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Bexarotene

  • Prescription medicine
  • Prescription only
  • Identity checked
  • Sources last checked 2026-09-04

This page shows what was measured, who it was measured in, and what that does not settle.

What Bexarotene does in the body

Cutaneous manifestations of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

From the FDA-approved label: Bexarotene selectively binds and activates retinoid X receptor subtypes (RXRα, RXRβ, RXRγ). RXRs can form heterodimers with various receptor partners such as retinoic acid receptors (RARs), vitamin D receptor, thyroid receptor, and peroxisome proliferator activator receptors (PPARs). Once activated, these receptors function as transcription factors that regulate the expression of genes that control cellular differentiation and proliferation. Bexarotene inhibits the growth in vitro of some tumor cell lines of hematopoietic and squamous cell origin. It also induces tumor regression in vivo in some animal models.

What happened in people

RNAWiki has not yet published a reviewed conclusion for this use.

A fixed RNAWiki sentence

Where this came from

Wording RNAWiki always uses, not a finding about this substance.

No reviewed claim names a result for any goal on this record.

No source is stored against this line.

The limit that matters most

Not recorded.

Where it acts
Not recorded.
Kind of result
No result is published, so no kind of result applies yet
Supervision
Professional supervision is normally required. A regulator classifies this substance in a way that restricts how it is supplied.

What the registries record it as

  • The substance registry classes this as chemical.

    FDA substance registry · A61RXM4375 · read 2026-08-29

  • Its recorded molecular formula is C24H28O2, weighing 348.48.

    US prescribing information · 7437a43f-172a-4f4e-8132-fe23b00224f9 · read 2026-08-30

Where each sentence above came from

No recorded sentence describes the change this makes in a way that stands on its own. The page opens with what it is taken for instead, and the recorded explanation follows below.

Shown as the opening line on this page.

No statement of the main limit is recorded.

The four opening statements run to 108 words.

Words this page uses

Four words worth knowing first

Chosen from what this page shows, with each one explained before the word it depends on.

Protein

A protein is a folded chain your body builds to do a specific job.

A picture of it, and where the picture fails

A protein is like a tool bent into one shape for one task.

Where that stops being true. A tool keeps its shape. A protein can change shape and stop working.

What people get wrong. Protein in food and a protein in the body are related but not the same thing.

A polymer of amino acids folded into a defined structure that determines its function.

Enzyme

An enzyme is a protein that speeds up one chemical change.

A picture of it, and where the picture fails

An enzyme is like a machine on a production line doing one cut.

Where that stops being true. A machine is switched on and off by a person. Enzymes are controlled by the cell.

What people get wrong. Enzymes are thought to be used up. They are not; they work again and again.

A catalytic protein that lowers the activation energy of a specific reaction.

Receptor

A receptor is a part of a cell that a signal fits into.

A picture of it, and where the picture fails

A receptor is like a lock waiting for one key.

Where that stops being true. A lock either opens or does not. A receptor can be half-triggered, or worn out.

What people get wrong. Fitting a receptor is read as causing a benefit. It causes a step, and nothing more.

A protein that binds a specific ligand and converts that binding into a cellular response.

Pathway

A pathway is a chain of steps inside a cell, each one setting off the next.

A picture of it, and where the picture fails

A pathway is like a row of dominoes.

Where that stops being true. Dominoes fall one way. Pathways loop back and can switch themselves off.

What people get wrong. Changing one step is read as changing the outcome. Other steps often absorb it.

An ordered series of molecular interactions producing a defined cellular change.

What happened in peopleRead from sources, not yet reviewed

What was measured, goal by goal

One row for each goal a registered study measured something for. One column for each kind of thing that could be measured.

Registered studies list 17 outcome measures that RNAWiki could read. A registered study says what someone planned to measure. It does not say what they found. 0 of the matched studies tested this substance, and 0 posted a result.

There is no single score. A strong test result and a weak life result are different facts.

Goals down the side, kinds of measurement across the top. Each cell says what kind of thing was registered, not what was found.
GoalLife outcomeWhat a body can doHow a person feelsA test resultA step in the bodyHarmsHow longWho was studied
MoodNothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a life outcome for this goal.Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a performance measure for this goal.Waiting for a reviewer1 registered symptom measure.Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a test result for this goal.Nothing in the sources checkedNo registered study lists a body-step measure for this goal.Not recordedHarms were not a registered measure for this goal.Not recordedNo finished study window is recorded.Waiting for a reviewerWho was studied is listed further down the page.
Which registered measures put each goal on this table
Mood
montgomery and sberg depression rating scale

Sorted by fixed word lists, version v1. A name the rules do not recognise stays unsorted rather than moving to the nearest column.

What each mark on this table means
Nothing in the sources checked
No registered study lists a life outcome for this goal.
Waiting for a reviewer
1 registered symptom measure.
Not recorded
Harms were not a registered measure for this goal.

