November 3, 2021, Ottawa – Canadian Blood Services (CBS) has announced the results of its Request for Proposals (RFP) to supply recombinant factor VIII and IX products to the Canadian market (except Quebec) for the April 1, 2022 – March 31, 2025 period.
Hemophilia A
CBS will supply seven recombinant FVIII products, including three standard half-life concentrates:
… and four extended half-life concentrates:
All of these products will be supplied without restrictions. Physicians will not be required to use the Named Patient Contract form. Choice of new product will be at the discretion of the patient and treating physician.
Among products currently on the market, only Nuviq (Octapharma) will not be renewed. Those currently using Nuviq will be required to change as of April 1, 2022.
Hemlibra, a bispecific monoclonal antibody, is also available for the treatment of hemophilia A for those with less than 1% baseline FVIII or presence of an inhibitor as of October 18, 2021, on a Named Patient Contract basis. FEIBA (aPCC) and Niastase (rFVIIa) remain available for inhibitor patients.
Hemophilia B
CBS will supply three recombinant FIX products, including one standard half-life concentrate:
… and two extended half-life concentrates:
As in hemophilia A, all of these products will be supplied without restrictions. Physicians will not be required to use the Named Patient Contract form. No FIX products currently in use have been removed from the market.
“This is an excellent result, said Wendy Quinn, Canadian Hemophilia Society President. Patients and physicians will have a wide choice of treatment options, without cumbersome restrictions and very few forced switches. I want to thank CBS staff and external advisers from the physician (AHCDC), nursing (CANHC) and patient (CHS) groups who put many hours of hard work into this.”
Details as to start dates for contracts have yet to be finalized.
Quebec
The range of products distributed in Quebec is much more limited. Héma-Québec is currently reviewing recombinant FIX products for contracts starting April 1, 2022. A similar process is planned for recombinant FVIII products; however, the timeline has not been announced.
Meanwhile, the Quebec Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux has added Hemlibra to the Héma-Québec list of products to treat hemophilia A; however, it is not yet accessible. See the CHS website for more details and updates.
