Genzyme, a Sanofi company, announced today that Québec's Institut national d'excellence en santé et services sociaux (INESSS) has recommended that Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) 12 mg be included on the provincial drug formulary under "Médicament d'exception" as second-line for people living with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). This announcement follows decisions by international Health Technology Assessment Agencies, such as NICE in the UK in May and PBAC in Australia in August 2014.

"We are pleased that the province of Québec is leading the way in accelerating access to treatments for Canadians living with MS," says Yves Savoie, president and CEO of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. "This announcement highlights the importance of having more treatment choices for individuals with MS to manage their disease."

Approved in Canada in December 2013, Lemtrada is a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody. It is a selective immunomodulator indicated for the management of adult patients with RRMS, defined by clinical factors and imaging results, who have had an inadequate response to interferon beta or other disease-modifying therapies.

For more details, go to: https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/qu-bec-government-covers-lemtrada-140000037.html