Venetoclax: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Venetoclax is a medicine sold in the U.S. under one brand, for lymphoid leukemia. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Treats (across its forms)
- Lymphoid Leukemia
- Available as
- Tablet · Kit
- Sold as
- Venclexta
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Not in our catalog
How venetoclax is dosed
From the FDA label for Venclexta (application NDA208573). Other venetoclax products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
See Full Prescribing Information for recommended VENCLEXTA dosages. ( 2.2 , 2.3 ) Take VENCLEXTA tablets orally once daily with a meal and water. ( 2.8 ) Provide prophylaxis for tumor lysis syndrome. ( 2.1 , 2.4 ) 2.1 Important Safety Information Assess patient-specific factors for level of risk of tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) and provide prophylactic hydration and anti-hyperuricemics to patients prior to first dose of VENCLEXTA to reduce risk of TLS [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.4 ) and Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )]. 2.2 Recommended Dosage for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma VENCLEXTA dosing begins with a 5-week ramp-up. The 5-week ramp-up dosing schedule is designed to gradually reduce tumor burden (debulk) and decrease the risk of TLS. VENCLEXTA 5-week Dose Ramp-Up Schedule Administer VENCLEXTA according to the 5-week ramp-up dosing schedule to the recommended dosage of 400 mg orally once daily as shown in Table 1 . Table 1. Dosing Schedule for 5-Week Ramp-up Phase for Patients with CLL/SLL VENCLEXTA Oral Daily Dose Week 1 20 mg Week 2 50 mg Week 3 100 mg Week 4 200 mg Week 5 and beyond 400 mg The CLL/SLL Starting Pack provides the first 4 weeks of VENCLEXTA according to the ramp-up schedule [see How Supplied/Storage and Handling ( 16 )] . In Combination with Acalabrutinib Cycle 1 Day 1: Start acalabrutinib 100 mg orally approximately every 12…
Venetoclax side effects
The following clinically significant adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling: Tumor Lysis Syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )] Neutropenia [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 )] Infections [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )] In CLL/SLL, the most common adverse reactions (≥20%) for VENCLEXTA when given in combination with obinutuzumab or rituximab or as monotherapy are neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, diarrhea, nausea, upper respiratory tract infection, cough, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and edema. ( 6.1 ) In CLL/SLL, the most common adverse reactions (≥20%) for VENCLEXTA when given in combination with acalabrutinib are neutropenia, headache, diarrhea, musculoskeletal pain, and COVID-19. ( 6.1 ) In AML, the most common adverse reactions (≥30%) in combination with azacitidine or decitabine or low-dose cytarabine are nausea, diarrhea, thrombocytopenia, constipation, neutropenia, febrile neutropenia, fatigue, vomiting, edema, pyrexia, pneumonia, dyspnea, hemorrhage, anemia, rash, abdominal pain, sepsis, musculoskeletal pain, dizziness, cough, oropharyngeal pain, and hypotension. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact AbbVie Inc. at 1-800-633-9110 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely variable conditions, adverse event rates observed…
Who shouldn’t take venetoclax
Concomitant use of VENCLEXTA with strong CYP3A inhibitors at initiation and during the ramp-up phase is contraindicated in patients with CLL/SLL due to the potential for increased risk of tumor lysis syndrome [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.6 ) and Drug Interactions ( 7.1 )] . Concomitant use with strong CYP3A inhibitors at initiation and during ramp-up phase in patients with CLL/SLL is contraindicated. ( 2.6 , 4 , 7.1 )
Venetoclax drug interactions
Strong or moderate CYP3A inhibitors or P-gp inhibitors: Adjust dosage of VENCLEXTA. ( 2.6 , 7.1 ) Strong or moderate CYP3A inducers: Avoid co-administration. ( 7.1 ) P-gp substrates: Take at least 6 hours before VENCLEXTA. ( 7.2 ) 7.1 Effects of Other Drugs on VENCLEXTA Strong or Moderate CYP3A Inhibitors or P-gp Inhibitors Concomitant use with a strong or moderate CYP3A inhibitor or a P-gp inhibitor increases venetoclax C max and AUC 0-INF [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] , which may increase VENCLEXTA toxicities, including the risk of TLS [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )] . Concomitant use with a strong CYP3A inhibitor at initiation and during the ramp-up phase in patients with CLL/SLL is contraindicated [see Contraindications ( 4 )] . In patients with CLL/SLL taking a steady daily dosage (after ramp-up phase), consider alternative medications or adjust VENCLEXTA dosage and monitor more frequently for adverse reactions [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.5 , 2.6 )] . In patients with AML, adjust VENCLEXTA dosage and monitor more frequently for adverse reactions [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.5 , 2.6 )] . Resume the VENCLEXTA dosage that was used prior to concomitant use with a strong or moderate CYP3A inhibitor or a P-gp inhibitor 2 to 3 days after discontinuation of the inhibitor [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.5 , 2.6 )] . Avoid grapefruit products, Seville oranges, and starfruit during treatment with VENCLEXTA, as they contain inhibitors of CYP3A. Strong or Moderate CYP3A Inducers Concomitant use with a strong CYP3A inducer decreases venetoclax C max and AUC 0-INF [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] , which may decrease VENCLEXTA efficacy. Avoid concomitant use of VENCLEXTA with strong CYP3A inducers or moderate CYP3A inducers. 7.2 Effect of VENCLEXTA on Other Drugs Warfarin Concomitant use of VENCLEXTA increases warfarin C max and AUC 0-INF [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] , which may increase the risk of bleeding. Monitor international normalized ratio (INR) more frequently in patients using warfarin concomitantly with VENCLEXTA. P-gp Substrates Concomitant use of VENCLEXTA increases C max and AUC 0-INF of P-gp substrates [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] , which may increase toxicities of these substrates. Avoid concomitant use of VENCLEXTA with a P-gp substrate. If a concomitant use is unavoidable, separate dosing of the P-gp substrate at least 6 hours before VENCLEXTA.
Every venetoclax product we track (1)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
Only one: Venclexta.
What venetoclax pills look like
Imprint codes, colour and shape from the FDA’s labelling data. Match the imprint on your pill — or search any imprint.
Can you crush or split venetoclax?
At least one venetoclaxproduct is labelled to be swallowed whole — crushing an extended-release tablet releases the whole day’s dose at once. Which applies depends on the form you were given.
What each venetoclax label says about crushing, splitting and chewingWhat people report to the FDA about venetoclax
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 24,069 reports naming venetoclax, and the FDA flagged 97% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- neutropenia2,580 reports
- febrile neutropenia2,332 reports
- myelosuppression1,910 reports
- thrombocytopenia1,703 reports
- anaemia1,411 reports
- pneumonia1,313 reports
- pyrexia1,307 reports
- infection1,120 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean venetoclax caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved July 26, 2026.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is venetoclax?
Venclexta (Venetoclax) is a medication used to treat Lymphoid Leukemia.
Can you take venetoclax with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run venetoclax against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What forms does venetoclax come in?
Across the brands we track, venetoclax is currently marketed as tablet and kit, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic venetoclax?
We do not currently list a generic-labelled venetoclax product. That does not always mean none exists — it means none appears under a generic name in the FDA data we track. Ask your pharmacist.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Venetoclax: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/venetoclax
- MLA
- “Venetoclax: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/venetoclax.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for venetoclax on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.