Ask the Doctor Question:
When considering ibrutinib or Imbruvica for CLL treatment, is this medication classified as a “Specialty Drug” or “Chemotherapy Treatment?” I can find no definition when looking at my Medicare options and other private insurances.
Answer: Ibrutinib (Imbruvica) is not a chemotherapy agent, so it may be under their list of specialty drugs. It is often referred to as a novel agent that is in a class of medications called Bruin’s kinase inhibitors (BTKi).