About cladribine
Purine nucleoside antimetabolite
Used for
- Treats hairy cell leukemia in adults.
- Treats certain adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis; this treatment is oral, not injectable.
Usual adult dose
Hairy cell leukemia: 0.14 mg/kg by continuous intravenous infusion daily for five days.
Common side effects
- Low blood-cell counts and increased infection risk
- Fever
- Nausea
- Rash
Important warnings
- Can cause serious bone-marrow suppression and infections.
- Can cause fetal harm; effective contraception is required during treatment and for six months afterward.
- May increase the risk of secondary cancers.
- Use cautiously with kidney or liver problems; monitor blood counts.
Pregnancy
Avoid during pregnancy; it may harm the fetus. Pregnancy testing and contraception are recommended before treatment.
Breastfeeding
Do not breastfeed during treatment and for ten days after the last dose.
Interactions
- Other medicines that suppress bone marrow may increase blood-count problems.
- Live vaccines may cause infection; avoid during treatment and until immune recovery.
- Medicines affecting kidney function may increase toxicity.
- Avoid combining with other immunosuppressive treatments when possible.
AI-generated from general medical knowledge, not from this product's official leaflet. It may be incomplete or out of date. Not medical advice — ask a pharmacist or doctor before making any decision.