Pangaea Express: OPDP Notice No. 16026A posted March 11, 2016 Re: Inflectra (infliximab)

ODB Posts Infliximab FAQs March 11, 2016
ODB announces no new EAP approvals for Remicade

What this notice says:

Effective February 26, 2016 in Ontario EAP reimbursement for Remicade for specified indications*:

• Will continue for patients who currently have EAP approval for the duration of the approval period
• The ministry will consider EAP renewal requests for Remicade patient with existing EAP approval
• EAP requests for other indications (ie GI indications) will still be considered

No further EAP requests for Remicade will be considered:

• For the indications* now covered under limited use (LU) for Inflectra
• For patients who do not respond to or are intolerant to Inflectra
  • In such cases, other therapeutic options should be considered

Comparing to BC In both BC and Ontario:

• All new starts for infliximab will only be covered for Inflectra where the public payer is funding the medication for the specified indications*
• BC will continue to cover patients now on Remicade (for specific indications*)
• It remains to be seen if Ontario will approve EAP renewal requests for Remicade on indications* covered under LU for Inflectra

Noteworthy:

Keep in mind that in Ontario Inflectra is covered under limited use for specified indications* and Remicade is covered under the EAP program

• Significant difference in process

This FAQ describes Inflectra and Remicade this way:

• These products are both infliximab products made by different companies
• It is not stated that these products are not interchangeable
  • readers are referred to the Health Canada website for further details on SEBs

This is a disruptive public payer policy with respect to SEBs. Watch for private payer response.

*specified indications include: severe rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and plaque psoriasis Go here to read the FAQ

Questions? contact: Suzanne Solman, Director, The Pangaea Group