Overview

Antitumor alkaloid isolated from Vinca rosea. (Merck, 11th ed.)

Indication

For treatment of breast cancer, testicular cancer, lymphomas, neuroblastoma, Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, mycosis fungoides, histiocytosis, and Kaposi's sarcoma.

Associated Conditions

Advanced Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia
Bladder Cancer
Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP)
Kaposi's Sarcoma
Letterer-Siwe disease
Metastatic Melanoma
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Advanced Alibert-Bazin syndrome
Advanced Testicular cancer
Histiocytic lymphoma
Refractory Breast cancer

Research Report

Published: Jul 24, 2025

Vinblastine (DB00570): A Comprehensive Monograph on a Foundational Vinca Alkaloid

Section 1: Introduction: A Foundational Vinca Alkaloid in Oncology

1.1. The Serendipitous Discovery of Vinblastine from Catharanthus roseus

The history of Vinblastine is a paradigmatic tale of modern pharmacology, rooted in ethnobotany and culminating in a landmark chemotherapeutic agent through scientific rigor and serendipity. The journey begins with the Madagascar periwinkle, Catharanthus roseus (formerly known as Vinca rosea), a small perennial plant whose attractive flowers led to its global cultivation as an ornamental.[1] Long before its role in oncology was understood, the plant was a staple in various traditional medicine systems. In regions as diverse as India, the Philippines, and South Africa, infusions and teas made from its leaves were employed to treat a range of conditions, most notably diabetes mellitus.[1]

This folkloric use for diabetes captured the attention of researchers in the 1950s, a period when the scientific community was actively seeking effective oral hypoglycemic agents as alternatives to insulin injections.[1] The pivotal research was initiated at the University of Western Ontario by a team led by Dr. Robert Noble. The project was spurred by a supply of periwinkle leaves sent from Jamaica by a physician who had noted their local use as a diabetic remedy.[2] The initial hypothesis was straightforward: to isolate and characterize the plant's purported anti-diabetic compound.

Continue reading the full research report

Clinical Trials

Title	Posted	Study ID	Phase	Status	Sponsor
Nivo40-AVD for Advanced Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma	2025/05/22	NCT06984146	Phase 2	Recruiting	National Medical Research Radiological Centre of the Ministry of Health of Russia
Perioperative Durvalumab With Neoadjuvant ddMVAC or Gemcitabine/Cisplatin in Patients With Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer (NIAGARA-2)	2025/05/07	NCT06960577	Phase 3	Recruiting	AstraZeneca
A Study of Brentuximab Vedotin With Doxorubicin, Vinblastine and Dacarbazine in Adults With Hodgkin Lymphoma in India	2025/02/18	NCT06831370	Phase 4	Recruiting	Takeda
Personalized Reduction of Chemotherapy Intensity Through ctDNA Evaluation for the Treatment of Patients With Advanced Hodgkin Lymphoma	2024/12/20	NCT06745076	Phase 2	Recruiting	University of Washington
Pilot Study of Vinblastine and Tovorafenib in Pediatric Patients With Recurrent/Progressive RAF Altered Low Grade Gliomas	2024/04/24	NCT06381570	Early Phase 1	Recruiting	Daniel Morgenstern
A Study of BV-AVD in People With Bulky Hodgkin Lymphoma	2024/04/22	NCT06377566	Phase 2	Recruiting	Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Drug Screening Using IMD in Bladder Cancer	2024/01/12	NCT06204614	Early Phase 1	Not yet recruiting	Brigham and Women's Hospital
Pembrolizumab Followed by Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Patients With Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma	2023/12/11	NCT06164275	Phase 2	Active, not recruiting	Northwestern University
A Study to Compare Standard Therapy to Treat Hodgkin Lymphoma to the Use of Two Drugs, Brentuximab Vedotin and Nivolumab	2023/01/09	NCT05675410	Phase 3	Recruiting	National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Fitness-adapted, Pembrolizumab-based Therapy for Untreated Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients 60 Years of Age and Above	2022/06/03	NCT05404945	Phase 2	Recruiting	University of Virginia

FDA Drug Approvals

Approved Product	Manufacturer	NDC Code	Route	Strength	Effective Date
Vinblastine Sulfate	Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC	63323-278	INTRAVENOUS	1 mg in 1 mL	12/31/2019

EMA Drug Approvals

Approved Product	Authorization Holder	Status	Issued Date
No EMA approvals found for this drug.

