Introduction:
Since it was first approved to treat mantle cell lymphoma in 2013, ibrutinib (Imbruvica) has rapidly become a hematology hegemon. In 2017, AbbVie (ABBV) reported over $2.5 billion in net revenues for ibrutinib, a 40% increase over 2016, and forecasts $5 bn in annual sales by 2020.
Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase ((BTK)), the primary target of ibrutinib, is a kinase involved in B-cell signaling and activation and is overexpressed in a variety of b-cell malignancies. It has become a distinctive target in oncology, leading to a wave of approvals for ibrutinib in