Effect of plasma exchange on tirabrutinib plasma concentration in a patient with lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma: A case report.

Purpose: Tirabrutinib, a second-generation Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is used to treat lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL). A hallmark complication of LPL is hyperviscosity syndrome (HVS), caused by markedly elevated serum IgM levels. Plasma exchange (PE) is a standard treatment for HVS but may also remove circulating drugs, particularly those with high protein binding, potentially reducing drug exposure and efficacy. Evaluating the impact of PE on the pharmacokinetics of drugs used to treat LPL is important for optimal treatment.

Methods: We report the case of a 63-year-old man with LPL who presented with acute headache and was diagnosed with HVS. Tirabrutinib (480 mg, once daily) was initiated, and PE was performed the next day because of persistent IgM elevation. To assess the impact of PE on tirabrutinib plasma concentrations, blood samples were collected approximately 3 h prior to PE (C15), immediately before PE (C18), and immediately after PE (C20).

Results: The concentrations at C15, C18 and C20 were 33.3, 16.9, and 11.4 ng/mL, respectively. The elimination rate constant (ke) was calculated as 0.226 h⁻¹ before PE and 0.197 h⁻¹ during PE. Based on the pre-PE ke, the predicted post-PE concentration (C20) assuming no PE was approximately 10.6 ng/mL, slightly lower than the observed value.

Conclusion: PE appeared to have minimal impact on the tirabrutinib plasma concentration, likely due to its large volume of distribution. Although further cases are needed, this case supports the feasibility of concomitant PE during tirabrutinib therapy without significant compromise of drug efficacy.