User:Mr. Ibrahem/Cladribine

Cladribine, sold under the brand name Leustatin among others, is a medication used to treat hairy cell leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. It is also used for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. It is taken by mouth or by injection into a vein or under the skin.

Common side effects include infection, anxiety, hair loss, arrythmias, diarrhea, fever, muscle pain, rash, and bleeding. Other side effects may include bone marrow suppression, progressive multifocal encephalopathy (PML), tumor lysis syndrome, and nerve damage. Use in pregnancy may harm the baby. It is an antimetabolite, specifically a purine analogue, which interferes with the production of new DNA by lymphocytes.

Cladribine has been in medical use since the 1980s, with use in parts of Europe since 1993. It was also approved for medical use in the United States in 1993. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. Some formulations are available as a generic medication. In the United Kingdom 10 mg for injection costs about £160 while a 10 mg pill costs £2,050 as of 2021. In the United States this amount costs about 370 USD and 9,000 USD respectively.