Mantle cell lymphoma, Aifa makes new targeted therapy reimbursable – Focus Tumor news

A new therapeutic weapon has arrived against mantle cell lymphoma, a blood cancer that originates in the lymph nodes and affects around 860 people in Italy every year. The Italian Medicines Agency (Aifa) has in fact approved the reimbursement of a new targeted treatment, the molecule pirtobrutinib, in adult patients with previously treated mantle cell lymphoma in the relapsed or refractory form. The molecule is characterized by an innovative mechanism of action and in the registration study called Bruin it highlighted an overall response in 56.7% of cases. The median duration of response was 17.6 months. The progress made in the treatment of the disease was presented today in a press conference.


“Mantle cell lymphoma is a blood tumor that originates in the lymph nodes, spread throughout the body, and derives from the B lymphocytes -. The disease can present itself in different forms, for example with the enlargement of a lymph node in the neck, armpit or groin or can be localized at the gastrointestinal level. The third form of presentation is characterized by alterations in the blood count”. The first-line treatment consists of immunochemotherapy, says Maurizio Martelli, Professor of Hematology at the University Hospital Policlinico Umberto I of Rome, La Sapienza University: “Unfortunately, mantle cell lymphoma is usually very aggressive and tends to recur. After second-line treatment, if the patient relapses, in some cases cellular therapy with Car-t can be used, the new therapy responds to clinical needs that have so far been unmet, because it can be used after a previous Btk inhibitor, regardless of the line of therapy. “. 164 patients were involved in the Bruin study, treated with an average of 3 previous lines of therapy: “The results obtained, i.e. the 56.7% global response – notes Martelli – are truly significant because these are heavily pre-treated patients. Furthermore , the excellent tolerability of the new molecule must be highlighted. This translates into the possibility of having a good quality of life.” With Pirtobrutinib – concludes Giorgio Minotti, Professor of Pharmacology at the University and Foundation Policlinico Universitario Campus Biomedico of Rome – we are therefore faced with a new frontier of treatment, characterized by important pharmacological and clinical improvements”.