In the time since IMBRUVICA® (ibrutinib) was first approved by the FDA in 2013 it has undergone many changes. This includes multiple indication expansions to various types of leukemia and lymphoma, approval as a first-line therapy, and even exploration into use in combination with other cancer treatment therapies. 

Recently, it was announced that IMBRUVICA would be undergoing a formulation change. Now, rather than 140mg capsules, IMBRUVICA will be a single pill, taken once daily. 

While this change seems small, it is hugely beneficial to patients for a few reasons: 

1.  One pill. IMBRUVICA patients will now only take one pill per day. This makes it much easier for a patient to remember to take their medication as prescribed, and will help keep patients on track with their therapy, which helps the medication work its best.  
2.  Easier packaging. IMBRUVICA now comes in a blister pack, rather than a pill bottle. This new pack has spaces where patients can take notes, and track day-by-day where they are in their therapy regimen. This also makes it very clear if a day was missed. Additionally, the packaging includes 4 weeks worth of medication (28 days) and even contains a refill reminder on day 21.
   
    
3. Easier to swallow. Tablets are the same size or smaller than the capsules. 

For healthcare providers prescribing IMBRUVICA, it's important to note a few things:

• New IMBRUVICA tablets are now available from Avella
• IMBRUVICA 140mg capsules will be discontinued after May 15, 2018
• Tablets contain the same active ingredient as the capsules, so there is no change to the dosing
• Changing from IMBRUVICA capsules to tablets is not an automatic change. Every patient will require a new prescription featuring the updated NDCs

If you are a patient taking IMBRUVICA, be sure to reach out to your physician about an updated prescription. You can also watch this educational video about the change. 

If you are a healthcare provider, you can get started by downloading the new Avella Imbruvica referral form, or reaching out to your Avella account manager to get started.