Used primarily in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), especially in patients who are resistant or intolerant to prior therapy including imatinib. It functions by inhibiting the abnormal BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase protein, which drives the uncontrolled growth of leukemia cells. Nilotinib is effective in both chronic and accelerated phases of CML and helps reduce the number of cancerous cells in the blood and bone marrow. It is taken orally and has shown high rates of cytogenetic and molecular responses, contributing to prolonged remission in many patients. Ongoing research explores its potential in other cancers involving similar kinase pathways.