Azacitidine–Venetoclax or Induction Chemotherapy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia

In a randomized phase 2 trial (172 adults with previously untreated acute myeloid leukaemia who were fit for intensive treatment), azacitidine plus venetoclax extended median event-free survival to 14.5 months versus 6.2 months with induction chemotherapy (HR 0.57; p=0.0021) at a median follow-up of 21.9 months. The result matters because it tests a lower-intensity regimen in patients who would normally receive induction chemotherapy, rather than in those judged unfit for it. The trial is phase 2 and event-free survival was the primary endpoint, so confirmation in a phase 3 setting is needed before the standard of care changes.