On December 1, 2023 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it has approved BTK inhibitor, pirtobrutinib (Jaypirca, Eli Lilly and Company), for adults with chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) who have received at least two prior lines of therapy, including a BTK inhibitor and a BCL-2 inhibitor.

Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) is a protein critical for the growth and survival of B-cells. BTK inhibitors can kill malignant B-cells but leave healthy T-cells largely unaffected, which distinguishes it from several other treatment methods.

“Patients with relapsed or refractory CLL/SLL who have already received treatment are in critical need of additional treatment options,” said Meghan Gutierrez, Chief Executive Officer of the Lymphoma Research Foundation. “The approval of pirtobrutinib provides a new treatment option – and renewed hope – for people living with CLL/SLL.”

For more information on the FDA approval of pirtobrutinib (Jaypirca, Eli Lilly and Company), visit the FDA’s website.  To learn more about treatment options for CLL/SLL, visit the CLL learning center.