At the 2014 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting, Dr Barbara Eichhorst (University Hospital, Cologne, Germany) discusses the BCL-2 inhibitor, ABT-199, which has shown high efficacy as monotherapy in high-risk chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) patients. Dose-scheduling modifications address the risk of tumour lysis syndrome. Prospective trials will evaluate ABT-199 in a wider range of CLL patients.