Ontario, Canada (CU)_ Sun Pharma Canada Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries Limited, which is collectively referred to as Sun Pharma and its subsidiaries and/or associate companies, is delighted to announce the introduction of PrILUMYATM (tildrakizumab injection) in Canada, which is a medication for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.
Sun Pharma’s CEO for North America, Abhay Gandhi, expressed excitement over the launch of the product. He said, “We are excited to introduce this important biologic treatment to Canadians living with this common, inhibiting and often-overlooked disease. This launch is an important milestone for Sun Pharma, as we expand our dermatology portfolio into Canada”. He added, “With five years of effective treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, ILUMYA demonstrates our commitment to providing innovative medicines to support patient lifestyle and physician choice.”
Plaque psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune illness characterized by red, elevated patches on the skin covered with flaky white scales that can split and bleed. It is estimated that nearly one million Canadians are affected by it. Approximately 35% of individuals have moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. A major difficulty is that many medications become ineffective over time, resulting in recurrence of symptoms. Long-term therapy and durability are an unfulfilled requirement for many patients.
Dr. Melinda Gooderham, a board-certified Dermatologist and Medical Director at the SKiN Centre for Dermatology in Peterborough, Ontario, spoke about the psoriasis treatment. She said, “Moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis can make it difficult to feel comfortable in your own skin and the search for an effective treatment can be as challenging as the disease itself”. She added, “Our patients need options for an effective, durable and continuous treatment in Canada and ILUMYA will help meet that need.”
The results from the pooled analyses of the two studies reSURFACE 1 and reSURFACE 2 published in a peer-reviewed journal demonstrate that the majority of patients treated with ILUMYA sustained response and a favorable safety profile after five years of therapy. Roughly nine out of ten individuals treated with ILUMYA 100 mg sustained their response until five years. In Canada, several individuals who took part in the trial stated that their skin remained clean even after eight years. The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) has proposed to the provinces with which it works that the patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis be paid with ILUMYA product when prescribed by a dermatologist.
Dr. Gooderham shared her experience in treating psoriasis patients. She said, “I have patients who have been treated with ILUMYA for the past eight years, and I have seen their skin improve to high levels of clearance, and stay clear for the long term. As a result, their lives have also improved”. Ainsley Leween, a psoriasis patient, shared her review about ILUMYA. She said, “All my life I struggled with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, and I constantly rotated between creams and ointments that never worked and only added to my stress. Until I learned about ILUMYA, I thought I had run out of treatment options. Since I started using ILUMYA eight years ago, my psoriasis has been under control”.
