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How long does it take Sprycel (dasatinib) to start working?

Medically reviewed by Melisa Puckey, BPharm. Last updated on March 14, 2024.

How long do you take Sprycel for?

Official answer

by drugclasses.com

In the DASISION Clinical trial (NCT00481247) 54% of patients using Sprycel (dasatinib) started to show a complete cytogenetic response by 3 months, when used as a first line treatment for chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia.

This was compared to 31% of imatinib (Gleevec) patients having a complete cytogenetic response in the same time.

A complete cytogenetic response is when there is no Ph-positive metaphases in the bone marrow sample.

Rates of Complete Cytogenetic Response over first 9 months:

Months Sprycel (dasatinib) imatinib
3 months 54% 31%
6 months 73% 59%
9 months 78% 67%

A larger proportion of dasatinib patients reached complete cytogenetic response faster that imatinib patients.

How long do you take it for?

Sprycel is used as a long term treatment and in clinical trials has been taken for 5 years.

You usually keep on taking it as long as:

  • your tests show it is working well
  • your condition has not worsened
  • you are not having severe side effects.

If any of these change, your health professional would discuss your options and whether you may need to discontinue treatment.

In DASISION clinical trial patients were on dasatinib or imatinib for 5 years, with the estimated 5-year overall survival being 91% for dasatinib and 90% for imatinib.

References
  • Dasatinib versus Imatinib in Newly Diagnosed Chronic-Phase Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1002315
  • Final 5-Year Study Results of DASISION: The Dasatinib Versus Imatinib Study in Treatment-Naïve Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients Trial: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5118045/
  • Sprycel Professional Medication Information: https://www.drugclasses.com/pro/sprycel.html

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