FDA Approval of Ibrutinib with Rituximab for Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia

Ibrutinib plus Rituximab is now approved by the FDA in Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia (WM), a rare form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and a sister cancer to CLL. WM is much less common than CLL. With this approval, ibrutinib is now approved for adults with WM in combination with rituximab, representing the first chemotherapy-free combination treatment specifically indicated for this blood cancer.

For more information, click here to see the press release.

While not specifically CLL news, the more options for related blood cancers, the better for all of us as we learn from each other’s experience with the drugs.

New Test Approved for Payment by Medicare for Measuring Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia or CLL
January 12, 2020

The FDA announced Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) for acalabrutinib (Calquence) as a single agent to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
August 15, 2019

Shuttering of the Biden Cancer Initiative
August 5, 2019

Approval of a biosimilar for Rituximab
July 29, 2019

AbbVie reaches an agreement with the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) for VENCLEXTA®, a treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
May 29, 2019

May 15, 2019: FDA approved venetoclax in combination with obinutuzumab for the treatment of people with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL)
May 20, 2019