TORONTO, Feb. 2, 2026 /CNW/ - Takeda Canada Inc. ("Takeda") is pleased to announce that Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) include FruzaqlaTM (fruquintinib capsules) in the list of drugs eligible for funding through the Exceptional Access Program (EAP) for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) who have been previously treated with, or are not considered candidates for available standard therapies.1 This treatment is eligible for reimbursement if specific clinical criteria are met.
"When patients with metastatic colorectal cancer become resistant to all currently funded therapies in their province, many will face a grim future as on average, half of these patients do not survive for more than five months," said Dr. Eric Chen, Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. "FRUZAQLA gives those living with mCRC an important new treatment option to potentially give them more time to spend with their family and enjoy other life milestones."
mCRC refers to cancer of the colon that has spread to other parts of the body (called distant metastasis), such as to the liver or lungs.2 Colorectal cancer is the third most diagnosed cancer in Ontario with an estimated Approximately 70 per cent of patients with CRC will experience metastatic disease, whether at diagnosis or after treatment with metastases being the main cause of CRC-related death.3,4
Ontario is the latest province to reimburse FRUZAQLA following Quebec, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan. FRUZAQLA received market authorization by Health Canada in September 2024 and has received a positive reimbursement recommendation by Canada's Drug Agency (CDA-AMC) and Institut national d'excellence en santé et services sociaux (INESSS).
"We're pleased that more Canadians living with mCRC now have access to FRUZAQLA, including those in Ontario, the province with the highest number of patients," said Kiran Dharani, Oncology Country Head, Takeda Canada. "We remain committed to working with provinces to ensure every patient who can benefit from this treatment has the opportunity to do so."
About FRUZAQLATM
FRUZAQLATM (fruquintinib capsules) is a selective oral inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factors receptors (VEGFR) -1, -2, and -3 with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 33, 35, and 0.5 nM, respectively. VEGFR inhibitors play a pivotal role in blocking tumor angiogenesis.5 FRUZAQLATM works by helping to stop tumors from making new blood vessels and therefore slowing down the growth of cancer.1
The authorization for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer is based on data from two large Phase 3 trials: the multi-regional FRESCO-2 trial, data from which were published in The Lancet, along with the FRESCO trial conducted in China, data from which were published in JAMA. In both trials, FRUZAQLATM plus best supportive care demonstrated significant improvements in overall survival, with corresponding improvements in progression free survival, versus placebo plus best supportive care.6,7
About Takeda Canada Inc.
Takeda Canada Inc. is the Canadian organization of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE: 4502/NYSE: TAK), a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan, committed to discovering and delivering life-transforming treatments, guided by our commitment to patients, our people and the planet. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Rare Genetics and Hematology, Neuroscience, and Gastroenterology (GI). We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in people's lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust, modality-diverse pipeline. Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries and regions. For more information, visit: https://www.takeda.com/en-ca/.
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1 FRUZAQLATM (fruquintinib capsules), Product Monograph, Takeda Canada Inc. (SEP 10, 2024). Available at: https://takeda.info/en-ca-fruzaqlapm |
2 Canadian Cancer Society. Stages of colorectal cancer. 2025. Available at: https://cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-types/colorectal/staging#:~:text=For%20stage%202C%2C%20the%20tumour,peritoneum |
3 Atreya CE, Yaeger R, Chu E. Systemic therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer: from current standards to future molecular targeted approaches. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book. 2017;37:246-256. doi:10.1200/EDBK_175679 |
4 Vatandoust S, et al. World J Gastroenterol. 2015;21(41):11767-76. |
5 Zhang Y, Zou JY, Wang Z, Wang Y. Fruquintinib: a novel antivascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. Cancer Manag Res. 2019 Aug 16;11:7787-7803. doi: 10.2147/CMAR.S215533. PMID: 31496821; PMCID: PMC6701622. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6701622/ |
6 Dasari NA, et al. LBA25 – FRESCO-2: A global phase 3 multiregional clinical trial (MRCT) evaluating the efficacy and safety of fruquintinib in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer. Ann Oncol. 2022 Sep;33(suppl_7): S808-S869. Doi:10.1016/annonc/annonc1089. |
7 Li J, Qin S, Xu R, et al. Effect of Fruquintinib vs Placebo on Overall Survival in Patients With Previously Treated Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: The FRESCO Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2018;319(24):2486–2496. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.7855 |
SOURCE Takeda Canada Inc.
