Ruxolitinib, formerly known as INCB018424 or INC424, is an anticancer drug and a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor. It is a potent and selective inhibitor of JAK1 and JAK2, which are tyrosine kinases involved in cytokine signalling and hematopoiesis. Myeloproliferative neoplasms, such as myelofibrosis and polycythemia vera, are often characterized by aberrant activation of the JAK-STAT pathway, leading to abnormal blood cell counts and thrombotic complications. By inhibiting JAK1 and JAK2, ruxolitinib works to block the dysregulated cell signalling pathways and prevents abnormal blood cell proliferation. Due to a large number of patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms who have JAK2 mutations, ruxolitinib was the first ATP-competitive inhibitor of JAK1 and JAK2 ever developed.
Ruxolitinib was first approved for the treatment of adult patients with myelofibrosis by the FDA in 2011, followed by EMA's approval in 2012. In 2014, it was approved for the treatment of polycythemia vera in adults who have an inadequate response to or are intolerant of hydroxyurea and in 2019, ruxolitinib was approved for use in steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease in adults and children. The topical formulation of ruxolitinib is used to treat atopic dermatitis and vitiligo. It is being investigated for other inflammatory skin conditions.
Ruxolitinib has been investigated to treat patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) accompanied by severe systemic hyperinflammation. In phase II clinical trials, ruxolitinib improved chest computed tomography and improved recovery in patients with lymphopenia. However, phase III clinical trials later determined that ruxolitinib was inadequate in meeting its primary endpoint of reducing the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients who experienced severe complications thus the drug was not approved as a treatment for COVID-19.
Ruxolitinib is indicated for the treatment of the following conditions:
Topical ruxolitinib is indicated for:
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Washington University, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, United States
Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
University of Southern California /ID# 164095, Los Angeles, California, United States
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute /ID# 162675, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre /ID# 214483, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States
University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, Arizona, United States
Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States
Rutgers Cancer Institute, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
Texas Oncology, Dallas, Texas, United States
Texas Oncology - Tyler, Tyler, Texas, United States
Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
University of Michigan Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Columbia Weill Cornell Cancer Centers - Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC), New York, New York, United States
Ventura County Hematology-Oncology Specialists, Oxnard, California, United States
Tift Regional, Tifton, Georgia, United States
Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, Michigan, United States
St. Jude Affiliate Clinic - Novant Health Hemby Children's Hospital, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
Stay informed with timely notifications on clinical trials, regulatory changes, and research advancements related to this medication.