Access to Winrevair expands with new public coverage in Canada
Therapy now listed in several programs for people with PAH
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Winrevair (sotatercept-csrk), an injection therapy approved for adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), is now covered by several of Canada’s publicly funded health programs.
The therapy’s developer Merck, known as MSD outside the U.S. and Canada, announced that Winrevair has been added to the public drug formularies of British Columbia, Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB), Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC).
“We are encouraged to see WINREVAIR now listed in five public programs,” David Jones, managing director for Merck Canada, said in a company press release. “This is an important step toward expanding access to therapies for people living with PAH, and we remain committed to working collaboratively with remaining jurisdictions to ensure timely access for all eligible Canadian patients.”
How Winrevair works and why it’s used in PAH
In PAH, abnormal cell growth causes the vessels that carry blood from the heart to the lungs to become abnormally narrowed, which increases pressure in these vessels and puts strain on the heart. Winrevair is designed to target signaling pathways involved in this abnormal cell growth. The therapy is administered by injection under the skin every three weeks.
Winrevair was approved by Health Canada for use in combination with standard therapies in PAH patients with World Health Organization (WHO) functional classification 2, 3, or 4. The therapy is also approved in the U.S. and the European Union. These approvals were based mainly on data from a Phase 3 trial called STELLAR (NCT04576988), which showed that Winrevair outperformed a placebo at improving a common measure of exercise capacity.
Data from STELLAR and another trial, ZENITH (NCT04896008), suggest that Winrevair may improve measures of heart health and reduce the risk of serious outcomes in some PAH patients. Real-world data have also suggested similar benefits. The therapy’s coverage by public insurers in Canada was welcomed by advocates.
“Today’s announcement represents meaningful progress for Canadians affected by PAH,” said Jamie Myrah, executive director at Pulmonary Hypertension Association of Canada. “PAH is a debilitating and progressive disease that places a significant physical, emotional and financial strain not only on patients, but also on the families and caregivers who support them.”
“Increasing access to treatment options is needed to help these patients. When people living with PAH have more options, the benefits extend beyond patients to their loved ones and the broader community,” Myrah added.
