ABBV AbbVie Inc

• SKYRIZI® is an interleukin-23 (IL-23) inhibitor used for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque 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
• New Brunswick lists SKYRIZI® on its provincial formulary effective March 19, 2020.
• Yukon lists SKYRIZI® on its formulary effective April 1, 2020.
• British Columbia lists SKYRIZI^® on its provincial formulary effective May 05, 2020.
• Newfoundland and Labrador lists SKYRIZI^® on its provincial formulary effective September 16, 2020.

MONTREAL, Oct. 1, 2020 /CNW/ - AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), a global, research and development-based biopharmaceutical company, announced today that SKYRIZI® (risankizumab) is now listed as a special authorization drug or exception drug status on the formularies of New Brunswick, Yukon, British Columbia, and Newfoundland and Labrador for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.  

SKYRIZI® is part of a collaboration between Boehringer Ingelheim and AbbVie, with AbbVie leading development and commercialization globally, and is the only IL-23 inhibitor to arrive at a positive conclusion with the pCPA.

"I have been fortunate to be involved in the clinical trials. SKYRIZI® has improved the quality of life of my patients with psoriasis by offering them clear skin," states Dr. Irina Turchin, MD, FRCPC, Fredericton, NB.  "It is great to see that this treatment is now available to more patients in New Brunswick."

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

"I am excited to be able to offer SKYRIZI® to patients with moderate to severe psoriasis in British Columbia as it is now listed on the provincial Pharmacare formulary.  Having experience with the medication in clinical trials, I have personally seen how it provides durable and complete skin clearance for many patients. Patients are particularly happy with the dosing schedule," explains Dr Chih-ho Hong, MD, FRCPC, Dermatologist.

Psoriasis has a genetic basis and about one-third of people with psoriasis have at least one family member with the disease. ⁵   Of note, the prevalence of psoriasis is 5- to 10-fold higher in Newfoundland and Labrador than in the rest of Canada. ⁶  

"PsoriasisNL is pleased to learn of this listing of another treatment for psoriasis for the patients of our province. We would like to thank the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for their continued support of advanced therapeutics for the patients of this province who suffer from severe psoriasis. As the province with the highest prevalence of this disease, the availability of these treatments have greatly increased the quality of life for those who suffer from psoriasis", explains Deva Murthy, President, PsoriasisNL.

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

• New Brunswick Drug Plans Formulary
• Yukon Health Drug Formulary
• BC PharmaCare Formulary
• Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program Bulletin 139.

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. 

About AbbVie in Dermatology
For more than a decade, AbbVie has worked to uncover new solutions and improve care for people with serious skin diseases. With a broad clinical trial program, we continue to actively research and adapt to the evolving needs of the dermatology community and advance our pipeline to help people achieve their treatment goals and live beyond their skin disease.

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 abbviecare.ca

About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women's health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. 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.

SOURCE AbbVie Canada