FDA approves new orphan drug for chronic myelogenous leukemia

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved Bosulif (bosutinib) to treat chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), a blood and bone marrow disease that usually affects older adults.

Most people with CML have a genetic mutation, called the Philadelphia chromosome. Bosulif is intended for patients with chronic, accelerated or blast phase Philadelphia chromosome positive CML who are resistant to or who cannot tolerate other therapies, including imatinib.

Other drugs recently approved by FDA to treat various forms of CML include imatinib (2001), dasatinib (2006) and nilotinib (2007).