Interestingly, functional dependence of the leukemia cells on BCL-2 (BAD-HRK priming) was strongly associated with in vivo VEN activity (Table 3 and Fig. 3d), and importantly, showed high sensitivity and specificity in predicting preclinical in vivo antileukemia activity of VEN (Fig. 3e). The gene discussed is HRK; the disease is leukemia.