an additional therapeutic weapon for patients – WWN

An additional therapeutic weapon against Leukemia
chronic lymphatic and the lymphoma from the marginal areatwo forms of onco-haematological tumors that belong to Non-Hodgkin lymphomas. The Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) has authorized the drug Zanubrutinib in H band (provided in hospital facilities ed), a molecule inhibitor of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK). The medicine, in monotherapy, is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and for the treatment of adult patients with marginal zone lymphoma
who have received at least one previous therapy based on anti-CD20 antibodies.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is among them most common forms of leukemia: it affects around three thousand people every year, especially elderly people (on average 70 years old). This is a type of mature B-cell tumor in which a type of white blood cell, B lymphocytes abnormal, they are generated in the bone marrow and spread to the peripheral blood, bone marrow and lymphoid tissues.
Francesca Romana Mauro, associate professor at the Institute of Hematology of the Department of Translational and Precision Medicine of the La Sapienza University of Rome, says: «The approval of zanubrutinib by Aifa marks a important stage for patients suffering from chronic lymphocytic leukemia and for their doctors, who today have of a new oral, biological drugwith a profile of
favorable security – given the very low risk of cardiac complications – to treat their patients. This the
new generation BTK cleaner demonstrated not only ahigh therapeutic efficacy but also tolerability and safetyessential characteristics for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia who are candidates for a long-term continuous treatment».

Marginal zone lymphoma

The marginal zone lymphoma it’s a group of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas, very rare And slow growingwhich arise in the marginal areas of the lymphatic tissue.
The neoplasm originates from B lymphocytes which are found in the marginal zone of the secondary lymphoid follicles present in the spleen, in the lymphoid tissues associated with the mucous membranes, such as the tonsils, and in the lymph nodes. It can arise at any age, but it is more frequent in the elderly population,
between 60 and 70 years old.
Zanubrutinib is the only BTK inhibitor approved in the European Union for marginal zone lymphoma, and now also by the Italian agency Aifa.
«The approval represents an important step forward for treatment of patients with a rare neoplasm such as marginal zone lymphoma – explains Pier Luigi Zinzani, full professor of Hematology at the University of Bologna –. Having a drug like zanubrutinib available for oral use can help transform clinical practice for these patients, having demonstrated significant efficacy with high and sustained response rates across all subtypes of marginal zone lymphoma”.

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