Raw research findings for this medication. Mostly single studies, not curated or confirmed robust.
Imatinib was the first targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor and transformed the outlook of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). It blocks BCR-ABL, the abnormal fusion protein that drives CML, and also KIT, which drives gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST). It is used for CML, GIST and some other blood cancers. It is sold as Gleevec and Glivec, among other names.
Whether imatinib works depends above all on the BCR-ABL fusion and KIT mutations in the cancer cells, which arise in the tumour and are not part of the DNA a person was born with. For inherited genes, studies have looked at the transporters that move imatinib in and out of cells (ABCB1, ABCG2, SLC22A1) and at the enzymes CYP3A4, CYP3A5 and CYP2C8, for blood levels and response, with mixed results. There is no CPIC or DPWG guideline.
Every published finding on gene variants and Imatinib. Upload your DNA file to see which of these rows apply to you.
PharmGKB weighs all studies of a variant and rates how strong the evidence is, from 1A (strongest) to 4.
ABCB1 rs1045642: Level 3. Efficacy: Chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive. 5.
SLC22A1 rs628031: Level 3. Efficacy, Toxicity, Metabolism/PK: Neoplasms. 4.
ABCB1 rs1128503: Level 3. Efficacy: Chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive. 3.
SLC22A4 rs1050152: Level 3. Efficacy: Chronic myelogenous leukemia, BCR-ABL1 positive, Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors. 2.
Studies of how quickly the body processes this medication.
Studies of how well it worked in people carrying a variant.
Studies of how much of the drug people needed or tolerated.
Studies of side effects in people carrying a variant.
Study findings and evidence levels: PharmGKB (CC BY-SA 4.0). Guidelines: CPIC and DPWG, as bundled in PharmCAT. Most studies were done mainly in people of European ancestry.
More drugs from the same category
Apatinib (Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors)
Gilotrif (Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors)
Inlyta (Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors)
Not a prescribing recommendation. This page is educational information about pharmacogenomic research and clinical guidelines - it is not medical or dosing advice, and not a prediction of how any medication will work for you. Never start, stop, or change a medication or dose based on it; talk to your doctor or pharmacist, who can order clinical-grade testing if appropriate.
Content updated September 2026.
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