Drug Detail

Information about TAFINLAR

Generic Name	Dabrafenib mesylate
IND	GSK2118436
Brand Name (US)	TAFINLAR
Manufacturer	GlaxoSmithKline
Drug Type	Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor
Delivery	Oral
Approval Status	Approved for a non-GIST cancer
Indications	Melanoma, BRAF driven cancers
Overall Strategy	Oncogenic Signal Path Based
Strategy	Block BRAF
Drug Category	BRAF inhibitor

Dabrafenib, a BRAF inhibitor that is approved for melanoma with BRAF V600E or V600K mutations. It is a potent BRAF inhibitor that has recently shown activity in a phase 3 trial of melanoma patients. In addition, it has been shown to be effective against brain metastases in melanoma patients with BRAF mutations. Most drugs are not effective against brain metastases because they don't cross the brain-blood barrier.
A very small percentage of GIST patients have BRAF mutations; either as the primary mutation, or in very rare cases, a secondary mutation. Dabrafenib is the first BRAF inhibitor to demonstrate activity in a GIST patient (see link to full text article below).