HAEGARDA® is now available in the province of Québec for the routine prevention of Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) attacks in adolescent and adult patients

OTTAWA, Ontario, Feb. 5, 2020 /CNW/ -- CSL Behring Canada announced that HAEGARDA^® (C1 Esterase Inhibitor Subcutaneous [Human]), is now available in the province of Québec. HAEGARDA is a subcutaneous C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-INH) therapy indicated for routine prophylaxis to prevent hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks in adolescent and adult patients¹.

"Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare hereditary disease that manifests itself as unpredictable and often severe attacks of edema and/or abdominal pain..." said Dr. Jacques Hebert, MD, FRCPC, Director at the Centre de Recherche Appliquée en Allergies de Québec, and Research Associate at the Laval University, Québec "…Preventive therapy was based on intravenous administration replacement therapy of the defective serum protein. A key limitation was the IV route of administration. HAEGARDA^® is intended for self-administration by subcutaneous injection only."

HAE is caused by deficient or dysfunctional C1-INH, a protein in the blood that helps to control inflammation, and causes the edema attacks associated with the disease. Depending on the severity of the disease, patients could experience several debilitating attacks each month. Laryngeal attacks, which are experienced by more than half of all HAE patients during their lifetime block the airway and can be fatal – with mortality rates as high as 33 percent in untreated patients^2,3,4.

"The availability of a new treatment option to help health care professionals and patients prevent HAE attacks is an important milestone and great news for the HAE patient community," said Charles St-Pierre, President of the AOHQ patient group.

CSL Behring Canada is also committed to help patients get access to training for the administration of HAEGARDA^® via CSL Behring PLUS+ program that offers a wide array of services, and educational materials. Patients can ask their Healthcare professionals to enroll them in the program at any time.

For more information and a complete risk/benefit profile, please contact Customer Service at 1-866-773-7721 ext. 2386 or refer to the Product Monograph available on CSL Behring website at www.cslbehring.ca.

About Hereditary Angioedema

HAE is a rare genetic disorder caused by a deficiency of C1-INH. It is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. Symptoms of HAE include episodes of edema, or swelling, in the hands, the feet, the face, the abdomen, and/or the larynx. Patients who have abdominal attacks of HAE can experience episodes of extreme pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting caused by swelling of the intestinal wall. HAE attacks that involve the face or throat can result in upper airway closure, asphyxiation and, if untreated, death. Diagnosis of HAE requires a blood test to confirm low or abnormal levels of C1-INH.

About CSL Behring

CSL Behring is a global biotherapeutics leader driven by its promise to save lives. Focused on serving patients' needs by using the latest technologies, we develop and deliver innovative therapies that are used to treat coagulation disorders, primary immune deficiencies, hereditary angioedema, inherited respiratory disease, and neurological disorders. The company's products are also used in cardiac surgery, organ transplantation, burn treatment and to prevent hemolytic disease of the newborn.

CSL Behring operates one of the world's largest plasma collection networks, CSL Plasma. The parent company, CSL Limited (ASX:CSL), headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, employs nearly 20,000 people, delivering its life-saving therapies to people in more than 60 countries. For more information visit www.cslbehring.com and follow us on www.Twitter.com/CSLBehring.

1.	HAEGARDA^® Product Monograph. CSL Behring Canada, Inc. August 13, 2019
2.	Bork K, et al. Clinical studies of sudden upper airway obstruction in patients with hereditary angioedema due to C1 esterase inhibitor deficiency. Ach Intern Med. 2003;163:1229-35.
3.	Bork K, et al. Efficacy of different medical therapies for the treatment of acute laryngeal attacks of hereditary angioedema due to C1-esterase inhibitor deficiency. J Emerg Med. 2016;50(4):567-80.
4.	Bork K, et al. Fatal laryngeal attacks and mortality in hereditary angioedema due to C1-INH deficiency. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2012 Sep;130(3):692-7

SOURCE CSL Behring

Dana Lynch, Office: [phone], Email: [email protected]