Do I need to take Venetoclax long-term?

Venetoclax is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) and in combination with azacitidine, decitabine, or low-dose cytarabine for the treatment of newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in adults who are 75 years of age or older or who have comorbidities that preclude the use of intensive induction chemotherapy.

If the patient has previously had untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic leukemia, venetoclax is usually given in combination withobinutuzumab for 12 months. If patients have been previously treated for CLL or SLL, venetoclax is usually used in combination with rituximab for up to 24 months. For patients with acute myeloid leukemia, venetoclax is continued as a once-daily maintenance dosing cycle for as long as the physician deems it safe (until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity is observed), usually in combination with another therapy. Patients cannot adjust the dosage themselves and must discuss with their doctor how long they should take Venetoclax.

The original drug of Venacla is already on the market in China, and can be found in the Category B medical insurance directory. The specification is 100mg*14 tablets and the price per box may be around RMB 5,000. The Turkish version of Venaclaoriginal drug, specifications100mg*112 tablets, sold overseas, costs around RMB 10,000 per box (the price may fluctuate due to exchange rates), which is even more expensive. Cheaper generic drugs are also sold overseas, and their pharmaceutical ingredients are basically the same as those of the original drugs. The price of a box of 100mg*120 tablets produced by a Bangladeshi pharmaceutical factory is around RMB 4,000 (prices may fluctuate due to exchange rates).