Biogen Canada Inc. is pleased to announce that Ontario, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island have joined Quebec to reimburse PrBYOOVIZ™ (ranibizumab injection), an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) biosimilar therapy for certain eye conditions affecting the retina.
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| [04-October-2023] |
TORONTO, Oct. 4, 2023 /CNW/ - Biogen Canada Inc. is pleased to announce that Ontario, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island have joined Quebec to reimburse PrBYOOVIZ™ (ranibizumab injection), an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) biosimilar therapy for certain eye conditions affecting the retina. In addition, BYOOVIZ is now covered by the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) and Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) Health Care Benefits programs. BYOOVIZ is the first biosimilar available in Canada that references PrLUCENTIS® to treat retinal vascular disorders including neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic macular edema. This provides an additional option for retinal disease management with anti-VEGF therapies, which have become a therapeutic mainstay for various retinal vascular disorders1. With no significant differences in quality, efficacy and safety as their reference biologic drugs, biosimilars offer important, more cost-effective treatment options that can respond to patient needs2. Public reimbursement of biosimilars helps create opportunities for savings and resource reallocation to other areas in the healthcare system. “We’re excited to see the expansion of patient access to BYOOVIZ and are very pleased that more jurisdictions are incorporating this additional anti-VEGF option into their publicly administered programs,” said Eric Tse, General Manager at Biogen Canada. “We believe this holds great potential for patients, physicians and the healthcare system, and With World Sight Day approaching, are particularly delighted we are able to meet patients’ needs with a treatment option that helps make vision care more accessible.” The reimbursement criteria for BYOOVIZ for each jurisdiction providing public access through its public drug benefit plan can be found by following the links below: Ontario About BYOOVIZ BYOOVIZ received marketing authorization from Health Canada in 2022 after meeting quality, efficacy and safety criteria and having demonstrated similar efficacy and a comparable safety profile to its reference biologic drug3,4,5. BYOOVIZ is indicated for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD); visual impairment due to diabetic macular edema (DME), macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO), choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to pathologic myopia (PM) and choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to ocular conditions other than AMD or PM, including but not limited to angioid streaks, post-inflammatory retinochoroidopathy, central serous choriorentinopathy or idiopathic chorioretinaopathy3. Biogen markets and sells BYOOVIZ pursuant to an agreement with Samsung Bioepis, the marketing authorization holder for the product. The Biogen and Samsung Bioepis commercialization agreement includes two ophthalmology biosimilar candidates, BYOOVIZ and SB15, a biosimilar candidate referencing EYLEA® (aflibercept). As part of the agreement, Samsung Bioepis is responsible for development, regulatory registration, and manufacture of the products, while Biogen is responsible for commercialization. About Biogen
LUCENTIS® is a registered trademark of Genentech Inc. SOURCE Biogen Canada | ||||||||||||||||