Lilly's Jaypirca (pirtobrutinib) recommended by CHMP for approval in the European Union for adults with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) previously treated with a BTK inhibitor

Core Opinion - The European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has issued a positive opinion for Jaypirca (pirtobrutinib) for treating adult patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) previously treated with a BTK inhibitor [1][2][5] Clinical Trial Results - The BRUIN CLL-321 trial is the first randomized Phase 3 study in CLL conducted exclusively in patients previously treated with a BTK inhibitor [1][3] - The primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS) was met, showing pirtobrutinib was superior to the standard care options, reducing the risk of disease progression or death by 46% (median PFS: 14.0 months vs. 8.7 months) [3][7] - The median time to next treatment or death (TTNT) was 24 months for pirtobrutinib compared to 11 months for the control arm, indicating a 63% improvement [3][7] Safety Profile - The overall safety profile of pirtobrutinib was consistent with previous studies, with common adverse reactions including neutropenia, fatigue, diarrhea, anemia, rash, and contusion [3][18] - Serious adverse reactions occurred in 56% of patients with CLL, with pneumonia (18%) and COVID-19 (9%) being the most common [24][26] Regulatory Status - Following the positive opinion, the application for Jaypirca is now referred to the European Commission for final action, with a decision expected in one to two months [2][5] - Jaypirca has also received conditional marketing authorization in the EU for treating adult patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) previously treated with a BTK inhibitor [2][5] Market Context - There are currently no treatment options specifically studied in a randomized Phase 3 trial for patients with relapsed or refractory CLL in the post-BTK inhibitor setting, highlighting the unmet need in this area [2][5] - Jaypirca was approved in the U.S. in 2023 under the FDA's Accelerated Approval pathway for similar indications, indicating a growing market for targeted therapies in hematologic malignancies [5][6]