AbbVie announced on July 10, 2015, that the European Commission has granted marketing authorization for Imbruvica (ibrutinib) for the treatment of Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia (WM) in adult patients who have received at least one prior therapy, or in first-line treatment for patients unsuitable for chemo-immunotherapy.
Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie company, received FDA approval for Imbruvica for the treatment of WM in the U.S. in January, 2015.
These approvals represent a significant step forward for WM patients requiring treatment, as there were previously no treatment options approved across the European Union or in the U.S. for this rare and slow-growing type of blood cancer.
While this latest approval is certainly of major significance for WM patients, Imbruvica does not cure WM and not every patient responds to it. Research continues for curative treatments, and it is important for the IWMF to continue to fund research toward this ultimate goal. We hope that you will join with us, not only in applauding this accomplishment, but also in supporting IWMF’s work toward developing a cure for WM.
To read more about this, see:
- AbbVie’s press release(link is external)
- European press release(link is external) (with chart explaining WM)