agents have been investigated but none have proven to be successful. Novel drugs are constantly being sought in an attempt to find a therapy that halts or reverses this disease. Imatinib mesylate is used for chronic myelogenous leukemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. It also has antifibrotic properties, as demonstrated in several studies using mouse models of pulmonary fibrosis. Currently, trials are underway to investigate its efficacy in human subjects with IPF.

Keywords::

• asbestosis
• bleomycin
• fibrosis
• idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
• imatinib mesylate
• pulmonary fibrosis

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no 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. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

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

Notes

ILD: Interstitial lung disease.

Adapted with permission from [1].

A-aPO₂: Alveolar–arterial oxygen gradient; DL_co: Single breath diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide; FEV₁: Forced expired volume in 1 s; FVC: Forced vital capacity; HRCT: High-resolution computed tomography; VC: Vital capacity.

Adapted from [48].

CYP: Cytochrome P450; IUPAC: International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.