New first-line treatment for lung cancer now funded by Quebec public drug plan (RAMQ)

MONTREAL, June 13, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - There is good news for Quebecers with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The Institut national d'excellence en santé et en services sociaux (INESSS) has announced that, as of May 4^th, 2016 it will reimburse a new first-line treatment, Giotrif® (afatinib) with exceptional drug status (médicament d'exception).

‟We are very pleased that this new treatment option is now reimbursed in Quebec. Lung cancer patients need access to every possible treatment to have all the chances of survival on their side," said Dominique Massie, Executive Director of the Quebec Lung Association. "We would like to congratulate the Quebec government on this decision as well as Boehringer Ingelheim for their commitment to research for new and innovative lung cancer therapies."

‟The approval of Giotrif® by the RAMQ is another exciting advancement in lung cancer care. This drug is an important addition to the treatment landscape of patients with EGFR mutation positive lung cancer. By working differently than other drugs in its class, it offers a new alternative in the treatment of our patients, allowing them to live longer without disease progression and improving their quality of life," declared Dr. Elie Kassouf, hematologist-oncologist at the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal.

Patrice Emery, a lung cancer patient, knows the importance of having new treatment options well. ‟Having access to this new treatment allowed me to regain my quality of life and restored my hope in living longer and enjoying many beautiful moments with my family. Knowing that other patients like me will be able to benefit from this treatment without financial worries makes me very happy."

Lung cancer is most frequently the cause of cancer related deaths, more so than colorectal cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. One Canadian out of 11 will develop lung cancer in their lifetime. The five-year lung cancer survival rate is only at 17 per cent.¹

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¹ http://www.cancer.ca/fr-ca/cancer-information/cancer-type/lung/prognosis-and-survival/survival-statistics/?region=on  (consulted June 2^nd, 2016)

SOURCE Quebec Lung Association

Dominique Massie, Executive Director, Quebec Lung Association, 514.975.5382, [email protected]; Geneviève Guérard, Capital-Image, 514.739.1188, ext. 236, [email protected]