Efficacy of venetoclax combined with homoharringtonine and cytarabine for younger adults with newly diagnosed AML
Song BQ, Kong X, Liu Y, Pu Y, Zhang J, Wu DP, Qiu HY
Venetoclax (VEN)--based induction therapy has demonstrated considerable promise in treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML); however, the optimal VEN-based combination therapy remains to be established. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of the venetoclax-homoharringtonine-cytarabine (VHA) regimen in patients with newly diagnosed (ND) AML. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 55 patients treated with the VHA regimen. The overall response rate (ORR) was 92.7% (51/55, 95% CI 82%-98%), and the composite complete remission (CRc) rate was 87.3% (48/55, 95% CI 76%-95%). Among the 48 patients who achieved CRc, 91.7% (44/48, 95% CI 67%-90%) achieved complete remission (CR), and 85.4% (41/48, 95% CI 72%-94%) reached measurable residual disease (MRD)-negative CR. In the adverse-risk group, ORR and CRc were 95% (19/20, 95% CI 75%-100%) and 75% (15/20, 95% CI 51%-91%), respectively. The most common grade 3-4 adverse events were febrile neutropenia (32.7%), pneumonia (16.3%), and sepsis (9.1%). Median overall survival (OS) was 26 months, while event-free survival (EFS) was not reached. One-year OS was 83%, and one-year EFS was 82%. These preliminary data suggest that the VHA regimen achieves a very high rate of CR and low toxicity, particularly for adverse-risk AML patients.
© 2025. The Author(s).
Annals of hematology, 2025-04-06