This week guidance has been published on the use of two treatments for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL).
SMC recommends acalabrutinib
The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has approved the use of acalabrutinib in combination with venetoclax for the treatment of adults with previously untreated CLL. Acalabrutinib is a type of targeted drug called a Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor.
Acalabrutinib offers an additional treatment choice for people with CLL in Scotland.
NICE recommends pirtobrutinib
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published draft guidance recommending pirtobrutinib as an option for treating relapsed or refractory CLL in adults who have previously had a BTK inhibitor. This treatment is only recommended for use if retreatment with a covalent BTK inhibitor is not clinically appropriate.
Pirtobrutinib is a type of targeted drug called a noncovalent inhibitor of BTK. Currently available covalent BTK inhibitors bind to be BTK protein permanently. As a noncovalent BTK inhibitor, pirtobrutinib binds to the BTK protein in a different, reversible, way.
This decision adds an additional treatment choice for treating relapsed or refractory CLL.