The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved pirtobrutinib as a first-line treatment for adults with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) who do not have a known deletion of chromosome 17p.The approval expands the use of the targeted cancer drug, which was previously approved for certain patients whose CLL or SLL had returned or stopped responding to earlier treatment. It is developed by Eli Lilly and Company and will be sold under the brand name Jaypirca.More About PirtobrutinibCLL is a type of blood cancer in which the bone marrow produces too many abnormal B lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. These abnormal cells can build up in the blood, bone marrow and lymph nodes. SLL is closely associated with CLL, but the cancer cells are found mainly in the lymph nodes. CLL can progress slowly in some people, while others may develop more aggressive disease.Pirtobrutinib is a Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, a type of targeted therapy. BTK is a protein that helps B cells receive signals needed for their growth and survival. By blocking BTK, pirtobrutinib interferes with signals that cancerous B cells depend on.Unlike older covalent BTK inhibitors, pirtobrutinib is a non-covalent, reversible BTK inhibitor, meaning it binds to BTK differently.A dose of 200 mg once a day is recommended for newly diagnosed patients covered by this approval. It should be taken until the cancer progresses or side effects become severe.Also read: 2 Indians Charged In US Over Fake Ozempic Scheme: How To Spot Counterfeit GLP-1 DrugsFindings From Pirtobrutinib's TrialThe FDA based its decision on the BRUIN CLL-313 trial, which included 282 adults with previously untreated CLL or SLL without a 17p deletion.Participants were randomly assigned to receive either pirtobrutinib or the chemotherapy combination bendamustine plus rituximab.After a median follow-up of 28 months, the median progression-free survival could not yet be calculated for patients receiving pirtobrutinib because enough disease-progressing events had not occurred. In the bendamustine-rituximab group, median progression-free survival was 33.5 months.The risk of disease progression or death was 80% lower with pirtobrutinib than with bendamustine plus rituximab in the trial, based on the reported hazard ratio of 0.20.However, overall survival data are still not 100% reliable. There were 13 deaths at the time of the primary analysis - three in the pirtobrutinib group and 10 in the comparison group.Also read: 21% In 80 Weeks: Lancet Study Finds Lilly’s Retatrutide Delivers One Of The Biggest Weight Losses EverPirtobrutinib's Side Effects The most common non-laboratory side effects reported with pirtobrutinib included:Upper respiratory tract infectionsRashCOVID-19According to the FDA, side effects also include infections, bleeding, reduced blood cell counts, abnormal heart rhythms, other cancers, liver toxicity and harm to an unborn baby. Serious adverse reactions occurred in 28% of patients receiving pirtobrutinib in the trial.The approval gives eligible people with previously untreated CLL or SLL another targeted treatment option that can be taken as a daily oral medicine.Jennifer A. Woyach, MD, director of the Division of Hematology at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, said, “This approval is grounded in data from BRUIN CLL-313, which showed a significant delay in disease progression for pirtobrutinib compared to chemoimmunotherapy, along with safety and tolerability consistent with its established profile.”The FDA's decision applies specifically to adults with previously untreated CLL or SLL without a known 17p deletion. It therefore does not mean that pirtobrutinib is automatically the first treatment for every person newly diagnosed with CLL.