cytarabine + daunorubicin (Novartis)

Cytarabine + daunorubicin is a combination chemotherapy regimen that serves as a cornerstone in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The combination is most traditionally administered as the '7+3' regimen, consisting of a 7-day continuous infusion of cytarabine and a 3-day bolus of daunorubicin. Cytarabine is a pyrimidine nucleoside analog that, upon phosphorylation, inhibits DNA polymerase and is incorporated into DNA, leading to chain termination and inhibition of DNA synthesis. Daunorubicin is an anthracycline that intercalates between DNA base pairs and inhibits topoisomerase II, causing DNA strand breaks and apoptosis. A liposomal formulation of this combination, known as CPX-351 (Vyxeos), is also approved for specific high-risk AML subtypes. In clinical development by Novartis, this combination is frequently utilized as a backbone chemotherapy to be evaluated in combination with novel targeted agents, such as the MDM2 inhibitor siremadlin (HDM201), to improve therapeutic outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed or relapsed/refractory AML.

Brand names

Vyxeos

Other names

7+3 regimendaunorubicin + cytarabineliposomal cytarabine/daunorubicin