On April 8, 2021 BeiGene, Ltd. (NASDAQ: BGNE; HKEX: 06160), a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing innovative medicines worldwide, reported the official launch of BRUKINSA (zanubrutinib) in Canada for the treatment of adult patients with Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (WM) (Press release, BeiGene, APR 8, 2021, View Source [SID1234577742]). BRUKINSA was authorized for sale by Health Canada in this indication on March 1, 2021, following the previous grant of priority review in September 2020.
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"On behalf of the Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation of Canada (WMFC), we are pleased to see BeiGene’s launch of BRUKINSA as a WM treatment in Canada following the approval last month. We hope this will help expand access to an important treatment option for Canadian WM patients"
In tandem with the commercial launch of BRUKINSA, the myBeiGene patient support program is available in Canada to support patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers with access to BRUKINSA.
"We are thrilled to officially launch BRUKINSA in Canada, making this potentially best-in-class BTK inhibitor available to Canadian WM patients. Since the approval in Canada five weeks ago, our team has been working to set up distribution channels across the country for a speedy launch," said Peter Brenders, General Manager of Canada at BeiGene. "Together with the myBeiGene patient support program with comprehensive financial assistance, disease education, and emotional support, we are striving to ensure access for patients in Canada."
"On behalf of the Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation of Canada (WMFC), we are pleased to see BeiGene’s launch of BRUKINSA as a WM treatment in Canada following the approval last month. We hope this will help expand access to an important treatment option for Canadian WM patients," commented Paul Kitchen, Chair of the Board at WMFC.
The approval in Canada for BRUKINSA was based on efficacy results from the Phase 3 ASPEN clinical trial, a randomized, open-label, multicenter trial (NCT03053440) that evaluated BRUKINSA compared to ibrutinib in patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) or treatment-naïve (TN) WM who harbor a MYD88 mutation (MYD88MUT). In the ASPEN trial, BRUKINSA demonstrated a numerically higher very good partial response (VGPR) rate and a favorable safety profile over ibrutinib, although the primary endpoint of statistical superiority related to deep response (VGPR or better) was not met.
The overall safety profile of BRUKINSA is based on pooled data from 779 patients with B-cell malignancies treated with BRUKINSA in clinical trials.
The recommended total daily dose of BRUKINSA is 320mg.
"Zanubrutinib is a newly approved treatment in Canada. We are glad to learn that this second-generation BTK inhibitor is now available for Canadian patients," said Christine Chen, M.D., Med, FRCPC, Associate Professor at the University of Toronto and Clinical Investigator at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.
About myBeiGene Patient Support Program
The myBeiGene patient support program is designed to support patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers with access to BRUKINSA. It goes beyond financial assistance support to provide patients and caregivers with education about their disease and treatment with BRUKINSA, as well provide practical and emotional support by connecting them to third-party resources that can address their individual needs. Oncology Nurse Advocates are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time at 1-833-234-4366.
About Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia
Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (WM) is a rare indolent B-cell lymphoma that occurs in less than two percent of patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). The disease usually affects older adults and is primarily found in the bone marrow, although lymph nodes and the spleen may be involved.1 In Canada and the United States, the incidence rate of WM is about five cases per million people per year.2
About BRUKINSA (zanubrutinib)
BRUKINSA (zanubrutinib) is a small molecule inhibitor of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK), discovered by BeiGene scientists, that is currently being evaluated globally in a broad pivotal clinical program as a monotherapy and in combination with other therapies to treat various B-cell malignancies.
BRUKINSA is approved in the following indications and regions:
For the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) in adult patients who have received at least one prior therapy (United States, November 2019)*;
For the treatment of MCL in adult patients who have received at least one prior therapy (China, June 2020)**;
For the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) in adult patients who have received at least one prior therapy (China, June 2020)**;
For the treatment of relapsed or refractory MCL (United Arab Emirates, February 2021); and
For the treatment of Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (WM) in adult patients (Canada, March 2021).
In Canada, a new drug submission for BRUKINSA for the treatment of patients with MCL who have received at least one prior therapy has been accepted and is currently under review. Currently, more than 20 marketing applications for BRUKINSA have been submitted, covering more than 40 countries and regions globally, including the United States, China, and European Union.