Ipsen and Medison Pharma Announce Health Canada Approval of Bylvay™ (odevixibat) for the treatment of pruritus due to Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis (PFIC)
- Bylvay is the first medication approved in Canada for the treatment of pruritus in PFIC patients, marking a significant milestone in addressing the unmet medical needs of this rare disease.
- The partnership between Ipsen and Medison Pharma demonstrates their commitment to providing access to highly innovative therapies to patients in international markets, reflecting a positive trend in the pharmaceutical industry.
- None.
Bylvay (odevixibat) is the first and only oral treatment available in
Medison and Ipsen are part of a multiregional partnership in both
"At Medison, accelerating patients' access to innovative treatments is leading all that we do, so we are pleased and proud to bring Bylvay to patients in
"Health Canada's authorization of Bylvay brings an important medicine to Canadians living with PFIC and their families," said Stewart Campbell, Executive Vice President and President of
"I hope that the availability of Bylvay will immediately change the treatment paradigm for PFIC patients in
"Until today, surgery was the only treatment option available for PFIC patients," said Mr. Walter Perez, President, Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis Advocacy and Resource Network and father of a child living with PFIC. "As families like mine know, managing symptoms of PFIC is very challenging. We are extremely pleased that a less invasive treatment option is now available."
About Bylvay™ (odevixibat)
Bylvay is a once-daily, non-systemic ileal bile acid transport inhibitor that acts locally in the small intestine and has minimal systemic exposure. It is approved in the
View full product monograph in
Important Safety Information
Indication
Bylvay™ (odevixibat) is indicated for the treatment of pruritus in patients aged 6 months or older with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC).
Limitation of use: Bylvay may not be effective in a subgroup of PFIC type 2 patients with specific ABCB11 variants resulting in non-functional or complete absence of the bile salt export pump protein.
Contraindications
Odevixibat is contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to this drug or to any ingredient in the formulation, including any non-medicinal ingredient, or component of the container.
Most Serious Warnings and Precautions
Liver test abnormalities: In clinical trials, increased levels of liver enzymes and bilirubin were observed in some patients receiving Bylvay. Assessment of hepatic laboratory tests (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin) is recommended for all patients prior to initiating Bylvay, with monitoring per standard clinical practice.
Limited data are available in PFIC patients with cirrhosis or portal hypertension. Consider discontinuing Bylvay if a patient progresses to portal hypertension, cirrhosis or demonstrated hepatic decompensation.
Diarrhea has been reported as a common adverse reaction when taking Bylvay. Diarrhea may lead to dehydration. Patients should be monitored regularly to ensure adequate hydration during episodes of diarrhea. Interruption of treatment should be considered during acute episodes of diarrhea and/or vomiting that risk dehydration.
Fat-soluble vitamin deficiency: In clinical trials, decreased levels of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K (measured using international normalized ratio (INR)) and calcium were observed in some patients receiving Bylvay, as well as increased potassium levels. All observed decreases in calcium and increases in potassium were not considered to be clinically significant by the investigators.
Assessment of fat-soluble vitamin levels (Vitamins A, D, E), calcium, potassium and INR are recommended for all patients prior to initiating BYLVAY, with monitoring per standard clinical practice. Consider Bylvay discontinuation for fat-soluble-vitamin deficiency refractory to supplementation.
Other relevant warnings and precautions
- Conditions, medications, or surgical procedures that impair gastrointestinal motility, or enterohepatic circulation of bile acids
- Interaction with lipophilic medicinal products
- Pregnant women
- Women of child-bearing potential
- Nursing women
- Geriatrics - limited information in patients of 65 years
For more information
Please consult the Bylvay Product Monograph at https://www.medisonpharma.com/product-monographs/ for important information relating to adverse reactions, drug interactions and dosing information that has not been discussed in this piece. The Product Monograph is also available by calling 1-800-696-1341.
Bylvay does not require refrigeration and can be swallowed whole as a capsule, or opened and the pellets sprinkled onto soft food, or in liquid. This administration flexibility is a factor of importance for adherence in a pediatric patient population.
