On April 8, the FDA granted a third Breakthrough Therapy Designation for the investigational agent ibrutinib. Previously, receiving breakthrough status for the treatment of patients with Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia and mantle cell lymphoma, the drug has now achieved breakthrough status as a monotherapy for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) in patients with deletion of the short arm of chromosome 17 (deletion 17p). This is an especially important development as CLL and SLL affected carriers of the deletion of chromosome 17 mutation are prone to poor prognoses, often due to their poor responses to chemoimmunotherapy.
Ibrutinib, an oral drug designed to specifically target an enzyme called Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK), has demonstrated promising activity in multiple phase 1 and 2 clinical trials performed at Weill Cornell Medical College and around the world. As one of the leading institutions in the study of ibrutinib since its first testing 3 years ago, Weill Cornell is uniquely positioned in its experience with ibrutinib.
Currently, there are ongoing ibrutinib clinical trials at the Weill Cornell Lymphoma Program open to patients with CLL and SLL. Additional clinical trials for Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia and mantle cell lymphoma with ibrutinib are ongoing.
Please stay updated with our clinical trials listing for forthcoming trials involving ibrutinib and the Cornell Lymphoma Program website for further clinical research updates.
New Developments in Lymphoma 