TORONTO, July 8, 2026 /CNW/ - Eli Lilly Canada Inc. (Lilly Canada) has officially received a long-awaited positive recommendation (reimbursement with conditions) from Canada's Drug Agency (CDA-AMC) for its medicine, Ebglyss®, for patients living with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (eczema)1. Ebglyss® received a positive recommendation from L’Institut national d’excellence en santé et services sociaux (INESSS) on August 1, 2024 in Quebec and was subsequently listed on La Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ), making it available for patients in Quebec. The pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) and Lilly Canada have also reached a letter of intent (LOI) following this positive CDA-AMC recommendation, which now paves the way for public drug plan reimbursement across Canada.
"We are encouraged to see the positive Ebglyss® recommendation by Canada's Drug Agency (CDA-AMC) for patients living with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (eczema)," said Mathilde Merlet, General Manager, Lilly Canada. "With the decision by the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) to sign a letter of intent for all jurisdictions, patients across Canada will have the opportunity to access an advanced biologic medication that delivers sustained long-term efficacy and has a proven safety profile with an every 4-week maintenance dosing schedule, providing physicians and patients with another treatment option in a therapeutic area with significant unmet need. This decision by the CDA-AMC now aligns with that of INESSS in Quebec and other global markets, where patients have already been benefiting from its positive therapeutic value."
"In clinical practice, moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis remains a challenging condition to manage, with many patients continuing to experience persistent symptoms such as itch, skin inflammation, and disruption to daily life", said Dr. Mark Kirchhof, Dermatologist and Division Head of Dermatology in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa and The Ottawa Hospital, and President of the Canadian Dermatology Association. "A positive recommendation like this is important because it helps expand the range of treatment options available to clinicians, allowing for more individualized care and the potential to better support long-term disease control for patients."
"Atopic dermatitis can be complex to manage with challenging symptoms, including itch, rash, skin symptoms, as well as daily life impacts. This is why access to a range of reimbursed treatment options matters to the patient community," said Amanda Cresswell-Melville, Executive Director of the Eczema Society of Canada. "This positive recommendation is an important step toward giving healthcare providers more flexibility in treatment choices and giving patients a chance at better control of their condition."
"For Canadians living with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, the effects of this condition often reach far beyond the skin. It can disrupt sleep, affect mental well-being, and make it harder to work, study, and fully participate in daily life," said Dana Gies, Executive Director of the Canadian Skin Patient Alliance. "This recommendation is encouraging because better access to treatment options can help support longer-term disease management and improve quality of life for patients."
Ebglyss (lebrikizumab) was authorized by Health Canada on June 24, 2024. This authorization was based on results from the ADvocate 1, ADvocate 2, and ADhere studies, which showed 90% skin clearance and significant itch relief results as early as Week 4, including up to 59% EASI-75 and 43% IGA 0/1 in the ADvocate 1 monotherapy study alongside meaningful improvements in sleep loss and quality of life (DLQI) at week 16. The drug met co-primary endpoints, all secondary endpoints at week 16 and 52 weeks, and has an established safety profile. 2 Data from the ADjoin long-term extension of these trials showed that skin and itch results were also maintained over 2 years of continuous lebrikizumab treatment.3 Recently, Eli Lilly and Company also further released new long-term data showing that Ebglyss® delivered durable skin clearance and relief from persistent itch for up to four years for patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (eczema) in an open-label extension study offering every 4 week maintenance dosing.4
About Atopic Dermatitis
Atopic Dermatitis (AD), a form of eczema, is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by areas of dry red, and intensely itchy skin that follows a relapsing and remitting course, with unpredictable flares that can persist despite ongoing topical therapy.7 The chronic, fluctuating nature of AD carries a significant burden, including sleepless nights, which can greatly impact the quality of life for all members of the family.5 Documented implications of AD on daily life include depression and anxiety, increased risk of suicide, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, poor sleep quantity and/or quality and decreased productivity at work. Given both the prevalence and chronic nature of AD, the impacts of AD can be very difficult and long-lasting for a large number of Canadians. 7
About Lilly Canada
Lilly is a medicine company turning science into healing to make life better for people around the world. Lilly has been pioneering life-changing discoveries for nearly 150 years, and today our medicines help more than 51 million people across the globe. Lilly's Canadian Affiliate, Eli Lilly Canada Inc. was established in 1938, the result of a research collaboration with scientists at the University of Toronto which eventually produced the world's first commercially available insulin.
Harnessing the power of biotechnology, chemistry and genetic medicine, our scientists are urgently advancing new discoveries to solve some of the world's most significant health challenges: redefining diabetes care; treating obesity and curtailing its most devastating long-term effects; advancing the fight against Alzheimer's disease; providing solutions to some of the most debilitating immune system disorders; and transforming the most difficult-to-treat cancers into manageable diseases. With each step toward a healthier world, we're motivated by one thing: making life better for millions more people. That includes delivering innovative clinical trials that reflect the diversity of our world and working to ensure our medicines are accessible and affordable.
To learn more about Lilly Canada, visit www.lilly.com/en-CA, or follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Ebglyss® and its delivery device base are trademarks owned or licensed by Eli Lilly and Company, its subsidiaries, or affiliates.
Endnotes and References:
- *with a body weight of at least 40 kg, whose disease is not adequately controlled with topical prescription therapies or when those therapies are not advisable
- Eli Lilly Canada Inc. (2026). Ebglyss® Product Monograph. Retrieved from: https://pi.lilly.com/ca/ebglyss-ca-pm.pdf
- Guttman-Yassky, E., Weidinger, S., Simpson, E. L., Gooderham, M., Irvine, A. D., Spelman, L., Silverberg, J. I., ElMaraghy, H., DeLuca-Carter, L., Piruzeli, M. L. B., Hu, C., Yang, F. E., Pierce, E., Bardolet, L., & Thaçi, D. (2025). Two-Year Efficacy and Safety of Lebrikizumab in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis: A Long-Term Extension (ADjoin). Dermatology and Therapy (Heidelberg), 15(8), 2217–2232. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13555-025-01452-9
- Eli Lilly and Company. Lilly's EBGLYSS (lebrikizumab–lbkz) delivered up to four years of durable disease control for patients with moderate–to–severe atopic dermatitis. Press release. March 27, 2026. https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lillys-ebglyss-lebrikizumab-lbkz-delivered-four-years-durable
- Eczema Society of Canada. What is Eczema. Retrieved Friday, October 21, 2024 from: https://eczemahelp.ca/about-eczema/
- The Skin I'm In: A National Report of the Patient and Caregiver Experience with Atopic Dermatitis. November 2022. Canadian Skin Patient Alliance and Eczéma Québec. https://canadianskin.ca/media/attachments/2022/11/22/ad-report-2022_full_en.pdf
- Merck Manual + Silverberg JI, Guttman-Yassky E, Thaçi D, et al; for ADvocate1 and ADvocate2 Investigators. Two phase 3 trials of lebrikizumab for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. N Engl J Med. 2023;388(12):1080-1091. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2206714
SOURCE Eli Lilly Canada Inc.