What happened in peopleRead from sources, not yet reviewed

What happened in people

Each card is one study: the exact question it asked, who was in it, and whether it showed what it set out to show.

Evaluation of Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Targretin Capsules in Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

The study did not show it

Who was studied
NCT00050973
How many people
623
Study design
Phase 3
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
A number that stands in for health
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated

What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.

The limits of this study, and where it came from

Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.

How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.

Form and route. Oral

Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary

Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.

  • openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • PubChem PUG-REST · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot

Overall Survival

The study did not show it

Who was studied
NCT00050960
How many people
612
Study design
Phase 3
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
Living longer, or avoiding a major event
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated

What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.

The limits of this study, and where it came from

Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.

How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.

Form and route. Oral

Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary

Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.

  • openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • PubChem PUG-REST · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot

Bexarotene in Treating Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer

The study did not show it

Who was studied
NCT00003752
How many people
180
Study design
Phase 2
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
A number that stands in for health
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated

What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.

The limits of this study, and where it came from

Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.

How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.

Form and route. Oral

Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary

Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.

  • openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • PubChem PUG-REST · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot

Overall Response Rate of Participants Using the Modified Severity-Weighted Assessment Tool (mSWAT)

The study did not show it

Who was studied
NCT00425555
How many people
139
Study design
Phase 2
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
A number that stands in for health
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated

What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.

The limits of this study, and where it came from

Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.

How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.

Form and route. Oral

Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary

Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.

  • openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • PubChem PUG-REST · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot

Percentage of Participants Achieving an Objective Response That Lasts at Least 4 Months (ORR4)

The study did not show it

Who was studied
NCT01578499
How many people
131
Study design
Phase 3
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
A number that stands in for health
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated

What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.

The limits of this study, and where it came from

Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.

How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.

Form and route. Oral

Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary

Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.

  • openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • PubChem PUG-REST · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot

Overall response rate (complete clinical response [CCR) and partial response [PR])

The study did not show it

Who was studied
NCT00056056
How many people
93
Study design
Phase 3
Compared against
Not recorded for this study
Kind of result
A number that stands in for health
What was found
Result not recorded on this page
Repeated elsewhere
Unreplicated

What this does not prove. A study that did not show an effect does not show that no effect exists anywhere.

The limits of this study, and where it came from

Main limit. No limitation is recorded for this study.

How far it carries. This study is recorded from the curated record, not from the registry match.

Form and route. Oral

Interval reported. Not recorded in this summary

Written into the record, not signed off as a reviewed claim.

  • openFDA Drugs@FDA · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA NDC Directory · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • openFDA SPL label · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
  • PubChem PUG-REST · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot
What we know
RNAWiki holds 6 written-up human studies for this substance, each with the question it asked.
How we know it
Each card names the study, the number of people and what the study set out to measure.
What this does not prove
These summaries were written by a person and have not been signed off as reviewed claims.
Why it matters
A study that failed is as informative as one that worked, and both are here.
What we still do not know
No reviewed claim exists, so no exact population, effect size or interval is published yet.

What happened in peopleRead from sources, not yet reviewed

How close this is to real life

The top step is something a person would feel or care about. The bottom is a guess from software. Filled steps are where evidence exists for this substance.

  1. Living longer, or avoiding a major event Evidence recorded. Death, a heart attack, a stroke, a hospital stay.2 registered measures of this kind. 1 written-up study measured this and did not show a benefit.
  2. What a body can do day to day No evidence recorded. Walking, dressing, breathing, recovering.No registered study measures this.
  3. Measured performance No evidence recorded. How much was lifted, how far was run, how fast.No registered study measures this.
  4. Symptoms and quality of life Evidence recorded. Pain, tiredness, mood, sleep, as the person rated it.2 registered measures of this kind.
  5. A number that stands in for health No evidence recorded. Cholesterol, blood sugar, bone density. A stand-in, not the thing itself.No registered study measures this.
  6. A step measured inside a person Evidence recorded. Something measured in human tissue or human cells.A human record sits on the stored organism ladder.
  7. Animals Evidence recorded. Mice, rats, dogs. Useful for ideas, not proof about people.Stored records in Mouse. A result in animals says what to test next. It does not say what happens in people.
  8. Cells in a dish Evidence recorded. Cells or chemistry on a bench, far from a whole body.Stored mechanism abstracts describe steps measured in cells or tissue.
  9. A guess from software No evidence recorded. Nobody measured it. RNAWiki never publishes one as a finding.RNAWiki stores no prediction for this record. Software can suggest a link. RNAWiki does not publish one as a finding.

Higher on these steps means closer to something a person would feel. It does not mean better done.

What it would be like to takeRead from sources, not yet reviewed

Felt, measured, or meaningful

Three different things that get called the same word. Registered studies measured all three, and mixing them is how a blood test becomes a health claim.

Felt

Things a person could notice without a test.

