Once-daily oral tablet to be reimbursed for first-line use through exception process
MISSISSAUGA, ON, June 24, 2015 /CNW/ – Genzyme Canada announced today that Health Canada has approved AUBAGIO™ (teriflunomide) 14 mg as an expedited exception benefit product through the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) Program of Health Canada for eligible First Nations people and Inuit as a first-line oral tablet for relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).
AUBAGIO is a once daily oral tablet indicated as monotherapy for the treatment of RRMS to reduce the frequency of clinical exacerbations and to delay the accumulation of physical disability.
“Aubagio with its combination of efficacy, safety, convenience and tolerability is an excellent first line choice for many patients with RRMS, said Dr. Daniel Selchen, Chief, Neurology, and Consultant, MS Clinic, St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Ontario.
“The NIHB approval of AUBAGIO represents a step forward in the management of MS,” says Dr.Virginia Devonshire, Clinical Assistant Professor Neurology, University of British Columbia, and Director, MS Clinic, University Hospital of Northern BC. “AUBAGIO is a safe and effective oral treatment choice for relapsing MS.”
“We are pleased that Health Canada has been responsive in listing another disease-modifying therapy option for those with multiple sclerosis who are eligible for the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) for First Nations people and Inuit,” says Sylvia Leonard, National Vice President, Talent, Programs and Services, MS Society of Canada. “This responsiveness means that Canadians with MS have greater access to treatments to manage the effects of their disease. For individuals with MS who are interested in exploring treatment options, we encourage them to consult with their healthcare team to find the course that is most appropriate for them.”
About MS in CanadaWith 100,000 Canadians living with MS and three people newly diagnosed every day, Canada has one of the highest prevalence rates in the world. As most people are diagnosed with relapsing MS in their twenties and thirties, MS is the most common neurological disease affecting young adults in Canada.
“We applaud Health Canada for making AUBAGIO available to First Nations people and Inuit suffering from RRMS who meet appropriate criteria through the expedited exception process. With its once-a-day oral regimen, this will provide eligible patients an important alternative to injectable treatments,” said Peter Brenders, General Manager, Genzyme Canada.
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