Blocking this enzyme keeps cancer cells from dividing and causes them to die Imetelstat sodium is a type of targeted therapy called an enzyme inhibitor. In june 2024, imetelstat (rytelo™) became the first telomerase inhibitor approved by the u.s food and drug administration (fda) Most cancers and neoplastic progenitor cells have elevated telomerase activity and preservation of telomeres that promote cellular immortality, making telomerase a rational target for the treatment of cancer Imetelstat is a first‐in‐class, 13‐mer. The imetelstat molecule has a sequence complementary to the ribonucleic acid (rna) component of human telomerase and binds to the rna region, thereby acting as a competitive inhibitor of human telomerase.
Imetelstat can cause liver toxicity, which your oncology care team may monitor for using blood tests called liver function tests Notify your healthcare provider if you notice yellowing of the skin or eyes, your urine appears dark or brown, or you have pain in your abdomen, as these can be signs of liver toxicity.
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