Canadians now have publicly funded access to CIMZIA® (certolizumab pegol) Autoinjector for the Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis indications

OAKVILLE, ON, Sept. 26, 2018 /CNW/ - UCB Canada Inc. announced today that CIMZIA® (certolizumab pegol) solution for injection in a single-use pre-filled Autoinjector is now available through public funding across Canada for the treatment of adults with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and active ankylosing spondylitis (also a form of arthritis).

UCB is committed to providing value to patients and meeting their unique needs. As part of this commitment, they developed the CIMZIA Autoinjector for patients who prefer the convenience and ease-of-use of an automated pen. The device provides a button-free delivery system and a wide, non-slip grip that keeps patient hand disability in mind. The Autoinjector also has a large viewing window to  show the progress of the injection, and makes a clicking noise to signify both the beginning and end of the injection, giving patients confidence to know they have received their full dose of CIMZIA. UCB collaborated with OXO, a company known for thoughtful, consumer-friendly designs, to develop the technology, which was specifically designed with patients for patients.

"One in five Canadians lives with arthritis. For many, even doing everyday tasks like opening a package or taking their medication can be very difficult and painful, so how products are designed can significantly impact their quality of day-to-day life. That is why the Arthritis Society applauds UCB's commitment to designing the CIMZIA Autoinjector to be easy to use by people living with arthritis," says Bruce Watson, Director of Business and Foundation Development at the Arthritis Society, in Toronto, Ontario. "We are thrilled that UCB has put the needs of patients first when designing this innovative device, and we are thrilled at UCB's relentless commitment to improving life for people with arthritis."

About CIMZIA¹
Approved in Canada in 2009, CIMZIA is referred to as a "TNF blocker." People with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis usually have too much TNFα in their bodies, which can lead to painful and swollen joints. CIMZIA can help reduce the amount of TNFα in the body to normal levels helping to treat joint damage.

"As a clinician who treats hundreds of arthritis patients, my treatment recommendation is only as good as a patient's ability to access and adhere to medication," says Dr. Trudy Taylor, a rheumatologist in Halifax, Nova Scotia. "That's why public funding for the CIMZIA Autoinjector across Canada is important news. It finally allows more of my patients' access to an important medication with significant clinical evidence, as well as an ease-of-use delivery system that can help them address their painful and often debilitating symptoms."

About the CIMZIA Autoinjector ²
Research was conducted to ensure that the CIMZIA Autoinjector would meet the needs of patients living with autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. A preference study was performed in 76 patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis who had no prior experience using an anti-TNF prefilled pen. The primary endpoint of the study was to assess the participants' rankings of the devices in order of preference (from one to four, where one was the most preferred), and the secondary endpoints were designed to gather patient feedback on the four devices: CIMZIA® Autoinjector®; ENBREL® SureClick®; the HUMIRA® pen; and SIMPONI® SmartJect®. Specific secondary endpoints included the comparison of the following qualities in the prefilled pens: easy to start, easy to tell when finished, easy to use and willingness to use. Overall, the results from the preference study found that the CIMZIA Autoinjector was the preferred device for the majority of patients.

Important and complete safety information about CIMZIA can be found by accessing the product monograph.

About Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)³ RA is an autoimmune disease where the body's immune system, which normally functions to protect us against infections, mistakenly attacks the lining of the joints.  The cause of this malfunctioning immune system is still unknown and while there is no cure for RA, there are some very effective medications and therapies to control the symptoms and results of the inflammation.  Inflammation in the joints causes pain, stiffness and swelling.  If this inflammation continues, it can lead to damage of the joint. The inflammation can affect other organs, such as the nerves, eyes, skin, lungs or heart.  About one out of every 100 adult Canadians has RA – about 300,000 Canadians. While anyone can get RA at any age, it affects women two to three times more often than men.  There is no cure for RA, but people who are diagnosed and treated early can avoid pain and damage to their joints and lead active and productive lives.

About Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA)⁴
PsA is a type of inflammatory arthritis that usually appears in people with a skin disease called psoriasis. Between 10 and 30 percent of people with psoriasis will get PsA. The disease affects both men and women in equal numbers and usually appears between the ages of 20 and 50 years. There is no cure for PsA, but with early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, patients can take control of their disease and avoid severe damage to their joints. Most people with PsA can lead active and productive lives with the help of medication, surgery (in some cases), exercise, rest and joint protection techniques.

About Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)⁵
AS is a type of inflammatory arthritis that affects the spine and the sacroiliac joints that attach the pelvis to the base of the spine. 'Ankylosing' means fusing and 'spondylitis' means inflammation of the spine. As well as being a form of inflammatory arthritis, AS is also an autoimmune disease, meaning the body's own immune system attacks healthy tissue. With AS inflammation, the immune attack targets the ligaments and tendons attached to bone in the joints of the spine. The bone erodes at these sites and the body tries to repair itself by forming new bone. The bones of the spine begin to fuse, or grow together, causing the spine to become stiff, inflexible and painful. Even though new bone forms, the original bone in the spine can become thin, increasing the risk of spinal fractures. Early detection and treatment of AS can help to prevent lasting damage to the spine.  

About UCB Canada Inc.
Inspired by patients and driven by science, UCB Canada Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe autoimmune and central nervous system diseases. For more information, please consult www.ucb.com/worldwide/canada.

References

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¹ CIMZIA Product Monograph. https://www.ucb-canada.ca/en/Our-Medicines/overview   Accessed September 20, 2018.

² Domańska B, VanLunen B, Peterson L, Mountian I, Schiff M. Comparative usability study for a certolizumab pegol autoinjection device in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery 2017;4:15-22.

³ Rheumatoid arthritis. The Arthritis Society of Canada. http://www.arthritis.ca/about-arthritis/arthritis-types-(a-z)/types/rheumatoid-arthritis Accessed May 8, 2018.

⁴ Psoriatic Arthritis. The Arthritis Society of Canada. http://www.arthritis.ca/about-arthritis/arthritis-types-(a-z)/types/psoriatic-arthritis Accessed May 8, 2018.

⁵ Ankylosing Spondylitis. The Arthritis Society of Canada. http://www.arthritis.ca/about-arthritis/arthritis-types-(a-z)/types/ankylosing-spondylitis Accessed May 8, 2018

SOURCE UCB Canada Inc.

Rebecca Krauss, Cohn & Wolfe, Tel: [phone] ext. 4055, [email protected]; Ben Faienza, UCB Canada Inc., Tel: [phone], [email protected]