# BCL-2 inhibitors

Source: https://onco.cc/technologies/bcl2-inhibitors/  
OnCo record `bcl2-inhibitors` (Technology). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Drugs that switch off BCL-2, the protein that lets cancer cells refuse to die; venetoclax transformed treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and acute myeloid leukaemia.

## Summary

BCL-2 blocks the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. Venetoclax, a BH3 mimetic approved in 2016, produces deep remissions in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia in fixed-duration combinations with obinutuzumab or BTK inhibitors, and with azacitidine it became standard for older patients with acute myeloid leukaemia. Second-generation inhibitors such as sonrotoclax aim for greater selectivity, and BCL-XL and MCL-1 inhibitors target the related proteins that mediate resistance.

## Fields

- Kind: Technology
- Status: approved
- Last checked: 2026-09-04
- Principle: Small molecules mimic BH3-only proteins, binding BCL-2's groove so that BAX and BAK are released to trigger mitochondrial apoptosis.
- Since: 2016
- Strengths: Deep, durable responses and fixed-duration treatment in CLL; Standard of care in unfit AML; Oral
- Limitations: Tumour lysis syndrome requires ramp-up; Neutropenia; Resistance through BCL-2 mutation or MCL-1 upregulation

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venetoclax
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venetoclax

## Connected records

- cancers: [Acute myeloid leukaemia](https://onco.cc/cancers/aml/), [Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia](https://onco.cc/cancers/cll/)
- fronts: [Targeted Therapy](https://onco.cc/fronts/targeted-therapy/)
- targets: [BCL-2](https://onco.cc/targets/bcl2/)
- drugs: [Sonrotoclax](https://onco.cc/drugs/sonrotoclax/), [Venetoclax](https://onco.cc/drugs/venetoclax/)

---
JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/bcl2-inhibitors.json