Lilly’s Jaypirca combination cuts disease progression risk in CLL by 45%

Adding Eli Lilly’s pirtobrutinib to a standard venetoclax and rituximab regimen significantly improved outcomes for patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia, according to results from the Phase 3 BRUIN CLL-322 trial presented ahead of the 2026 European Hematology Association Annual Meeting.

The study, which enrolled 639 patients, marks the first time a Phase 3 trial has demonstrated superiority over a venetoclax-containing control arm in this patient population. By adding pirtobrutinib—a non-covalent BTK inhibitor—to the treatment, researchers observed a 45% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death. Crucially, nearly 80% of participants had prior exposure to covalent BTK inhibitors, reflecting the reality of modern clinical practice where patients often cycle through therapies.

At a median follow-up of 27.3 months, the primary endpoint of progression-free survival was significantly improved. While the median progression-free survival for the combination arm was not reached, the control arm showed 39.7 months. Lead investigator Matthew S. Davids of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute noted that the regimen offers a meaningful benefit for those who have exhausted earlier lines of therapy, potentially establishing a new standard of care. The safety profile remained consistent with existing data for the individual drugs, with no significant increase in toxicity observed despite the addition of a third agent.