Lilly's Jaypirca Delays Blood Cancer Progression in Study

Eli Lilly's, opens new tab approved blood cancer therapy, Jaypirca has demonstrated its ability to delay disease progression in patients who had not received prior treatment, as evidenced by a late-stage study, positioning it as a potential first-line treatment option.

 An additional analysis focusing on overall survival rates, which is another critical measure of efficacy, is scheduled for next year.

Although the data from the trial regarding this secondary objective is not yet mature, it is showing a trend that favors the treatment over chemoimmunotherapy, according to the U.S. Lilly is relying on therapies like Jaypirca and the breast cancer medication Verzenio, along with other promising candidates, to enhance its foothold in the rapidly expanding yet competitive cancer treatment market.

The company indicated that the drug's role as a first or second treatment option will also be influenced by the decisions of prescribing physicians. "I think, for Lilly, for the business, we can make this a really big and important product either way," said Jacob Van Naarden, president of Lilly Oncology, at a healthcare conference.

Also Read: Cipla Launches HUENA, India's First Non-Antibiotic UTI Drug

Jaypirca was evaluated in individuals diagnosed with a form of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, also known as small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), which is marked by an elevated production of atypical white blood cells that struggle to combat infections.

In the research, 282 individuals were randomly selected to receive either Jaypirca or chemoimmunotherapy, according to Lilly.

Earlier this year, Jaypirca demonstrated superior efficacy in a direct comparison study against AbbVie's (ABBV.N) leading cancer medication, Imbruvica. Both therapies target a specific protein known as Bruton's tyrosine kinase. Lilly announced on Monday that the findings from these studies would serve as the foundation for pursuing label expansions in earlier treatment lines, with global regulatory submissions anticipated to commence later this year.