Idelalisib

It will always be CAL-101 to US, but I learned Thursday that our little miracle pill has a name now. CAL-101/GS-1101 is now officially Idelalisib. (How do they come up with these names?)

I told Dr. Flinn that I thought Ibrutinib was a weird name. But Idelalisib is even weirder.

With the success of these Kinase Inhibitors, a third is now being developed and studied. This is such an exciting time in the treatment of CLL and I am very thankful that John and Marian have had the opportunity to participate in this important research. We had another uneventful checkup this week. Both of them continue to be in remission with no changes in their blood work. And they will not have to have more scans until August.

April of 2013 will mark six years since John's initial blood test showing a high white count. He was officially diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia that June. His lymph nodes were his biggest problem from the outset. And even FCR (chemo) did not give him a remission. But this little pill started shrinking his nodes within days of the first dose (May of 2010), and he has been doing well ever since.

I am one very thankful wife. And whenever I hear people complain about the drug companies, my first thought is always, I am thankful for their research.