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The product code(s) for this leaflet is: PLGB 00242/0688.
Imbruvica 140 mg, 280 mg, 420 mg, 560 mg film-coated tablets (Great Britain)
IMBRUVICA 140 mg film-coated tablets
IMBRUVICA 280 mg film-coated tablets
IMBRUVICA 420 mg film-coated tablets
IMBRUVICA 560 mg film-coated tablets
ibrutinib
1. What IMBRUVICA is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you take IMBRUVICA
3. How to take IMBRUVICA
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store IMBRUVICA
6. Contents of the pack and other information
IMBRUVICA is an anticancer medicine that contains the active substance ibrutinib. It belongs to a class of medicines called protein kinase inhibitors.
It is used to treat the following blood cancers in adults:
In MCL, CLL and WM, IMBRUVICA works by blocking Bruton's tyrosine kinase, a protein in the body that helps these cancer cells grow and survive. By blocking this protein, IMBRUVICA helps kill and reduce the number of cancer cells. It also slows down the worsening of the cancer.
Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before taking IMBRUVICA:
If any of the above apply to you (or you are not sure), talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before or while taking this medicine (see section “Possible side effects”).
When taking IMBRUVICA, tell your doctor immediately if you notice or someone notices in you: memory loss, trouble thinking, difficulty walking or sight loss – these may be due to a very rare but serious brain infection which can be fatal (Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy or PML).
Tell your doctor immediately if you notice or someone notices in you: sudden numbness or weakness in the limbs (especially on one side of the body), sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech, sight loss, difficulty walking, loss of balance or lack of coordination, sudden severe headache with no known cause. These may be signs and symptoms of stroke.
Tell your doctor immediately if you develop left upper belly (abdominal) pain, pain below the left rib cage or at the tip of your left shoulder (these may be symptoms of rupture of the spleen) after you stop taking IMBRUVICA.
Effects on the heart
Treatment with IMBRUVICA may affect the heart, especially if you already have heart diseases such as rhythm problems, heart failure, high blood pressure, have diabetes or are of advanced age. The effects may be severe and could cause death, including sometimes sudden death. Your heart function will be checked before and during treatment with IMBRUVICA. Tell your doctor immediately if you feel breathless, have difficulty breathing when lying down, swelling of the feet, ankles or legs and weakness/tiredness during treatment with IMBRUVICA – these may be signs of heart failure.
Infections
You may experience viral, bacterial, or fungal infections during treatment with IMBRUVICA. Contact your doctor if you have fever, chills, weakness, confusion, body aches, cold or flu symptoms, feel tired or feel short of breath, yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice). These could be signs of an infection.
Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis
There have been rare reports of excessive activation of white blood cells associated with inflammation (haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis), which can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated early. If you experience multiple symptoms such as fever, swollen glands, bruising, or skin rash, contact your doctor immediately.
Tumour lysis syndrome (TLS): Unusual levels of chemicals in the blood caused by the fast breakdown of cancer cells have happened during treatment of cancer and sometimes even without treatment. This may lead to changes in kidney function, abnormal heartbeat, or seizures. Your doctor or another healthcare provider may do blood tests to check for TLS.
Lymphocytosis: Laboratory tests may show an increase in white blood cells (called “lymphocytes”) in your blood in the first few weeks of treatment. This is expected and may last for a few months. This does not necessarily mean that your blood cancer is getting worse. Your doctor will check your blood counts before or during the treatment and in rare cases they may need to give you another medicine. Talk to your doctor about what your test results mean.
Events related to the liver: Your doctor will do some blood tests to check whether your liver is working properly or that you do not have a liver infection, known as viral hepatitis, or whether hepatitis B has become active again, which could be fatal.
IMBRUVICA should not be used in children and adolescents.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. This includes medicines obtained without a prescription, herbal medicines and supplements. This is because IMBRUVICA may affect the way some other medicines work. Also some other medicines can affect the way IMBRUVICA works.
IMBRUVICA may make you bleed more easily. This means you should tell your doctor if you take other medicines that increase your risk of bleeding. This includes:
If any of the above apply to you (or you are not sure), talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before taking IMBRUVICA.
Also tell your doctor if you take any of the following medicines – The effects of IMBRUVICA or other medicines may be influenced if you take IMBRUVICA together with any of the following medicines:
If any of the above apply to you (or you are not sure), talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before taking IMBRUVICA.
If you are taking digoxin, a medicine used for heart problems, or methotrexate, a medicine used to treat other cancers and to reduce the activity of the immune system (e.g., for rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis), it should be taken at least 6 hours before or after IMBRUVICA.
Do not take IMBRUVICA with grapefruit or Seville oranges (bitter oranges) – this includes eating them, drinking the juice or taking a supplement that might contain them. This is because it can increase the amount of IMBRUVICA in your blood.
Do not get pregnant while you are taking this medicine. IMBRUVICA should not be used during pregnancy. There is no information about the safety of IMBRUVICA in pregnant women.
Women of childbearing age must use a highly effective method of birth control during and up to three months after receiving IMBRUVICA, to avoid becoming pregnant while being treated with IMBRUVICA.
You may feel tired or dizzy after taking IMBRUVICA, which may affect your ability to drive or use any tools or machines.
IMBRUVICA contains lactose (a type of sugar). If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicine.
IMBRUVICA contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per dose, that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’.
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor, pharmacist or nurse has told you. Check with your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are not sure.
Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL)
The recommended dose of IMBRUVICA is 560 mg once a day.
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL)/Waldenström’s macroglobulinaemia (WM)
The recommended dose of IMBRUVICA is 420 mg once a day.
Your doctor may adjust your dose.
If you take more IMBRUVICA than you should, talk to a doctor or go to a hospital straight away. Take the tablets and this leaflet with you.
Do not stop taking this medicine unless your doctor tells you.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
The following side effects may happen with this medicine:
itchy bumpy rash, difficulty breathing, swelling of your face, lips, tongue or throat – you may be having an allergic reaction to the medicine.
Patients treated with IMBRUVICA for B-cell malignancies:
Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
Patients treated with IMBRUVICA for previously untreated MCL
Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.
By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
This medicine does not require any special storage conditions.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
IMBRUVICA 140 mg film-coated tablets
Yellow-green to green round (9 mm) tablets, written with “ibr” on one side and “140” on the other side. Each 28 day carton contains 28 film-coated tablets in 2 cardboard wallets of 14 film-coated tablets each.
IMBRUVICA 280 mg film-coated tablets
Purple oblong (15 mm in length and 7 mm in width), written with “ibr” on one side and “280” on the other side. Each 28 day carton contains 28 film-coated tablets in 2 cardboard wallets of 14 film-coated tablets each.
IMBRUVICA 420 mg film-coated tablets
Yellow-green to green oblong tablets (17.5 mm in length and 7.4 mm in width), written with “ibr” on one side and “420” on the other side. Each 28 day carton contains 28 film-coated tablets in 2 cardboard wallets of 14 film-coated tablets each
IMBRUVICA 560 mg film-coated tablets
Yellow to orange oblong tablets (19 mm in length and 8.1 mm in width), written with “ibr” on one side and “560” on the other side. Each 28 day carton contains 28 film-coated tablets in 2 cardboard wallets of 14 film-coated tablets each
For information in large print, tape, CD or Braille, telephone 0800 7318450
This leaflet was last revised in 09/2025.