Nilotinib

1 medicine

Nilotinib is a targeted cancer medicine for chronic myeloid leukemia; it carries a boxed warning for QT-interval prolongation and sudden cardiac death, so you must take it on an empty stomach and avoid other drugs that also prolong the QT interval.

Tasigna

Nilotinib

150/200mg

Tasigna is a oncology medication containing Nilotinib, available as 150/200mg tablets.

from $12.75 / tablet View

Key facts

  • Nilotinib (Tasigna) is a tyrosine-kinase inhibitor that blocks the abnormal BCR-ABL protein driving chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).
  • You take it on an empty stomach, with no food for 2 hours before and at least 1 hour after each dose, since food greatly increases how much drug you absorb.
  • Its single most important safety fact: nilotinib carries a boxed warning for QT-interval prolongation and sudden cardiac death. Avoid other medicines that also prolong the QT interval, and your prescriber will check an ECG and blood electrolytes before and during treatment.
  • Seek urgent care for fainting, palpitations, or yellowing of the skin or eyes.

What Nilotinib treats

Nilotinib treats chronic myeloid leukemia that is Philadelphia-chromosome positive, including newly diagnosed chronic-phase disease and cases that have not responded to, or cannot tolerate, an earlier CML medicine such as imatinib.

How Nilotinib works

CML cells carry an abnormal fusion protein called BCR-ABL that constantly signals the cell to divide. Nilotinib fits into the protein's active site and blocks that signal, which stops leukemia cells from multiplying and allows normal blood cell production to recover.

Before you take it

  • Avoid nilotinib if you have long QT syndrome, uncorrected low potassium or magnesium, or significant heart disease, unless your specialist has specifically planned for this.
  • Tell your prescriber about liver disease, pancreatitis, or peripheral artery disease, and list every other medicine you take, since many common drugs, including some antibiotics, antifungals, and antidepressants, also affect the QT interval or interact through the liver.
  • Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice, which raise nilotinib levels.
  • Your prescriber will monitor liver enzymes, blood counts, blood glucose, and cholesterol regularly during treatment.

Side effects

Common effects include headache, nausea, diarrhea, muscle cramps, and rash.

Stop and seek urgent medical care for any of these:

  • Fainting, palpitations, or a fast or irregular heartbeat.
  • Yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, or unusual tiredness.
  • Sudden leg pain, numbness, or a cold, pale limb.
  • Severe abdominal pain.

Safety essentials

  • The QT-prolongation and sudden cardiac death risk is nilotinib's defining safety concern. Never take it with other QT-prolonging drugs, keep every follow-up ECG and blood test appointment, and report palpitations or fainting immediately.
  • Always take nilotinib fasting, exactly as instructed. Taking it with food can raise blood levels enough to increase toxicity.
  • Correct low potassium or magnesium before starting, and tell your prescriber about vomiting, diarrhea, or any other cause of electrolyte loss during treatment.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist who knows your health history.