azacitidine + durvalumab

**Azacitidine + durvalumab** is a combination therapy consisting of **azacitidine**, a hypomethylating agent, and **durvalumab**, an immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting PD-L1. Azacitidine inhibits DNA methyltransferase, leading to DNA hypomethylation and cytotoxicity in abnormal hematopoietic cells. Durvalumab blocks PD-L1, enhancing T-cell-mediated immune responses against malignant cells. The combination is developed primarily for hematologic malignancies such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). The rationale for the combination is to boost antitumor activity: azacitidine may upregulate immune checkpoint molecules, sensitizing tumors to immune-mediated attack, while durvalumab counteracts immune exhaustion by inhibiting PD-L1. Clinical trials indicate that the combination is feasible and tolerable, but did not show improved efficacy over azacitidine alone in older AML and high-risk MDS patients[1][2][4][5].

Other names

azacitidine + durvalumab