Canada's ovarian cancer drug Elahere clears pCPA funding step, not yet public coverage

Negotiations between the drug maker and the Pan Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance on Elahere, a specialized chemotherapy for ovarian cancer, have been completed. Ovarian Cancer Canada says the deal is a step toward public drug plan coverage, but it is not final coverage. Elahere is for Canadians with FRα-positive, platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. The drug has already been approved by the FDA and Health Canada.

Canada's Drug Agency has recommended public reimbursement, and the next step is work with provincial and territorial governments. No timeline for those decisions has been forecast.

Tania Vrionis of Ovarian Cancer Canada said the completion of the negotiations was "an encouraging step forward and brings eligible patients closer to accessing a new treatment through public drug plans." She added: "Women with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer don't have time to wait. It's critical to move this forward through the additional steps as quickly as possible."

HighOnCity reported on July 20 that ovarian cancer patients were pushing for public funding of Elahere. The sources available do not give the cost to public plans, the number of patients affected, or the drug price.