British Columbia lists ALBRIOZA on its drug benefit formulary, becoming the third province to provide public reimbursement
TORONTO, July 19, 2023 /CNW/ - Amylyx Pharmaceuticals Canada announced today that the Company has entered into a Product Listing Agreement with British Columbia for the public reimbursement of ALBRIOZA™ (sodium phenylbutyrate and ursodoxicoltaurine) through British Columbia’s PharmaCare, effective July 19, 2023. In the CENTAUR clinical trial, ALBRIOZA demonstrated a significant reduction in disease progression and functional decline among individuals diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).i This promising outcome potentially offers these individuals extended periods of functional independence and improved quality of life.
“We are pleased to see that British Columbia has decided to offer public coverage for this treatment,” said Wendy Toyer, Executive Director of the ALS Society of British Columbia. “Considering the swift progression of this fatal condition, it is crucial that eligible individuals have access to approved therapies without delay. We are optimistic that other public drug plans will follow suit, ensuring Canadians who rely on public coverage have timely access to this treatment.”
Amylyx is continuing to work with the other provincial, territorial, and federal drug plans to have ALBRIOZA listed on public formularies across the country.
“We deeply value the government of British Columbia’s collaboration and assistance in offering public reimbursement for ALBRIOZA,” said Chris Aiello, General Manager and Head of Canada at Amylyx. “This decision ensures that British Columbians living with ALS who rely on public coverage can access timely treatment, and we are truly grateful for the support. We will continue to work with other Canadian drug plans to ensure equitable access to ALBRIOZA for all eligible Canadians as soon as possible.”
As ALS progresses, individuals living with the disease experience a gradual loss of mobility, impacting their ability to perform daily activities such as feeding and dressing themselves. Communication and physical contact, such as speaking with and hugging loved ones, become increasingly challenging. Ultimately, the disease leads to the loss of essential functions like swallowing and breathing. With a median life expectancy of two years following diagnosis, Canadians living with ALS do not have the time to wait.
About ALS
ALS is a relentlessly progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by motor neuron death in the brain and spinal cord with a median life expectancy of two years from diagnosis.ii Motor neuron loss in ALS leads to deteriorating muscle function, the inability to move and speak, respiratory paralysis and eventually, death.
About ALBRIOZA™
ALBRIOZA™ (sodium phenylbutyrate and ursodoxicoltaurine), previously known as AMX0035, is an oral fixed-dose medication approved with conditions to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in Canada. It is approved to treat ALS in adults in the U.S. as RELYVRIO®. AMX0035 is being explored for the potential treatment of other neurodegenerative diseases. The formulation of RELYVRIO, ALBRIOZA, and AMX0035 are identical.
About Amylyx Pharmaceuticals
Amylyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is committed to supporting and creating more moments for the neurodegenerative disease community through the discovery and development of innovative new treatments. Amylyx is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts and has operations in Canada and EMEA. For more information, visit amylyx.ca and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
For media inquiries, please contact the Amylyx Media Team at +1 (857) 799-7274 or amylyxmediateam@amylyx.com.
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i Long-term survival of participants in the CENTAUR trial of sodium phenylbutyrate-taurursodiol in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - PubMed (nih.gov)
ii Survival and epidemiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cases in the Chicago and Detroit metropolitan cohort: incident cases 2009–2011 and survival through 2018