HSA Drug Approvals

Approved Product	Manufacturer	Approval Number	Dosage Form	Strength	Approval Date
DBL™ VINBLASTINE INJECTION	HOSPIRA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD	SIN07944P	INJECTION	1 mg/ml	12/9/1994
VELBASTINE FOR INJECTION 10 mg/vial	KOREA UNITED PHARMACEUTICAL INC	SIN10987P	INJECTION, POWDER, FOR SOLUTION	10 mg/vial	6/24/1999

NMPA Drug Approvals

Approved Product	Company	Approval Number	Drug Type	Dosage Form	Approval Date
No NMPA approvals found for this drug.

PPB Drug Approvals

Approved Product	Registration No.	Company	Licence No.	Strength	Registration Date
No PPB approvals found for this drug.

TGA Drug Approvals

Approved Product	ARTG ID	Sponsor	Registration Type	Status	Registration Date
Pfizer Vinblastine Sulphate Injection 10 mg/10 mL (1 mg/mL) vial	375571	Hospira Australia Pty Ltd	Medicine	A	9/30/2021
Hospira Vinblastine Sulfate Injection 10 mg/10 mL vial	142151	Hospira Australia Pty Ltd	Medicine	A	7/16/2007
VELBE 10mg powder for injection	14659	Aspen Pharmacare Australia Pty Ltd	Medicine	A	9/5/1991
DBL VINBLASTINE INJECTION Vinblastine sulfate 10mg/10mL sulfate injection	16309	Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd	Medicine	A	10/8/1991
Hospira Vinblastine Injection 10 mg/10 mL vial	356132	Hospira Australia Pty Ltd	Medicine	A	3/3/2021
Hospira Vinblastine Sulphate Injection 10 mg/10 mL vial	137941	Hospira Australia Pty Ltd	Medicine	A	5/2/2007

Health Canada Drug Approvals

Approved Product	Company	DIN	Dosage Form	Strength	Market Date
VINBLASTINE SULFATE INJECTION	Pfizer Canada Ulc	02183056	Solution - Intravenous	1 MG / ML	4/14/1998
VINBLASTINE SULFATE INJECTION	Sandoz Canada, Inc.	02406675	Solution - Intravenous	1 MG / ML	N/A
VELBE 1MG/ML	eli lilly canada inc	00015431	Powder For Solution - Intravenous	10 MG / 10 ML	11/15/1994
VINBLASTINE SULFATE INJ 1MG/ML	david bull laboratories (pty) ltd.	01977784	Liquid - Intravenous	1 MG / ML	12/31/1992
VINBLASTINE SULPHATE INJECTION	teva canada limited	02401460	Solution - Intravenous	1 MG / ML	2/8/2013

CIMA AEMPS Drug Approvals

Approved Product	Company	Registration Number	Pharmaceutical Form	Prescription Type	Status
No CIMA AEMPS (Spain) approvals found for this drug.

Philippines FDA Drug Approvals

Approved Product	Company	License Number	Dosage Form	Strength	Approval Date
No Philippines FDA approvals found for this drug.

Saudi SFDA Drug Approvals

Approved Product	Company	License Number	Dosage Form	Strength	Approval Date
No Saudi SFDA approvals found for this drug.

Malaysia NPRA Drug Approvals

Approved Product	Company	Registration Number	Dosage Form	Strength	Approval Date
No Malaysia NPRA approvals found for this drug.

UK EMC Drug Information

Medicine Name	MA Holder	MA Number	Pharmaceutical Form	Active Ingredient	Authorization Date
No UK EMC drug information found for this drug.

Related News

PRECISE-HL Trial Launches to Reduce Chemotherapy in Hodgkin Lymphoma Using ctDNA Testing

6 months ago

• Foresight Diagnostics and University of Washington have launched the PRECISE-HL trial using ctDNA-based minimal residual disease testing to personalize treatment for advanced classical Hodgkin lymphoma patients. • The trial aims to reduce chemotherapy exposure for early responders by transitioning them to nivolumab monotherapy after only four cycles of combination therapy, potentially minimizing long-term side effects. • Over 70% of patients in previous research achieved undetectable MRD by the end of cycle two with PD-1 inhibitor plus chemotherapy, suggesting many patients may benefit from reduced treatment intensity.

Opdivo-Chemotherapy Combination Shows Promise for Elderly Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients

7 months ago

• A phase 1/2 study demonstrates that Opdivo combined with AVD chemotherapy achieves 79% progression-free survival and 97% overall survival at three years in older cHL patients. • The treatment regimen proves effective across various geriatric conditions, with half of the patients experiencing grade 3-4 side effects, though only 10% discontinued treatment. • The combination therapy could establish a new standard of care for elderly Hodgkin lymphoma patients, according to Journal of Clinical Oncology editor-in-chief Dr. Jonathan W. Friedberg.

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