  • positive and negative syndrome scale
  • montgomery and sberg depression rating scale

Measured

Things only a test, a scale or a device shows.

No registered study measured anything of this kind.

Meaningful

Things that change how a life goes, not only a number.

  • survival
  • progression free survival

A registered study says what someone planned to measure. It does not say what they found. A number moving is not the same as a life going better. The two are shown apart here.

Felt, but not shown to help. A person notices a change. No study showed it leads anywhere good.

Measured, but not felt. A number moves. The person notices nothing. Both can be true.

Measured, but not shown to matter. A number moves in the good direction. Nobody showed that lives went better.

Matters, but takes years. The result that counts may take longer than anyone would keep watching.

Names that fit none of the three (13)
  • pharmacokinetic analysis
  • clinical response
  • response rate as measured by recist criteria
  • time to progression
  • rate of objective response
  • tumor size
  • cortisol levels
  • adverse events
  • dose limiting toxicity rate
  • maximum tolerated dose
  • primary outcome by genotype
  • area under the effect curve for newly generated beta amyloid
  • incidence of adverse events

These are harms, study-process measures, or names the rules did not recognise. They are shown rather than dropped.

What is missing or unclearRead from sources, not yet reviewed

Were people like you studied?

RNAWiki cannot tell whether a study fits you. It can show who was in it, and where the result stops carrying.

Who was studied

People similar to this profile were included.

  • TARGRETIN ® (bexarotene) Capsules are indicated for the treatment of cutaneous manifestations of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in patients who are refractory to at least one prior systemic therapy. TARGRETIN (bexarotene) is a retinoid indicated for the treatment of cutaneous manifestations of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in patients who are refractory to at least one prior systemic therapy. ( 1 )

Who is missing from the studies

  • Which groups were under-represented in the studies has not been recorded for this substance. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, older adults, and people with liver or kidney conditions are commonly excluded from trials; nothing here says whether they were.

What the label states about particular groups

  • On pediatric, the label states: “Safety and effectiveness of bexarotene in pediatric patients have not been established.”

    US prescribing information · 7437a43f-172a-4f4e-8132-fe23b00224f9 · read 2026-08-30

  • On older people, the label states: “Of the total patients with CTCL in clinical trials of bexarotene, 64% were 60 years or older, while 33% were 70 years or older.”

    US prescribing information · 7437a43f-172a-4f4e-8132-fe23b00224f9 · read 2026-08-30

  • On people who are pregnant, the label states: “Risk Summary Bexarotene, a retinoid, can cause fetal harm based on findings from animal studies when administered to a pregnant female and is contraindicated during pregnancy.”

    US prescribing information · 7437a43f-172a-4f4e-8132-fe23b00224f9 · read 2026-08-30

  • On people who are breastfeeding, the label states: “Risk Summary There is no information regarding the presence of bexarotene in human milk, the effects on the breast fed infant, or the effects on milk production.”

    US prescribing information · 7437a43f-172a-4f4e-8132-fe23b00224f9 · read 2026-08-30

  • On people with reduced liver function, the label states: “No specific studies have been conducted with bexarotene in subjects with hepatic impairment.”

    US prescribing information · 7437a43f-172a-4f4e-8132-fe23b00224f9 · read 2026-08-30

Where the result stopped carrying

  • This is a scope explorer, not a diagnosis engine.
  • It shows who was studied so you can see whether people similar to you were included.

RNAWiki cannot tell whether a study fits you. It can show who was in it.

What it would be like to takeRead from sources, not yet reviewed

Why it might seem to do nothing

A real effect and a noticed effect are different things. These are the recorded reasons the two come apart.

It was studied for a different goal

The studies measured something else entirely.

On this record: Some registered studies measured things that match no goal on this page.

It was studied in different people

The people in the studies were not much like the reader.

On this record: Which groups were under-represented in the studies has not been recorded for this substance. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, older adults, and people with liver or kidney conditions are commonly excluded from trials; nothing here says whether they were.

The evidence may simply be wrong

Small early studies often do not hold up.

On this record: RNAWiki has not yet published a reviewed conclusion for this use.

Other reasons RNAWiki checked and found nothing for (10)
A different form was studied
The studied form is not the form on the shelf. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
There was nothing to correct
Where a level is already normal, topping it up may change nothing. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
Something else had to happen too
In the studies it was paired with training, a diet or another treatment. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
The change is too small to feel
A real change can still sit below what a person notices. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
Day-to-day swing hides it
Sleep, food, stress and time of day move most numbers more than this would. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
Not enough time yet
The studies ran longer than the person has waited. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
It was not taken as studied
Missed days change the result, and studies count them. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
Something else changed at the same time
Two changes at once cannot be told apart afterwards. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
The product may not be what it says
Contents of a sold product are not always what the label states. Nothing in this record points to this reason.
No recorded reason
RNAWiki has nothing stored that would explain it. Nothing in this record points to this reason.

None of these is a reason to take more. Taking more is not a step this page ever suggests.

What it would be like to takeRead from sources, not yet reviewed

What taking it involves

The recorded facts about getting hold of it and using it. Nothing here is a suggestion about what you should do.

How it is supplied

Prescription only

Quoted from a source

Where this came from

Copied from a source RNAWiki stored, with the source named.

Read from the recorded approval status.

No source is stored against this line.

Form and route

Oral

Source-linked record

Where this came from

A person wrote this into the record with the study named beside it. No reviewer has signed it off.

The form and route recorded on this substance.

No source is stored against this line.

Who oversees it

Professional supervision is normally required. A regulator classifies this substance in a way that restricts how it is supplied.

Quoted from a source

Where this came from

Copied from a source RNAWiki stored, with the source named.

Suppression classes recorded: S1, S3, S4.

No source is stored against this line.

What is in the pack

Sold as capsule, gel, capsule, liquid filled, given by the oral, topical route.

Source-linked record

Where this came from

A person wrote this into the record with the study named beside it. No reviewer has signed it off.

Recorded notes on how this is sold and what that means for what is in the pack.

No source is stored against this line.

Where it is registered

Regulatory records are listed in the technical disclosure at the foot of this page.

Counted from records

Where this came from

A count of rows RNAWiki holds. It describes our records, not your body.

Register entries are stored per jurisdiction and shown with their dates.

No source is stored against this line.

Why people stop

Not recorded.

Nothing recorded

Where this came from

RNAWiki holds nothing here and says so rather than guessing.

No record of why people stopped taking it is stored for this substance.

No source is stored against this line.

What it would be like to takeNothing found in the sources checked

What can go wrong

Sorted by where each line came from. A regulator's label and a report somebody sent in are not the same kind of fact.

Nothing found in the sources checked

No harm is recorded against this substance in the sources RNAWiki checked. Finding nothing is not the same as showing there is nothing.

The sources listed were searched and held nothing. That is not the same as nothing existing.

Reports sent to a regulator

  • These are reports people sent to a regulator. They do not show the medicine caused the reaction.
  • Nobody counted how many people took the medicine and reported nothing.
  • The same event can be reported more than once, and many reports are incomplete.
  • News coverage, lawsuits and new warnings change how often people report.
  • A count is not a rate and not a risk.

Bexarotene appears in spontaneous reports to regulators. Across the 10 most-reported reaction terms, 139 reaction mentions were counted. One report can name several reactions.

The recorded terms (10)
  • hypothyroidism — 35 reaction mentions
  • hypertriglyceridaemia — 30 reaction mentions
  • blood triglycerides increased — 13 reaction mentions
  • disease progression — 11 reaction mentions
  • dyslipidaemia — 11 reaction mentions
  • blood cholesterol increased — 10 reaction mentions
  • malignant neoplasm progression — 9 reaction mentions
  • skin exfoliation — 8 reaction mentions
  • facial paresis — 6 reaction mentions
  • hypercholesterolaemia — 6 reaction mentions
  • open-targets-adr · recorded 2026-06-24 · a recorded source, not a stored snapshot

Over a long time. No completed tested study window is recorded, so long-term effects are not established by the registry record.

Groups the studies covered thinly. Which groups were under-represented in the studies has not been recorded for this substance. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, older adults, and people with liver or kidney conditions are commonly excluded from trials; nothing here says whether they were.

What is missing or unclearRead from sources, not yet reviewed

Does the exact form matter?

Evidence belongs to the exact thing that was tested. A different salt, a different mixture or a different preparation is a different question.

The form that was studied

Oral

Source-linked record

Where this came from

A person wrote this into the record with the study named beside it. No reviewer has signed it off.

The form used in the studies cited on this page.

No source is stored against this line.

What is sold

Not recorded.

Nothing recorded

Where this came from

RNAWiki holds nothing here and says so rather than guessing.

Nothing further is recorded about which forms are sold.

No source is stored against this line.

What is recorded as being sold

  • 24 products list this as an active ingredient in the United States drug directory. 24 of them contain it and nothing else.

    FDA National Drug Code directory · 31722-380 · read 2026-08-29

  • They are sold as capsule, capsule, liquid filled, gel and powder, taken oral and topical.

    FDA National Drug Code directory · 31722-380 · read 2026-08-29

  • The regulator's established pharmacologic class for it is retinoid [epc] and retinoids [cs].

    FDA National Drug Code directory · 31722-380 · read 2026-08-29

  • 10 published labels name it as an active ingredient. 10 of them describe this substance alone, which is where its own label text on this page comes from.

    US prescribing information · 7437a43f-172a-4f4e-8132-fe23b00224f9 · read 2026-08-29

  • Those labels are classed as human prescription drug.

    US prescribing information · 7437a43f-172a-4f4e-8132-fe23b00224f9 · read 2026-08-29

  • 1 marketed supplement label lists this ingredient, classed as other combinations.

    NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database · 239677 · read 2026-08-29

  • Those labels carry all other, nutrient and structure/function claims. A claim of that kind is written by the manufacturer and is not assessed by any regulator, so its presence says nothing about whether it is true.

    NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database · 239677 · read 2026-08-29

  • Bexarotene is oral at 3 DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS Capsules: 75 mg, off-white, oblong soft gelatin capsules, imprinted with black ink " US285"., recorded as fda label in effect 2023-03-31 in the United States.

    US prescribing information · 7437a43f-172a-4f4e-8132-fe23b00224f9 · read 2026-08-30

Evidence carries across two names for one substance. It does not carry across a salt, a mirror form or a mixture.

What it would be like to takeRead from sources, not yet reviewed

What you could measure

This one is decided with a clinician, so this section holds questions to ask rather than a plan to run.

Self-experiment planning is not offered for a prescription or clinician-supervised medicine. The questions below are for a clinician or pharmacist.

Questions worth asking

  • Which of the trials of Bexarotene studied people like me?
  • What was measured, and for how long?
  • Was the result a laboratory value or a health outcome?
  • What would we watch for, and when would we stop?

Tracking can show whether something changed for you. It cannot show what caused it.

RNAWiki records evidence. It does not say whether this substance is right for you.

What is missing or unclearRead from sources, not yet reviewed

What nobody knows yet

Open questions, each with why it is open and what would close it.

Missing populations

Which groups were under-represented in the studies has not been recorded.

Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.

What would answer it

A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.

Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.

Missing long-term data

No completed tested study window is recorded.

Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.

What would answer it

A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.

Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.

No reviewed conclusion

RNAWiki has not yet published a reviewed conclusion for this use.

Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.

What would answer it

A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.

Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.

Missing interaction studies

No interaction was found in the registers checked. Not finding one is not the same as showing there is none.

Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.

What would answer it

A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.

Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.

Formulation uncertainty

Several salts, forms or products of Bexarotene are recorded. Results from one form may not transfer to another.

Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.

What would answer it

A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.

Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.

Mechanism not reviewed

No reviewed mechanism story exists for this substance.

Why it matters. Recorded by the evidence model as a gap on this record.

What would answer it

A study that measures it, and a reviewer to sign it off.

Last checked 2026-09-04. Searched: The sources listed in the receipts at the foot of this page.

What happened in peopleRead from sources, not yet reviewed

Check any of this yourself

Every line above traced back to the study it came from. This is the technical layer, and the vocabulary changes here.

Where else this substance is registered

FDA substance identifier (UNII)
A61RXM4375
RxNorm concept
308725

Checks this page had to pass

  • Passed

    Identity resolved

    no open identity hold

  • Passed

    No unresolved merge across substance families

    no quarantine open

  • Passed

    Every public sentence names a source

    The opening statement carries the origin: Written into the record, not signed off.

  • Not passed

    Trial roles classified for highlighted evidence

    No registered study is classified as testing this substance.

  • Passed

    No internal keys in reader text

    enforced by the copy-contract test over the rendered page

  • Passed

    Safety mode resolved

    Suppression classes recorded: S1, S3, S4.

  • Passed

    Canonical metadata present

    slug and display name present

What is missing or unclearRead from sources, not yet reviewed

How this medicine reached us

Kept near the foot of the page. A historical event moves up only when it changes something about this substance today.

What the approval register records

  • 11 approved applications cover products containing this substance. The earliest was NDA021055, approved 19991229 to BAUSCH.

    Drugs@FDA application register · NDA021055 · read 2026-08-29

  • Marketing status on the register: discontinued and prescription.

    Drugs@FDA application register · NDA021055 · read 2026-08-29

  • The earliest marketing start date recorded for a listed product is 19991229.

    FDA National Drug Code directory · 31722-380 · read 2026-08-29

What is missing or unclearRead from sources, not yet reviewed

What to learn next

Ordered by what would most change how you read this page, starting with what is easiest to misunderstand.

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What is not here

6 questions this page could not answer

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Recorded evidence blocks (11)

What did Bexarotene's largest trial (623 people) and its longest (12 years) measure?


623 people in Bexarotene's largest registered study, 12 years in its longest registered window, measuring Median survival. ClinicalTrials.gov · 2026-09-01

16 phase2, 15 phase1, 7 phase3, 1 early phase1, 1 na, 1 phase4; NCT00255801; 2017-10; no ageing endpoint recorded. Last human test completed 2025, NCT04664829.

Interpretation These counts include studies where Bexarotene was a comparison treatment, a background treatment or an exposure in an observational study, and the longest window may be a planned end date. Trial roles have not yet been classified for this record.

