Eli Lilly Jaypirca secures USFDA approval for adults with relapsed or refractory CLL/SLL previously treated with a covalent BTK inhibitor

"Pirtobrutinib is the only medicine in CLL or SLL that has been prospectively studied in a randomized trial of patients previously treated with a covalent BTK inhibitor, and I am excited to see this expanded FDA approval recognize the benefit it can deliver to this broader group of patients," said Jeff Sharman, M.D., Disease Chair, Hematology Executive Committees, SCRI at Willamette Valley Cancer Institute and Research Center, and one of the principal investigators of the BRUIN CLL-321 trial. "When covalent BTK inhibitors are no longer an option due to disease progression or intolerance, pirtobrutinib enables physicians to extend the benefits of targeting the BTK pathway, offering continuity in the CLL or SLL treatment experience."

Jaypirca, the FDA-approved non-covalent (reversible) BTK inhibitor, is a highly selective kinase inhibitor that utilizes a novel non-covalent binding mechanism to extend the benefit of targeting the BTK pathway in patients with relapsed or refractory CLL/SLL previously treated with a covalent BTK inhibitor (ibrutinib, acalabrutinib, or zanubrutinib).

"This label expansion allows physicians to use Jaypirca directly after a covalent BTK inhibitor, the setting where we have always believed it has its most unique potential impact for patients," said Jacob Van Naarden, executive vice president and president of Lilly Oncology. "With robust efficacy and safety evidence from the only study of its kind in the post-covalent BTK inhibitor treatment setting, we're proud to now offer this therapy to more patients with CLL or SLL at an earlier stage of their treatment plan."

"For CLL or SLL patients who progress following treatment with an irreversible or covalently binding BTK inhibitor, having additional therapeutic options is critical," said Brian Koffman, M.D., co-founder and chief medical officer emeritus at CLL Society. "With this approval, physicians and patients can stay in the same broad class of medicines with a treatment that offers meaningful impact on patient outcomes, saving the potential to use medicines with different targets for later therapy."

Lilly is studying Jaypirca in CLL/SLL in multiple Phase 3 studies.