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Clofarabine, ara-C

Hannover Medical School · Phase 2 active Small molecule ✓ Verified May 2026

Clofarabine, ara-C is a Nucleoside analog and cytosine analog Small molecule drug developed by Hannover Medical School. It is currently in Phase 2 development for Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Acute myeloid leukemia.

Clofarabine is a nucleoside analog that interferes with DNA synthesis, while ara-C is a cytosine analog that also interferes with DNA synthesis.

Clofarabine is a chemotherapy medication used to treat various types of leukemia and lymphoma, including CD22+ Relapsed/Refractory B-ALL, Acute Myeloid Leukemia, and Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. It is often used in combination with other treatments, such as immunotherapy and chemotherapy, as part of clinical trials to evaluate its efficacy in these conditions.

Likelihood of approval
13.3% vs 15.3% industry baseline
If approved by FDA: likely 2031–2034
Steps remaining: Phase 3 → NDA/BLA submission
Confidence: Medium
Why this estimate
  • Baseline phase 2 → approval rate +15.3pp
    Industry-wide phase 2 drugs reach approval ~15.3% of the time (BIO/Informa 2023 industry benchmark across all therapeutic areas).
  • Oncology Phase 2 attrition -2.0pp
    Oncology drugs have higher Phase 2-to-Phase 3 attrition than average — many fail to show OS benefit in larger studies.
Predicted approval windows by jurisdiction (conditional on FDA approval)
Regulator Country Likely year Lag vs FDA
FDA US 2031–2034
EMA EU 2032–2035 +0.7 yr
MHRA GB 2032–2035 +0.7 yr
Health Canada CA 2032–2036 +0.9 yr
TGA AU 2032–2036 +1.2 yr
PMDA JP 2032–2036 +1.5 yr
NMPA CN 2033–2037 +2.3 yr
MFDS KR 2032–2036 +1.4 yr
CDSCO IN 2032–2037 +1.8 yr
ANVISA BR 2033–2037 +2.3 yr

Hover any row for the lag rationale. Lag estimates are reduced when the drug has FDA Breakthrough or EMA PRIME designation (sponsors file globally in parallel).

Estimate based on the BIO/Informa industry phase transition rates plus per-drug modifiers for therapeutic area, sponsor type, FDA designations, mechanism, and trial design. Per-jurisdiction lags from Tufts CSDD international approval studies. Not investment, clinical or regulatory advice. Methodology: /methodology#likelihood.

At a glance

Generic nameClofarabine, ara-C
SponsorHannover Medical School
Drug classNucleoside analog and cytosine analog
ModalitySmall molecule
Therapeutic areaOncology
PhasePhase 2

Mechanism of action

Clofarabine and ara-C are both antimetabolites that work by inhibiting DNA polymerase, which is necessary for DNA replication and cell division. This leads to cell death, particularly in rapidly dividing cancer cells.

Approved indications

Common side effects

Key clinical trials

Primary sources

Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.

SourceUsed for
ClinicalTrials.govTrial enrolment, design, endpoints, results

Competitive intelligence

For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:

Frequently asked questions about Clofarabine, ara-C

What is Clofarabine, ara-C?

Clofarabine, ara-C is a Nucleoside analog and cytosine analog drug developed by Hannover Medical School, indicated for Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Acute myeloid leukemia.

How does Clofarabine, ara-C work?

Clofarabine is a nucleoside analog that interferes with DNA synthesis, while ara-C is a cytosine analog that also interferes with DNA synthesis.

What is Clofarabine, ara-C used for?

Clofarabine, ara-C is indicated for Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Acute myeloid leukemia.

Who makes Clofarabine, ara-C?

Clofarabine, ara-C is developed by Hannover Medical School (see full Hannover Medical School pipeline at /company/hannover-medical-school).

What drug class is Clofarabine, ara-C in?

Clofarabine, ara-C belongs to the Nucleoside analog and cytosine analog class. See all Nucleoside analog and cytosine analog drugs at /class/nucleoside-analog-and-cytosine-analog.

What development phase is Clofarabine, ara-C in?

Clofarabine, ara-C is in Phase 2.

What are the side effects of Clofarabine, ara-C?

Common side effects of Clofarabine, ara-C include Nausea, Vomiting, Fatigue, Diarrhea, Anemia.

Related

Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing