Novartis and the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance achieve milestone agreement for PLUVICTO™

• Targeted radioligand therapy closer to public reimbursement for eligible Canadian patients with PSMA-positive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

MONTREAL, Dec. 13, 2024 /CNW/ - Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. (Novartis) is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of negotiations with the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) for the public reimbursement of PLUVICTO™ (lutetium (177Lu) vipivotide tetraxetan injection). While this is an important milestone, patients do not yet have public access through provincial and territorial formularies. We look forward to timely collaboration with participating jurisdictions to ensure that eligible prostate cancer patients that are urgently awaiting treatment will have access without further delay.

 "This agreement represents a transformative milestone for Canadian men facing advanced prostate cancer," said Laurent Proulx, President and CEO of PROCURE. "It is a remarkable achievement and a testament to how advancements in science are enabling patients to live longer and improve their quality of life, ensuring that no eligible patient is left behind."

Dr. Ricardo Rendon, President of the Canadian Urological Association, said: "This outcome is very good news for patients and their families. Over the years, I have treated many patients who have exhausted all treatments, facing devastating challenges. This development offers hope, bringing us closer to providing patients with advanced prostate cancer public access to a therapy they have long awaited."

 "Concluding this agreement with the pCPA is a significant milestone for Canadian patients with advanced prostate cancer," commented Mark Vineis, Country President, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada. "This marks an important turning point, and we remain committed to working closely with provincial, territorial, and federal drug programs to ensure eligible patients across Canada have access to this important therapy as soon as possible."

About PLUVICTO^TM
PLUVICTO^TM (lutetium (¹⁷⁷Lu) vipivotide tetraxetan injection) is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with prostate-specific membrane antigen PSMA-positive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who have received at least one androgen receptor pathway inhibitor (ARPI) and taxane-based chemotherapy¹. It is a type of precision cancer treatment combining a targeting compound (ligand) with a therapeutic radioisotope (a radioactive particle)¹. After administration into the bloodstream, PLUVICTO^TM binds to target cells, including prostate cancer cells that express PSMA, a transmembrane protein¹. Once bound, energy emissions from the radioisotope damage the target cells and nearby cells disrupting their ability to replicate and/or triggering cell death¹. Approved by Health Canada in August 2022, PLUVICTO™ is the first targeted radioligand therapy in Canada for treating mCRPC.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian men², and mCRPC represents an advanced form of the disease that is particularly challenging to treat. The availability of a targeted radioligand therapy like PLUVICTO™ can offer new hope and a much-needed option to patients and their families.  

About Novartis
Novartis is a focused innovative medicines company. Every day, we work to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people's lives so that patients, healthcare professionals and societies are empowered in the face of serious disease. Our medicines reach more than 250 million people worldwide.

In Canada, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. employs approximately 600 people to serve the evolving needs of patients and the healthcare system and invests over $30 million in R&D yearly in the country. For more information visit www.novartis.ca.

Pluvicto is a trademark.

SOURCE Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc.