TORONTO, September 1, 2023 / Amylyx Pharmaceuticals Canada announced today the Company has entered a Product Listing Agreement with the province of Saskatchewan for the public reimbursement of ALBRIOZA™ (sodium phenylbutyrate and ursodoxicoltaurine), effective September 1, 2023. Through the Saskatchewan Drug Plan Formulary, the medication will be reimbursed for its use in treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALBRIOZA demonstrated a significant reduction in disease progression and functional decline among individuals diagnosed with ALS in the CENTAUR clinical trial.i This promising outcome has the potential to provide individuals with ALS with longer periods of functional independence and enhanced quality of life.
“We applaud this decision by the Saskatchewan government,” said Denis Simard, Executive Director of the ALS Society of Saskatchewan. “Speedy, equitable access to approved therapies is critical. New treatments that can help slow down physical decline means that those living with ALS may hold onto quality of life for longer and have more precious time to spend with loved ones.”
Amylyx continues to work with additional provincial, territorial, and federal drug plans to have ALBRIOZA listed on public formularies across the country.
“We are so grateful for the collaboration of the Saskatchewan government in supporting individuals living with ALS through this approval,” said Chris Aiello, General Manager and Head of Canada at Amylyx. “It is our top priority to ensure Canadians across the country have equitable access to ALBRIOZA, and we are continuing to work with other Canadian drug plans to make this happen as quickly as possible. With the rapid progression of this degenerative disease, there is simply no time to lose for individuals with ALS and their families.”
As ALS progresses, individuals living with the disease experience a gradual loss of mobility, impacting their ability to perform daily activities such as feeding and dressing themselves. Communication and physical contact, such as speaking with and hugging loved ones, become increasingly challenging. Ultimately, the disease leads to the loss of essential functions like swallowing and breathing. With a median life expectancy of two years following diagnosis, Canadians living with ALS do not have the time to wait.
About ALS
ALS is a relentlessly progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by motor neuron death in the brain and spinal cord with a median life expectancy of two years from diagnosis.ii Motor neuron loss in ALS leads to deteriorating muscle function, the inability to move and speak, respiratory paralysis and eventually, death.
About ALBRIOZA™
ALBRIOZA™ (sodium phenylbutyrate and ursodoxicoltaurine), previously known as AMX0035, is an oral fixed-dose medication approved with conditions to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in Canada. It is approved to treat ALS in adults in the U.S. as RELYVRIO®. AMX0035 is being explored for the potential treatment of other neurodegenerative diseases. The formulation of RELYVRIO, ALBRIOZA, and AMX0035 are identical.
About Amylyx Pharmaceuticals
Amylyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is committed to supporting and creating more moments for the neurodegenerative disease community through the discovery and development of innovative new treatments. Amylyx is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts and has operations in Canada and EMEA. For more information, visit amylyx.ca and follow us on LinkedIn and X (previously Twitter).
For media inquiries, please contact the Amylyx Media Team at +1 (857) 799-7274 or amylyxmediateam@amylyx.com.
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