Show the evidence
  • phase2
    16
  • phase1
    15
  • phase3
    7
  • early phase1
    1
  • na
    1
  • phase4
    1
1 more recorded row
  • Last recorded human test NCT04664829
    2025-08-04

recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04

From mouse to human: where has Bexarotene shown lifespan?


mouse: lifespan and human: lifespan (36): the rungs where Bexarotene has a recorded finding. Europe PMC and ClinicalTrials.gov · organism ladder · 2026-09-01

Interpretation Median survival — the recorded outcome words.

Yeast C. elegans Drosophila Mouse lifespanRat Dog Non-human primate Human lifespan
Show the evidence
  • mouse
    lifespan
  • human NCT00238628
    lifespan; Median survival; 36

recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04

6 of Bexarotene's trials stopped: accrual/recruitment, funding/business, other?


accrual/recruitment (2), funding/business (1) and other (3): Bexarotene's stop wording, clustered. ClinicalTrials.gov · 2026-09-01

"poor accrual"; 6 of 36 registered studies

Show the evidence

Trial

  • NCT00056056
    terminated; "poor accrual"
  • NCT00127101
    terminated; "The study was stopped due to low enrollment."
  • NCT00153842
    terminated; "other trials show no survival benefit of bexarotene with platinum-based chemo"
  • NCT00534898
    withdrawn; "The study withdrawn due to lack financial support"
  • NCT00615784
    terminated; "Study terminated. Eisai's Targretin acquired by another pharmaceutical company."
  • NCT01504490
    terminated; "Drug no longer available"

recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04

Human studies of Bexarotene used Targretin Gel 1% — over how long?


studies of Bexarotene used the recorded amount. ClinicalTrials.gov · 2026-09-01

1 recorded entry; human; also "Targretin Gel 1%"

Show the evidence
  • human NCT00063076
    Targretin Gel 1%

recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04

Which of adverse events, area under the effect curve for newly generated beta amyloid and clinical response did Bexarotene's trials measure?


adverse events, area under the effect curve for newly generated beta amyloid and clinical response lead 17 outcome terms across Bexarotene's trials. ClinicalTrials.gov · 2026-09-01

Interpretation survival, progression free survival, clinical response, response rate as measured by recist criteria, time to progression and rate of objective response follow.

Show the evidence
  • positive and negative syndrome scale
    1
  • montgomery and sberg depression rating scale
    1
  • pharmacokinetic analysis
    1
  • survival
    1
  • progression free survival
    1
  • clinical response
    1
11 more recorded rows
  • response rate as measured by recist criteria
    1
  • time to progression
    1
  • rate of objective response
    1
  • tumor size
    1
  • cortisol levels
    1
  • adverse events
    1
  • dose limiting toxicity rate
    1
  • maximum tolerated dose
    1
  • primary outcome by genotype
    1
  • area under the effect curve for newly generated beta amyloid
    1
  • incidence of adverse events
    1

recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04

What will the one ongoing trial of Bexarotene report, and when?


1 registered trial of Bexarotene is open; earliest completion 2027-03. ClinicalTrials.gov · 2026-09-01

Incidence of radiation dermatitis grade 3+

Show the evidence
  • Trial NCT05296304
    "A Study of Bexarotene Combined With Radiotherapy in People With Mycosis Fungoides"; n 20; "Incidence of radiation dermatitis grade 3+"; 2027-03

recorded 2026-09-01 · last checked 2026-09-04

Which 13 trials of Bexarotene posted no result?


Posted no result
13 of 13 completed trials
Registrations
NCT00003752, NCT00306969, NCT00050973, NCT00238628, NCT00055991 and NCT00063076, and 7 more
Completion dates
oldest 2003-03; newest 2015-08
Show the evidence

Trial

  • NCT00003752
    2003-03
  • NCT00306969
    2004-04
  • NCT00050973
    2005-03
  • NCT00238628
    2005-12
  • NCT00055991
    2006-09
  • NCT00063076
    2007-05
7 further recorded trials
  • NCT00030849
    2009-12
  • NCT00535574
    2011-05
  • NCT00660231
    2014-01
  • NCT01116622
    2014-04
  • NCT01001143
    2014-05
  • NCT02061878
    2014-11
  • NCT01134341
    2015-08

At the median, Bexarotene's trials enrolled 26 people — anything larger?


Median enrolment
26
Largest enrolment
623
Registered trials counted
33

What do 139 spontaneous reports say about Bexarotene — and not say?


These are reports people sent to a regulator. They do not show the medicine caused the reaction. Nobody counted how many people took the medicine and reported nothing. The same event can be reported more than once, and many reports are incomplete. News coverage, lawsuits and new warnings change how often people report. A count is not a rate and not a risk.