Health
About Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis (PFIC)
PFIC is a group of inherited liver diseases resulting from mutations in genes that impact bile secretion that are progressive and life-threatening. Typical onset of PFIC is in infancy or early childhood with a hallmark feature of this condition being severe and debilitating pruritus (itching), which has been shown to considerably reduce quality of life and can result in the need for liver transplantation.[i], [ii]
The estimated global incidence of PFIC is one in 50,000 to 100,000 people worldwide,[iii] resulting in a designation of this condition as extremely or ultra rare.[iv]
About Medison Pharma
Medison is a global pharma company focused on providing access to highly innovative therapies to patients in international markets. Medison is the first to create an international commercialization platform for highly innovative therapies, helping to save and improve lives by making the best available novel treatments accessible to patients in international markets. Medison has a track record of multi-territorial partnerships with leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies seeking to expand their global reach. To learn more visit www.medisonpharma.com
About Ipsen
Ipsen is a global, mid-sized biopharmaceutical company focused on transformative medicines in Oncology, Rare Disease and Neuroscience. With total sales of
For additional information, please contact:
Medison Pharma
Inbal Chen, Corporate Communications
M: +972 54 440 0784
E: inbalc@medisonpharma.com
Ipsen Contacts
Investors
Craig Marks Vice President, Investor Relations +44 (0)7584 349 193 | Nicolas Bogler Investor Relations Manager +33 6 52 19 98 92 |
Media | |
Jennifer Moore Senior Director, Global Corporate Communications +1 (347) 401-8583
Amy Wolf VP, Head of Corporate Brand Strategy & Communications +41 79 576 07 23
| Ioana Piscociu Senior Manager, Global Media Relations +33 6 69 09 12 96
|
Canadian media inquiries:
Dara Willis, Gage Communications
M: 416-836-9272
E: dwillis@gagecommunications.ca
Ipsen's forward-looking statements
The forward-looking statements, objectives and targets contained herein are based on Ipsen's management strategy, current views and assumptions. Such statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those anticipated herein. All of the above risks could affect Ipsen's future ability to achieve its financial targets, which were set assuming reasonable macroeconomic conditions based on the information available today. Use of the words 'believes', 'anticipates' and 'expects' and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, including Ipsen's expectations regarding future events, including regulatory filings and determinations. Moreover, the targets described in this document were prepared without taking into account external-growth assumptions and potential future acquisitions, which may alter these parameters. These objectives are based on data and assumptions regarded as reasonable by Ipsen. These targets depend on conditions or facts likely to happen in the future, and not exclusively on historical data. Actual results may depart significantly from these targets given the occurrence of certain risks and uncertainties, notably the fact that a promising medicine in early development phase or clinical trial may end up never being launched on the market or reaching its commercial targets, notably for regulatory or competition reasons. Ipsen must face or might face competition from generic medicine that might translate into a loss of market share. Furthermore, the research and development process involves several stages each of which involves the substantial risk that Ipsen may fail to achieve its objectives and be forced to abandon its efforts with regards to a medicine in which it has invested significant sums. Therefore, Ipsen cannot be certain that favorable results obtained during preclinical trials will be confirmed subsequently during clinical trials, or that the results of clinical trials will be sufficient to demonstrate the safe and effective nature of the medicine concerned. There can be no guarantees a medicine will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that the medicine will prove to be commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Other risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and healthcare legislation; global trends toward healthcare cost containment; technological advances, new medicine and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new-medicine development, including obtaining regulatory approval; Ipsen's ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of Ipsen's patents and other protections for innovative medicines; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions. Ipsen also depends on third parties to develop and market some of its medicines which could potentially generate substantial royalties; these partners could behave in such ways which could cause damage to Ipsen's activities and financial results. Ipsen cannot be certain that its partners will fulfill their obligations. It might be unable to obtain any benefit from those agreements. A default by any of Ipsen's partners could generate lower revenues than expected. Such situations could have a negative impact on Ipsen's business, financial position or performance. Ipsen expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements, targets or estimates contained in this press release to reflect any change in events, conditions, assumptions or circumstances on which any such statements are based, unless so required by applicable law. Ipsen's business is subject to the risk factors outlined in its registration documents filed with the French Autorité des Marchés Financiers. The risks and uncertainties set out are not exhaustive and the reader is advised to refer to Ipsen's latest Universal Registration Document, available on ipsen.com.
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[i] Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis Advocacy and Resource Network. Learn About PFIC Disease. https://www.pfic.org/learn-about-pfic-disease/. Accessed October 5, 2023.
[ii]
[iii] Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis Advocacy and Resource Network. Learn About PFIC Disease. https://www.pfic.org/learn-about-pfic-disease/. Accessed October 5, 2023.
[iv] Smith, C.I., Bergman, P., Hagey, D. Estimating the number of diseases – the concept of rare, ultra-rare, and hyper-rare. iScience. 2022; Aug 19; 25(8): 104698.
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SOURCE Medison Pharma; Ipsen
FAQ
What is Bylvay and what is it used for?
Who are the companies involved in bringing Bylvay to Canada?
What impact does the approval of Bylvay have on PFIC patients in Canada?
