Venclexta
Generic name:venetoclax [ ven-ET-oh-klax ]
Brand names: Venclexta, Venclexta Starting Pack
Drug class:Miscellaneous antineoplastics
What is Venclexta?
Venclexta ) inhibits a certain protein in cancer cells (abnormal lymphocytes produced in chronic lymphocytic leukemia) that helps keep those cells alive and makes them resistant to chemotherapy. Venetoclax binds to this protein, which helps kill the cancerous lymphocytes in blood and bone marrow.
Venclexta is a prescription medicine used to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic leukemia (SLL) in adults with or without 17p deletion (a specific genetic marker). Venetoclax is sometimes used in combination with rituximab to treat these conditions.
Venclexta is also used in combination with azacitidine, decitabine, or low-dose cytarabine to treat acute myeloid leukemia.This combination is for use in adults who are 75 years or older, or who cannot use standard chemotherapy due to other medical conditions.
Warnings
Call your doctor at once if you have a fever, chills, joint or muscle pain, tiredness, confusion, shortness of breath, fast or slow heartbeats, nausea, vomiting, dark or cloudy urine, or a seizure (convulsions).
Drink 6 to 8 full glasses of water each day to help prevent these side effects.
Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any you start or stop using. Many drugs can interact, and some drugs should not be used together.
Before taking this medicine
Some drugs should not be used with Venclexta. Your treatment plan may change if you also use:
an antibiotic or antifungal medicine;
heart medication; or
antiviral medicine to treat hepatitis C or HIV.
Do not start or stop using any medicine without asking your doctor.
To make sure Venclexta is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:
liver or kidney disease;
an electrolyte imbalance (such as low levels of potassium or calcium in your blood);
gout, or high levels of uric acid in your blood; or
if you use a blood thinner (such as warfarin) and you have routine "INR" or prothrombin time tests.
May harm an unborn baby. You may need a pregnancy test to make sure you are not pregnant. Use birth control while using Venclexta and for at least 30 days after your last dose. Tell your doctor if you become pregnant.
It may be harder for a man to get a woman pregnant while you ...
