Eli Lilly on Tuesday announced that its blood cancer drug outperformed AbbVie’s Imbruvica in a direct comparison study. The results held true for both newly diagnosed as well as previously treated patients.
The leukemia therapeutics market continues to grow as demand rises for advanced treatments. Jaypirca’s performance underscores this shift toward more targeted cancer therapies.
The blockbuster drug Jaypirca was being tested in patients with small lymphocytic lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The disease is characterized by an overproduction of abnormal white blood cells that fight infections.
Lilly stated that Jaypirca met the study’s primary goal of being non-inferior to Imbruvica. It achieved a higher overall response rate, or the percentage of patients whose cancer shrinks or disappears.
Lilly said it plans to analyze patient survival without disease progression, which is a key secondary goal of the study. While the data isn’t fully developed yet, early results suggest Jaypirca may be more effective.
Jaypirca is a reversible BTK inhibitor, a class of drugs that blocks Bruton’s kinase (BTK). BTK plays a crucial role in various B-cell cancers, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia and mantle cell lymphoma.
Lilly’s Jaypirca is approved for both cancer forms by the U.S. FDA. The company said prior patients in the study hadn’t received BTK inhibitors. The data support future approvals to expand Jaypirca’s use in both treated and untreated patients.
Jaypirca made $337 million in sales in 2024, and experts think it could make around $580.5 million in 2025. AbbVie’s Imbruvica earned $3.35 billion in revenue last year. These stats underscore the growth scope of leukemia therapeutics market.
“Jaypirca’s head-to-head success not only boosts its commercial prospects but also highlights a broader market trend toward targeted and more effective therapies. As demand grows for precision oncology solutions, Jaypirca’s clinical edge and FDA approvals for multiple B-cell cancers place Lilly in a strong position to capture a larger market share,” said a lead CMI analyst.
Positive trial results for Lilly’s Jaypirca can reshape the competitive landscape of the leukemia therapeutics industry. Jaypirca outperforming AbbVie’s Imbruvica in both newly diagnosed as well as previously treated patients strengthens its position as a next-generation BTK inhibitor.
Jaypirca shows strong response rates and early signs of improved progression-free survival. This could make it a preferred choice for clinicians. It could boost adoption and shift prescribing patterns in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and related conditions.
Sources:
News Outlet: Reuters
