Glasdegib: First Global Approval

Glasdegib (DAURISMO) is an oral inhibitor of the Hedgehog signalling pathway, the activation of which is associated with a number of malignancies. It has been developed by Pfizer and was approved in November 2018 in the USA for use in combination with low-dose cytarabine for the treatment of newly-diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in patients aged 75years or those who have comorbidities that preclude use of intensive induction chemotherapy. Glasdegib is the first Hedgehog pathway inhibitor to be approved for AML in the USA. It received orphan designation for the treatment of AML in the USA in June 2017 and in the EU in October 2017, and for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) in the USA in October 2017. It is also undergoing clinical development for use in select haematological and other malignancies, including MDS, in various countries worldwide. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of glasdegib leading to its use in combination with low-dose cytarabine for the treatment of newly-diagnosed AML in patients aged 75years or those who have comorbidities that preclude use of intensive induction chemotherapy.