Bexarotene appears in spontaneous reports to regulators. Across the 10 most-reported reaction terms, 139 reaction mentions were counted: hypothyroidism 35; hypertriglyceridaemia 30; blood triglycerides increased 13; disease progression 11. open-targets-adr · CHEMBL1023 · 2026-06-24

Show the evidence
  • hypothyroidism
    35
  • hypertriglyceridaemia
    30
  • blood triglycerides increased
    13
  • disease progression
    11
  • dyslipidaemia
    11
  • blood cholesterol increased
    10
4 more recorded rows
  • malignant neoplasm progression
    9
  • skin exfoliation
    8
  • facial paresis
    6
  • hypercholesterolaemia
    6

recorded 2026-06-24 · last checked 2026-09-04

Bexarotene and CYP3A4, CYP2C8 and CYP1A2: shared by which compounds?


CYP3A4, CYP2C8 and CYP1A2 appear in Bexarotene's recorded interaction sentences, 15 in all. openfda-label+europepmc · 2026-08-30

Interpretation pharmacokinetics

Show the evidence
  • CYP1A2 pharmacokinetics
    Effect of Bexarotene on Other Drugs Bexarotene did not significantly inhibit the following enzymes in human liver microsomes: CYP1A2, CYP2A6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2E1 and CYP3A4.
  • CYP2A6 pharmacokinetics
    Effect of Bexarotene on Other Drugs Bexarotene did not significantly inhibit the following enzymes in human liver microsomes: CYP1A2, CYP2A6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2E1 and CYP3A4.
  • CYP2C19 pharmacokinetics
    Effect of Bexarotene on Other Drugs Bexarotene did not significantly inhibit the following enzymes in human liver microsomes: CYP1A2, CYP2A6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2E1 and CYP3A4.

CYP2C8

  • pharmacokinetics
    In vitro data suggested a potential for bexarotene to inhibit CYP2C8 and induce CYP3A4.
  • pharmacokinetics
    Paclitaxel: The exposure (AUC) to paclitaxel (a substrate for CYP3A4 and CYP2C8) decreased by 19% when paclitaxel (200 mg/m 2 IV dose over 3 hours) was coadministered with bexarotene (400 mg/m 2 orally once daily).
  • CYP2C9 pharmacokinetics
    Effect of Bexarotene on Other Drugs Bexarotene did not significantly inhibit the following enzymes in human liver microsomes: CYP1A2, CYP2A6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2E1 and CYP3A4.
  • CYP2D6 pharmacokinetics
    Effect of Bexarotene on Other Drugs Bexarotene did not significantly inhibit the following enzymes in human liver microsomes: CYP1A2, CYP2A6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2E1 and CYP3A4.
  • CYP2E1 pharmacokinetics
    Effect of Bexarotene on Other Drugs Bexarotene did not significantly inhibit the following enzymes in human liver microsomes: CYP1A2, CYP2A6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2E1 and CYP3A4.

CYP3A4

  • pharmacokinetics
    Drug Interactions Effect of Other Drugs on Bexarotene CYP3A4 Inhibitors/Inducers: In a clinical study, concomitant administration of multiple doses of ketoconazole with bexarotene did not alter bexarotene plasma concentrations.
  • pharmacokinetics
    This suggests that bexarotene elimination is not dependent on CYP3A4 metabolism.
  • pharmacokinetics
    In vitro data suggested a potential for bexarotene to inhibit CYP2C8 and induce CYP3A4.
  • pharmacokinetics
    Tamoxifen: Based on interim data, concomitant administration of bexarotene and tamoxifen resulted in approximately a 35% decrease in plasma concentrations of tamoxifen, possibly through induction of CYP3A4 by bexarotene.
  • pharmacokinetics
    Effect of Bexarotene on Other Drugs Bexarotene did not significantly inhibit the following enzymes in human liver microsomes: CYP1A2, CYP2A6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2E1 and CYP3A4.
  • pharmacokinetics
    Atorvastatin: The exposure (AUC) to atorvastatin (a substrate for CYP3A4) decreased by half when atorvastatin was coadministered with bexarotene (400 mg/m 2 orally once daily).
1 more recorded row
  • CYP3A4 pharmacokinetics
    Paclitaxel: The exposure (AUC) to paclitaxel (a substrate for CYP3A4 and CYP2C8) decreased by 19% when paclitaxel (200 mg/m 2 IV dose over 3 hours) was coadministered with bexarotene (400 mg/m 2 orally once daily).

recorded 2026-08-30 · last checked 2026-09-04

What is recorded about Bexarotene and mTOR?


"Notably, although the mTOR inhibitor sirolimus appeared to have additive antiviral effects when applied together with bexarotene, it displayed a negative NAB, rather attributing its activity to changes on cell growth/viability." — where Bexarotene and mTOR appear together. Europe PMC · pathway abstract search · 2026-03-19

mTOR, autophagy, AMPK, sirtuin, IGF-1; PMID 41864357, 37449638, 33428094, 39577706

Show the evidence
  • mTOR PMID 41864357
    "Notably, although the mTOR inhibitor sirolimus appeared to have additive antiviral effects when applied together with bexarotene, it displayed a negative NAB, rather attributing its activity to changes on cell growth/viability."
  • autophagy PMID 37449638
    "Inhibition of autophagy with 3-methyladenine reversed the effects of bexarotene on spinal cord injury."
  • mTOR PMID 37449638
    "Bexarotene enhanced the nuclear translocation of transcription factor E3, which further activated AMP-activated protein kinase-S-phase kinase-associated protein 2-coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 and AMP-activated protein kinase-mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathways."

