AbbVie's SKYRIZI™ Now Publicly Reimbursed in Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Quebec for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis

• SKYRIZI™ is an interleukin-23 (IL-23) inhibitor used for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis.¹
• In clinical studies, SKYRIZI™ significantly improved levels of skin clearance after just 16 weeks and maintained clearance at one year (52 weeks).¹
• SKYRIZI™ is the only IL-23 inhibitor to arrive at a positive conclusion with the pCPA and is currently listed on the provincial formularies of Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Quebec.
• Ontario lists SKYRIZI™ on its provincial formulary effective January 31, 2020.
• Alberta lists SKYRIZI™ on its provincial formulary effective February 01, 2020.
• Saskatchewan lists SKYRIZI™ on its provincial formulary effective February 01, 2020.
• Quebec lists SKYRIZI™ on its provincial formulary effective February 05, 2020.

MONTREAL, Feb. 6, 2020 /CNW/ - AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), a global, research and development-based biopharmaceutical company, announced today that Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Quebec have listed SKYRIZI™ (risankizumab) on their respective provincial formularies for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.  This announcement comes just two months after AbbVie successfully reached an agreement with the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) – bringing a much-needed treatment to patients living with psoriasis.

A case of moderate psoriasis shown on patient (CNW Group/AbbVie Canada)

"I have been working with SKYRIZI™ for the past four years as I have been involved in the clinical trials. A cure does not exist for psoriasis; however, this biologic therapy targets a cytokine, IL-23, that regulates psoriasis.  I have seen very positive, long-lasting results, including improvements to the patient's overall health and well-being.  I am excited that more people in Ontario will now have access to this new targeted innovative therapy," states Dr. Melinda Gooderham, a dermatologist from the SKiN Centre for Dermatology in Peterborough, Ontario.

Psoriasis is a chronic condition affecting 125 million people worldwide, including 1 million Canadians, and many patients despite treatment still do not reach their goals or lose treatment response over time.^2-4  The most common form is plaque psoriasis, which affects approximately 90% of patients. ⁵

"Psoriasis severely affects an individual's quality of life.  I am so pleased that my patients suffering with moderate to severe psoriasis will now be able to access SKYRIZI™ through Alberta's publicly funded medication insurance program," explains Dr. Kirk Barber, Chief Dermatologist, Calgary Treatment & Research.  "In my clinical practice it has been a significant advancement in treatment especially due to its convenient dosing and predictable complete clearance - which is long lasting."

Psoriasis is a significant problem in primary care, affecting 3.1% of the Canadian population.⁶  Of these patients, 28% or approximately 325,000 Canadians are considered moderate to severe.⁷

Information regarding specific provincial criteria may be found by consulting the links below:

• Ontario Ministry of Health – Ontario Drug Benefit Formulary
• Alberta Health Services – Alberta Drug Benefit List
• Government of Saskatchewan – Saskatchewan Drug Formulary
• "Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec" – List of Medications

SKYRIZI™ is part of a collaboration between Boehringer Ingelheim and AbbVie, with AbbVie leading development and commercialization globally.

"Our patients suffering from psoriasis now have access to highly targeted and effective treatment options.  Our knowledge about the disease's immunopathology keeps improving.  So is treatment practicality, as some treatments have longer dosage intervals and can be administered only once every 3 months, for example.  We are now in a position where we can virtually control the disease in most psoriasis patients," says Dr. Yves Poulin, a dermatologist and dermatology professor at Université Laval.  "New treatment options like risankizumab are groundbreaking for our patients and for our ability to provide them with adequate care, and consequently improve their quality of life.  And they deserve it, given the destructive impact the disease has on their life."

About SKYRIZI™
SKYRIZI™ is a novel, humanized immunoglobulin monoclonal antibody designed to selectively inhibit IL-23, a naturally occurring cytokine involved in inflammatory and immune responses.¹  On April 17, 2019, SKYRIZI™ received a NOC from Health Canada for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in patients who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy, based on results from clinical studies showing significant improvement in levels of skin clearance after just 16 weeks and at 52 weeks with every 3-month dosing in more than 2000 adult patients.¹  Four pivotal Phase 3 studies, ultIMMa-1, ultIMMa-2, IMMvent and IMMhance evaluated more than 2,000 patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.⁴ Canadians living with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis were well represented in all four of the pivotal clinical trials leading to Health Canada's approval, showing the Canadian leadership in this clinical development program.  SKYRIZI™ is the only IL-23 inhibitor to arrive to a positive conclusion with the pCPA and is currently listed on the provincial formularies of Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Quebec.

About AbbVie Care
The AbbVie Care program is designed to provide a wide range of customized services including reimbursement and financial support, pharmacy services, lab work reminders and coordination, personalized education and ongoing disease management support throughout the treatment journey.  For more information, consult www.abbviecare.ca.

About AbbVie
AbbVie is a global, research and development-based biopharmaceutical company committed to developing innovative advanced therapies for some of the world's most complex and critical conditions. The company's mission is to use its expertise, dedicated people and unique approach to innovation to markedly improve treatments across four primary therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, virology and neuroscience. In more than 75 countries, AbbVie employees are working every day to advance health solutions for people around the world. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.ca and www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvieCanada and @abbvie on Twitter or view careers on our Facebook or LinkedIn page.

References:

1. SKYRIZI™ (risankizumab) [Canadian Product Monograph].  AbbVie Corporation, April 17, 2019.
2. International Federation of Psoriasis Associations. Available at: https://ifpa-pso.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Brochure-Psoriasis-is-a-serious-disease-deserving-global-attention.pdf. Accessed March 22, 2019.
3. Mroweitz, U., et al. Definition of treatment goals for moderate to severe psoriasis: a European consensus. Arch Dermatol Res. 2011 Jan; 303(1): 1–10.
4. Levin, et al. Biologic fatigue in psoriasis. J Dermatolog Treat. 2014 Feb;25(1):78-82. doi: 10.3109/09546634.2013.826341.
5. Canadian Dermatology Association – Psoriasis. Accessed on February 5, 2020. Available at: https://dermatology.ca/public-patients/skin/psoriasis/
6. Papp K, Valenzuela F, Poulin Y, Bernstein G, Wasel N. Epidemiology of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in a Canadian surveyed population. J Cutan Med Surg. 2010;14(4):167-174.
7. Petrella RJ, Gregory V, Luciani L, Barbeau M . Characteristics of chronic plaque psoriasis in Canada: a retrospective database study. (PSS7) Poster presented at ISPOR 19th Annual International Meeting, Montréal, QC, Canada, May 2014. Accessed on February 5, 2020. Available at:

SOURCE AbbVie Canada

Media: Kim Hogan, AbbVie Canada, [phone], [email protected]