This technology includes the use of auranofin for the treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). Auranofin is currently approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and has been shown to display anti-cancer activity. CLL is a blood and bone marrow disease that usually progresses over a lengthy period of time and normally occurs in middle-age adults. The current therapeutic options for CLL patients are limited, and there are few therapies under development. Using an in vitro assay against primary lymphocytes from patients with CLL, auranofin was identified as a drug repurposing candidate for the treatment of CLL.