AMPK

  • PMID 37449638
    "Bexarotene enhanced the nuclear translocation of transcription factor E3, which further activated AMP-activated protein kinase-S-phase kinase-associated protein 2-coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 and AMP-activated protein kinase-mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathways."
  • PMID 37449638
    "Intravenous injection of transcription factor E3 shRNA or intraperitoneal injection of compound C, an AMP-activated protein kinase blocker, inhibited the effects of bexarotene."
  • mTOR PMID 37449638
    "These findings suggest that bexarotene regulates nuclear translocation of transcription factor E3 through the AMP-activated protein kinase-S-phase kinase-associated protein 2-coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 and AMP-activated protein kinase-mammalian target of rapamycin signal pathways, promotes autophagy, decreases reactive oxygen species level, inhibits pyroptosis, and…"
  • AMPK PMID 37449638
    "These findings suggest that bexarotene regulates nuclear translocation of transcription factor E3 through the AMP-activated protein kinase-S-phase kinase-associated protein 2-coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 and AMP-activated protein kinase-mammalian target of rapamycin signal pathways, promotes autophagy, decreases reactive oxygen species level, inhibits pyroptosis, and…"
  • autophagy PMID 37449638
    "These findings suggest that bexarotene regulates nuclear translocation of transcription factor E3 through the AMP-activated protein kinase-S-phase kinase-associated protein 2-coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 and AMP-activated protein kinase-mammalian target of rapamycin signal pathways, promotes autophagy, decreases reactive oxygen species level, inhibits pyroptosis, and…"
  • sirtuin PMID 33428094
    "On the other hand, bexarotene caused a moderate increase in SIRT1 levels with PPARγ activation."
  • IGF-1 PMID 39577706
    "Abbreviations: LRP1, LDL Receptor-Related Protein 1;LDL, Low Density Lipoprotein; Aβ, amyloid beta; AD, Alzheimer's disease; APP, amyloid precursor protein; ApoE, apolipoprotein E; TGF, growth factor; MMP, matrix metalloproteinase;TAT, thrombin-antithrombin complex; BBB, blood-brain barrier; MMP-9,cyclophilin A (CypA)-matrix metalloproteinase-9; VMC, Vascular Mural Cell; IDE,insulin degrading…"
  • autophagy PMID 33416115
    "LPS upregulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines and NLRP3, inhibited the expression of autophagy‑related and osteogenesis‑related proteins, promoted apoptosis and altered the cell cycle, which was partially inhibited by NEAT1 overexpression and promoted by bexarotene."
1 more recorded row
  • sirtuin PMID 30791908
    "Mechanistically, bexarotene increased the levels of PPARγ and SIRT6; decreased the expression of phosphorylated FoxO3a (p-FoxO3a), IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-a; and inhibited the microglia activation and neutrophils infiltration at 24 h after SAH."

recorded 2026-03-19 · last checked 2026-09-04

Where it is registered
Identifiers, relations and other names

The exact record

ChEMBL id
CHEMBL1023
PubChem CID
82146
CAS number
153559-49-0
RxCUI
233272
InChIKey
NAVMQTYZDKMPEU-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Also called
Bexaroteno, BEXAROTENE [EMA EPAR], BEXAROTENE [HSDB], BEXAROTENE [JAN], BEXAROTENE [MART.], BEXAROTENE [MI], BEXAROTENE [ORANGE BOOK], BEXAROTENE [USAN], BEXAROTENE [VANDF], Bexarotene [WHO-DD]
Development code
LG-100069, LG100069, LGD-1069, LGD1069, NSC-747528
Trade name
Targretin, Targretine
Sources (11)

Sources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov ·
  • ClinicalTrials.gov ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 snapshot 2026-09-01T09:00:05 ·
  • this record's own fields 2,3,5 ·
  • Europe PMC dose-response search ·
  • Europe PMC pathway abstract search ·
  • Europe PMC search ·
5 more sources

ChEMBL ATC CC BY-SA · ClinicalTrials.gov — US Government work · Europe PMC — metadata only, under the recorded legal gate · Open Targets 26.06 — CC0 · derived from this page's own recorded fields; no external licence · mixed register set; per-register licences in docs/specs/corpus-20k-sources.md · openFDA / DailyMed — US Government work

How these records are assembled · Which registers were checked

Index-quality checks
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  • public claims reviewed: 0 reviewed claim(s); drafts are never rendered
  • source coverage passed: 11 source rows
  • no critical contamination: no quarantine open
  • canonical metadata passed: slug and display name present
  • no raw internal fields: enforced by the copy-contract test over the rendered page

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