Merck Canada and the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) successfully complete negotiations for WELIREG® (belzutifan)
Approved indications include the treatment of adult patients with von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease for associated non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC), central nervous system (CNS) hemangioblastomas, or non-metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (pNET), not requiring immediate surgery
KIRKLAND, QC, Sept. 5, 2024 /CNW/ – Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced that it has successfully completed negotiations with the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) for WELIREG® (belzutifan) on August 30th. The pCPA negotiates on behalf of the provinces, territories, and federal drug programs, serving as a critical step in bringing WELIREG® closer to public reimbursement.
Reaching this significant milestone is the outcome of close collaboration with the pCPA and highlights the necessity to progress quickly towards public reimbursement. The next step will involve provincial and territorial governments, and federal drug programs implementing reimbursement for their respective jurisdictions.
“WELIREG® marks the first systemic therapy for VHL-associated tumours in Canada,” commented Jess Pearson, Chair of the Canadian VHL Alliance. “Completion of this negotiation means we are one step closer to bringing more treatment options to patients impacted by this disease, with the potential to improve quality of life.”
Merck Canada is committed to bringing innovative medicines to patients in need and will work closely with government bodies to ensure WELIREG® is broadly available to Canadian patients through public drug plans.
About von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)
VHL disease is a rare genetic disorder caused by a mutation on the third chromosome which is known as the tumour repressor gene and impacts approximately 1 in 36,000 individuals. The condition presents as the growth of tumours or cysts in various parts of the body, most often affecting the eyes, lower part of the brain, spine, kidneys, pancreas and adrenal glands. Symptoms depend on the location and size of the tumours, with a high risk of eventual organ dysfunction and metastasis. Current management involves active surveillance and surgical removal for larger tumours, with radiation as a potential treatment for certain types of tumours.
About Merck
At Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than 130 years, we have brought hope to humanity through the development of important medicines and vaccines. We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world – and today, we are at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. We foster a diverse and inclusive global workforce and operate responsibly every day to enable a safe, sustainable, and healthy future for all people and communities. For more information about our operations in Canada, visit www.merck.ca and connect with us on LinkedIn and X @MerckCanada.