Imbruvica (IBRUTINIB) Jassen-Cilag

Most cancer treatments have focused on killing cells that divide rapidly, a prominent feature of cancerous cells. A huge problem with this approach is that many healthy cells also divide rapidly causing numerous side effects to most cancer treatments. A growing alternative to this are targeted therapies which are currently among the main foci of anticancer drug development.

First designed by Celera Genomics in a structure-based approach to create a molecule to inactivate Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK), Imbruvica was then acquired by Pharmacyclics and Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen-Cilag division. Imbruvica is a targeted therapy for the inhibition of BTK, a crucial enzyme for B-cell development. This drug forms a covalent bond on the active site of BTK which inhibits the enzyme, which is essential for the survival of malignant B-cells thus its inhibition blocks the signals that drive their uncontrolled growth and division. Imbruvica was approved by the FDA in November 2013 for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma and in February 2014 for chronic lymphocytic leukemia. It was approved for use in Mexico by COFEPRIS on March 2015.