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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.