Benefit
Daunorubicin and cytarabine encapsulated in liposomes, known as Vyxeos received its FDA approval in 2017 for treatment of adults suffering from acute myeloid leukemia caused by previous therapy, or acute myeloid leukemia with changes related to myelodysplasia. Cytarabine and daunorubicin are loaded into a liposomal structure at a 5:1 molar ratio. By forming complexes with DNA, daunorubicin affects the synthesis of DNA and RNA controlling the expression of genes, and also generates free radicals which damage DNA. By controlling DNA polymerase, cytarabine reduces the synthesis of DNA. Vyxeos noticeably increases the exposure in plasma and reduces the distribution to ordinary tissues. However, it does possess some side effects, the most important ones are probably hypersensitivity reactions, cardiotoxicity and tissue necrosis.
