By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: With Imbruvica (Ibrutinib) Approval CLL Options Accelerating
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > News > With Imbruvica (Ibrutinib) Approval CLL Options Accelerating
News

With Imbruvica (Ibrutinib) Approval CLL Options Accelerating

Andrew Schorr
Andrew Schorr
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE

imbruvica-for-article_493246This week the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as expected, approved ibrutinib, now known as Imbruvica, for CLL patients who have tried at least one prior therapy.

imbruvica-for-article_493246This week the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as expected, approved ibrutinib, now known as Imbruvica, for CLL patients who have tried at least one prior therapy. It gives the hope of being a one-pill-a-day treatment and giving a new lease of life for some of the sickest CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukemia) patients and could, over time, be a good choice for a wider group of patients. My friend, Dr. Brian Koffman, is one such patient who attended, as a family doctor and patient, the 2011 conference of the American Society of Hematology in search of a clinical trial that could benefit him as his health was going downhill fast. Brian connected with Dr. John  Byrd from Ohio State and was able to enroll in Dr. Byrd’s trial of Imbruvica in Columbus, Ohio. Brian is from Southern California and had to commute back and forth many times and live in an apartment near the Ohio State’s James Cancer Center. We have Brian and many other patients to thank for the new drug’s approval and, happily, Brian is now doing much better!  Recently, I interviewed Brian as he continued his mission of helping others by going from medical conference to medical conference in the US and Europe, with his son as videographer, and speaking with CLL experts. In anticipation of new drug approvals, here is the advice Brian gives to patients so they get the best treatment for them.

CLL_EU-2013-006-14_brian-koffman_180x150 As Brian noted, Imbruvica is only one of several new treatments here now or coming fairly soon. A few months ago a new monoclonal antibody was approved in the US, obinutuzumab or Gazyva. Perhaps this year we’ll have another pill, idealisib. And after that a drug with, still, only an acronym and a number, ABT199. And some doctors continue to like another pill, lenalidomide, originally meant for myeloma, . How does it all work together or in sequence? Who should get what and when? What questions should you be asking your doctor and how can you help THEM stay informed? These are good challenges to have because it means there’s lots to talk about. My interviews with CLL expert Dr. Jeff Sharman dealt with these topics. One on what’s coming (with one new drug now here) and the other on what treatments to consider and when .

Obviously, other experts will weigh in and we’ll bring you those perspectives on video. There continues to be debate on whether anyone should still get a chemotherapy agent. We’ll take your questions as we will soon launch a regular “Ask the Expert” video series where you can send us questions to questions@patientpower.info and we’ll do our best to get answers that can benefit you and others.

More Read

This Week in Washington
Diagnostic Reading: “Must Read” Articles on HIT and Radiology
More Retiring in Other Countries
FDA Approves Roche/Genentech Drug Erivedge to Treat Advanced Skin Cancer Not Treatable with Surgery
SNMMI 2013: High Sugar, Low Reward Points The Insulin-Resistant To Obesity

2013-0120-02_sharman_180x150As new drugs come out, it is good news for the estimated 114,000 people living with CLL in the US and many more around the world (my UK friends tell me there are about 30,000 there). But sadly, I have known CLL patients who have died before any of these new products were available. And one died in an early trial for one of the promising new drugs. Progress is not a straight line. While it is great news that a new, effective pill is available for CLL, how long does the effect last? Does one develop resistance to it at some point? And another issue, any of these new drugs are, or will be, very expensive. Who will pay? And for how long? What if we need TWO expensive drugs in combination – for life? And, as we have seen in CML leukemia, can there be the hope that some patients could take the pill and have the disease be knocked back so low that our own immune systems can take over and we can stop taking the medicine? I don’t know if this applies in CLL but one wonders. The point is a new drug approval is a first step and it is cause to celebrate, but wisely. Will there be longer term side effects or will this be a triumph of medical science? We’ll cover that story and be on the journey with you together.

What’s also exciting is that CLL progress is but one example. More is happening in myeloma, in lymphomas, in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), lung cancer, and melanoma. I am optimistic and only wish the list of accelerating progress could extend to more cancers. But this latest approval is a great beacon of hope. If you have CLL, talk to your doctor about whether it applies to you now or could in the future. We’ll do our best to help you stay informed.

TAGGED:ibrutinibImbruvica
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

dental care
Importance of Good Dental Care for Health and Confidence
Dental health Specialties
October 2, 2025
AI in Healthcare
AI in Healthcare: Technology is Transforming the Global Landscape
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
October 1, 2025
Choosing the Right Swimwear for Health and Safety
News
September 30, 2025
sports concussions
Concussion In Sports: How Common They Are And What You Need To Know
Infographics
September 28, 2025

You Might also Like

Can Health IT’s Newest Ideas Reduce Cost, Improve Quality and Facilitate Patient Engagement?

February 26, 2012
Global HealthcareHealth careNewsTechnology

Healthcare IT Conferences to Look Forward To in 2018

January 22, 2018
Clinical Trials
Global HealthcareNewsPolicy & Law

Can You Participate in a Clinical Trial?

April 24, 2022
biopharma beat Apple HealthKit
DiagnosticseHealthHospital AdministrationNewsTechnologyWellness

BioPharma Beat: Apple and the Dawn of the Worried Well (the Sequel)

June 3, 2014
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?