MONTREAL, Sept. 25, 2019 /CNW/ - AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV),
a global research and development-based biopharmaceutical
company, announced today that Alberta, Manitoba, British
Columbia and Saskatchewan
are listing VENCLEXTA® (venetoclax) on their public formularies.
VENCLEXTA monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of patients
with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who have received at least
one prior therapy and for whom there are no other available
treatment options. VENCLEXTA is an oral, once-daily medicine.
"People living with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in Western Canada finally have access to
Venclexta, which is great news considering the nature of this
disease. When faced with CLL, which can be recurrent, it is
important to offer physicians and their patients highly effective
options to tackle this illness," explains Elizabeth Lye, Director of Research &
Programs at Lymphoma Canada. "At Lymphoma Canada, we hope that soon
all Canadians will have access to this treatment."
VENCLEXTA is listed under the Alberta Health Services,
Outpatient Cancer Drug Benefit Programi, as a Part 3
benefit in Manitoba Pharmacare's Home Oncology Drug
Programii, by the British Columbia Cancer Lymphoma
Tumour Groupiii and on the formulary of the Saskatchewan
Cancer Agencyiv. All four provinces reimburse VENCLEXTA
monotherapy for CLL patients who have received at least one prior
therapy and who have failed a B-Cell receptor inhibitor (BCRi),
with specific criteria.
For further information regarding specific provincial criteria
consult the links below:
- Alberta Health Services, Outpatient Cancer Drug Benefit
Program
- Manitoba Pharmacare, Drug Benefits and Interchangeability
Formulary Amendments
- BC Cancer, Systemic Therapy Update
- Saskatchewan Cancer Agency Drug Formulary
"As a clinician, I need to have several treatment options
available for my patients to effectively and successfully treat
their CLL. It is great news that venetoclax is now reimbursed for
Western Canadians," says Dr. Carolyn
Owen, MD, MDres(UK), FRCPC, Associate Professor, Division of
Hematology and Hematological Malignancies, Foothills Medical
Centre. "Venetoclax is an innovative molecule that selectively
inhibits the BCL-2 protein, which is responsible for helping cancer
cells survive in the blood."
CLL, which is typically a slow-progressing cancer of the bone
marrow and bloodv, is one of the most common types of
leukemia in adults. In Canada, CLL
accounts for approximately 1,745 newly diagnosed cases of leukemia
each year and is responsible for more than 600 deaths a
year.vi
"When my physician told me I had CLL, I had no idea what this
meant for my life expectancy. I am a husband, father and
grandfather and I want to be around for my family as long as
possible," explains Dale Jordan of
Calgary, Alberta. "After
discussing my options with my physician, he recommended VENCLEXTA.
I am fortunate to live in a province where people can now access
this medication."
VENCLEXTA is being developed by AbbVie and Genentech, a member
of the Roche Group. It is jointly commercialized by the companies
in the U.S. and by AbbVie outside of the U.S.
About AbbVie Care
Canadians prescribed VENCLEXTA will
have the opportunity to be enrolled in AbbVie Care, AbbVie's
signature care program. The program is designed to provide a wide
range of customized services including reimbursement and financial
support, pharmacy services, lab work reminders and coordination,
personalized education and ongoing disease management support
throughout the treatment. For more information, please visit
www.abbviecare.ca.
About AbbVie
AbbVie is a global, research and
development-driven biopharmaceutical company committed to
developing innovative advanced therapies for some of the world's
most complex and critical conditions. The company's mission is to
use its expertise, dedicated people and unique approach to
innovation to markedly improve treatments across four primary
therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, virology and neuroscience.
In more than 75 countries, AbbVie employees are working every day
to advance health solutions for people around the world. For
more information about AbbVie, please visit us
at www.abbvie.ca and www.abbvie.com.
Follow @abbvieCanada and @abbvie on Twitter or
view careers on
our Facebook or LinkedIn page.
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i Alberta
Health Services
https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/programs/ps-1025651-drug-benefit-list.pdf.
Accessed September 2019.
|
ii
Manitoba Pharmacare. Manitoba Drug Benefits and Interchangeability
Formulary Amendments. Bulletin #105. Effective August 22, 2019
https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/mdbif/docs/bulletins/bulletin105.pdf.
Accessed September 2019.
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iii BC Cancer. Provincial Systemic
Therapy Program. September 2019
http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/systemic-therapy-site/Documents/2019%20ST%20Updates/ST%20Update_Sep%202019.pdf.
Accessed September 2019.
|
iv Saskatchewan Cancer Agency Drug
Formulary. September 3, 2019
http://www.saskcancer.ca/Drug%20Formulary%2009-2013. Accessed
September 2019.
|
v Lymphoma Canada. Chronic
lymphocytic leukemia. Available at
www.lymphoma.ca/lymphoma/lymphoma-101/types-lymphoma/cll. Accessed
September 2019.
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vi Canadian Cancer Statistics.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia statistics
www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-type/leukemia-chronic-lymphocytic-cll/statistics/?region=on.
Accessed September 2019.
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SOURCE AbbVie