New treatment option available for CLL patients in Manitoba and Saskatchewan

GAZYVA^® to be reimbursed in Manitoba and Saskatchewan for patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

People in Manitoba and Saskatchewan living with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) will now be able to access a new treatment option through the prescription drug insurance plans in both provinces. Earlier this week, GAZYVA^® (obinutuzumab) in combination with chlorambucil chemotherapy was added to benefits formularies of the Provincial Oncology Drug Programs at CancerCare Manitoba and the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency. These decisions follow the announcement on June 2, 2015 that the treatment would be funded in Quebec.

"We are pleased to hear that GAZYVA^® will be made available to CLL patients in Manitoba and Saskatchewan," said Mr. Ronnie Miller, president and CEO, Roche Canada. "The inclusion of GAZYVA^® on these provincial formularies means that more CLL patients will have access to this important new treatment option."

CLL is the most common form of adult leukemia, with nearly 2,200 Canadians diagnosed each year. It is an incurable, slow-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Since the average age of diagnosis for CLL is 72 years, nearly 90 per cent of patients are living with at least one comorbidity (e.g., cardiac disease, diabetes or respiratory disease), which may be associated with their age and lifestyle, potentially limiting their treatment options.

CLL is a blood cancer that causes "B-lymphocyte" cells to multiply too quickly and live too long. GAZYVA^® works by binding to the surface of these cells, causing them to die.

GAZYVA^® was approved by Health Canada on November 25, 2014, in combination with chlorambucil, for the treatment of patients with previously untreated CLL. The treatment is now funded in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Quebec, but continues to be under review in all other Canadian provinces.