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NICE recommends treatment combination for advanced leukaemia

pharmafile | April 24, 2023 | News story | Medical Communications  

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended Janssen’s imbruvica (ibrutinib) alongside venetoclax as a treatment option for untreated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) in adult patients.

Ibrutinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy, which blocks Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BKT), which is needed by cancer cells to multiply and spread. This drug can, therefore, prevent the growth and division of the cancer cells, helping to treat CLL.

Imbruvica is already indicated in Great Britain as:

  • A single agent for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL)
  • A single agent or together with rituximab or obinutuzumab or venetoclax for the treatment of adult patients with previously untreated CLL
  • A single agent or in combination with bendamustine and rituximab (BR) for the treatment of adult patients with CLL who have had at least one previous therapy
  • A single agent for the treatment of adult patients with Waldenström’s macroglobulinaemia (WM) who have had one previous therapy, or as a first-line treatment for those who are unsuitable for chemo-immunotherapy.

Amanda Cunnington, director of Patient Access for Janssen-Cilag Limited, commented: “We are delighted with NICE’s decision to recommend ibrutinib plus venetoclax, especially since it has been recommended for use in the entire indicated population in England. […] The availability of this combination therapy will bring a much-needed new treatment option for those living with CLL, and Janssen is proud to have added to our existing ibrutinib-based treatment options for patients across England and Wales.”

 

Betsy Goodfellow


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