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

Acalabrutinib is already approved to treat mantle cell lymphoma, but with BTD for CLL, that means it is one step closer to approval for our type of cancer and when approved, will then be easier for CLL patients to gain access and get it paid for.

Acalabrutinib is a potent next generation BTK inhibitor similar to the already approved powerful BTK inhibitor, ibrutinib (ibrutinib has radically improved outcomes in CLL), but acalabrutinib has a different and perhaps easier to tolerate side effect profile.

Here is the press release from AstraZeneca: https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2019/calquence-granted-us-breakthrough-therapy-designation-for-chronic-lymphocytic-leukaemia-14082019.html

This is good news for patients because it is good to have choices and acalabrutinib should be a strong option for many CLL patients.