Timeline of key drug approvals in MPN treatment

Over the past two decades, the therapeutic landscape of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) has rapidly evolved in conjunction with innovative research and pioneering clinical trials. Identification of the key driver mutation in the JAK2 gene represented a milestone in the development of disease-specific therapies. As a result, patients now have access to four Janus kinase inhibitors for the treatment of myelofibrosis, with momelotinib most recently approved in September 2023. Furthermore, interferon treatments and specific cytoreductive therapies have improved clinical outcomes for patients diagnosed with essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera.

To showcase the progression of treatment options over the past 20 years, we present a visual summary of approvals for common therapies used in MPN treatment (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Timeline of drug approvals in MPN 

¹ March 14^th 1997, ² May 24^th 2000, ³ January 19^th 2001, ⁴ June 20^th 2002, ⁵ October 16^th 2002, ⁶ August 29^th 2004, ⁷ November 16^th 2004, ⁸ June 29^th 2007, ⁹ November 16^th 2011, ¹⁰ August 23^rd 2012, ¹¹ December 4^th 2014, ¹² August 16^th 2019, ¹³ February 2021, ¹⁴ February 28^th 2022, ¹⁵ September 15^th 2023

EMA, European Medicines Agency; FDA, U.S. Food and Drug Administration; IFN, interferon; JAK, Janus kinase; MF, myelofibrosis: OOD, orphan drug administration; PV, polycythemia vera.