Is ABT-737 legal in the United Kingdom?

The laboratory predecessor of navitoclax, used as a senolytic tool compound in mice. No one has ever been given ABT-737 in a published clinical study; it is not orally bioavailable, which is why the orally available analogue was developed and taken into people instead.

ABT-737 is a BH3 mimetic that binds BCL-2, BCL-xL and BCL-w and triggers apoptosis in cells that depend on them. It is the parent compound of navitoclax, which the ovarian cancer investigators describe plainly as the orally available ABT-737 analogue.

Mechanism: Established in cells and in mice: ABT-737 occupies the BH3 binding groove of BCL-2, BCL-xL and BCL-w, releasing BAX and BAK and committing the cell to apoptosis. Senescent cells in mouse tissues upregulate these proteins to survive, which is the basis of the selectivity seen in animal experiments.

Regulatory history: Not approved and not in clinical development. A preclinical research compound with no registered human trial. Its oral analogue navitoclax reached phase 1 and 2 oncology trials and is also unapproved.

Licenses medicines for the UK market. A compound without a marketing authorisation is an unlicensed medicine, which can only lawfully be supplied for human use through a prescriber under the specials scheme, not sold as a research product.

The classification above is the The Longevity Archive reading of Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency listings for ABT-737 at the reviewed date, not a legal opinion. Rules change, and importing, prescribing and possessing a compound can each be treated differently. Check the regulator directly before acting on anything here.