# Cladribine

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

## TL;DR

A one-week infusion that puts most people with hairy cell leukaemia into remission for years; also used in multiple sclerosis in tablet form.

## Summary

Piro et al. (NEJM 1990) reported durable complete remissions in hairy cell leukaemia from a single 7-day course; approved 1993. Also used in mastocytosis, Langerhans cell histiocytosis, Waldenström and AML regimens (CLAG-M). Prolonged CD4 lymphopenia and infection risk; adding rituximab increases MRD-negative remission.

## Fields

- Kind: Treatment
- Status: approved
- Last checked: 2026-09-08
- Tags: gap-fill; generic
- Brand: Leustatin / Litak
- Modality: Purine nucleoside analogue
- Mechanism: 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine resists adenosine deaminase, accumulates as triphosphate in lymphocytes with high deoxycytidine kinase, and induces apoptosis in dividing and resting cells.
- Approvals: US 1993: Active hairy cell leukaemia; EU 2004: Hairy cell leukaemia (Litak, subcutaneous)

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cladribine
- Label (DailyMed): https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/search.cfm?labeltype=all&query=cladribine%20injection

## Connected records

- cancers: [Advanced systemic mastocytosis (aggressive SM, SM with an associated haematological neoplasm, mast cell leukaemia)](https://onco.cc/cancers/advanced-systemic-mastocytosis/), [Erdheim-Chester disease](https://onco.cc/cancers/erdheim-chester-disease/), [Erdheim-Chester disease, Rosai-Dorfman disease and other histiocytic neoplasms](https://onco.cc/cancers/histiocytoses/), [Hairy cell leukaemia](https://onco.cc/cancers/hairy-cell-leukemia/), [Indolent and smouldering systemic mastocytosis](https://onco.cc/cancers/indolent-systemic-mastocytosis/), [Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH)](https://onco.cc/cancers/langerhans-cell-histiocytosis/), [Multisystem Langerhans cell histiocytosis (with or without risk-organ involvement)](https://onco.cc/cancers/lch-multisystem/), [Rosai-Dorfman-Destombes disease](https://onco.cc/cancers/rosai-dorfman-disease/), [Single-system Langerhans cell histiocytosis (bone, skin or one other organ)](https://onco.cc/cancers/lch-single-system/), [Systemic mastocytosis](https://onco.cc/cancers/systemic-mastocytosis/), [Waldenström macroglobulinaemia](https://onco.cc/cancers/waldenstrom/)
- technologies: [Cytotoxic chemotherapy](https://onco.cc/technologies/cytotoxic-chemotherapy/)
- companies: [Johnson & Johnson](https://onco.cc/companies/johnson-johnson/)
- trials: [A Study to Assess the Effect of Maintenance Treatment With Rituximab Versus No Treatment in Participants With Progressive B-Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)](https://onco.cc/trials/nct00718549/), [LCH-IV, International Collaborative Treatment Protocol for Children and Adolescents With Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis](https://onco.cc/trials/nct02205762/), [Role of the Therapy Tailored to Risk Factors in Treating Adult Patients (≤60) With Acute Myeloid Leukemia](https://onco.cc/trials/nct02072811/), [Treatment of Patients With Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia or Myelodysplasia](https://onco.cc/trials/nct00136084/)
- terms: [Infection prophylaxis in lymphoma: PJP, herpes, fungal risk and vaccination](https://onco.cc/terms/lymphoma-tx-pjp-and-infection-prophylaxis/)
- drugs: [Pentostatin](https://onco.cc/drugs/pentostatin/)
- key papers: [Consensus recommendations for the diagnosis and clinical management of Rosai-Dorfman-Destombes disease](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-rosai-dorfman-destombes-consensus-recommendations-blood-2018/)

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