Imatinib's clinical trials showed remarkable results. Patients with CML who were treated with imatinib experienced high rates of complete hematologic response and major cytogenetic response. These outcomes were significantly better than those achieved with previous treatments, such as interferon-alpha and cytarabine. In 2001, imatinib received FDA approval for the treatment of CML. It has since been approved for other malignancies, including gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) that express the KIT protein.
