38 new drugs added to P.E.I. formulary

Thirty-eight new medications are being added to the P.E.I. formulary, including two used to treat ovarian cancer — Zejula and Lynparza.

The province made the announcement in a new release issued Wednesday.

It comes out of the $35 million over four years in federal funding to add new drugs covered by the province for P.E.I. residents.

In spring 2021, P.E.I. began the work of reviewing the formulary and drug programs with the goal of identifying the gaps that exist between coverage in the province and the rest of the Atlantic region.

"Improving access to prescription drugs is essential to aiding the many needs of Islanders and this announcement ensures those who use these supports, are able to receive these medications when they need it most and at an appropriate cost," said Dr. Michael Gardam, CEO of Health P.E.I., in the release.

"By adding these critical foundational supports, it is another step forward to improving access to health care on P.E.I."

Among the new new drugs added to the formulary, effective Dec. 28, are:

• Calquence: For treatment of chronic lymphoctic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL).
• Beovu: For treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
• Cetirizine (Various generics): Open benefit.
• Rozlytrek: For the first-line treatment of patients with ROS-1 positive locally advanced (not amenable to curative therapy) or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
• Estragyn: Open benefit.
• Ajovy: For the prevention of migraine in patients with a confirmed diagnosis of episodic or chronic migraine who have experienced an inadequate response, intolerance, or contraindication to at least two classes of oral prophylactic migraine medications.
• Xospata: For the treatment of FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3)-mutated acute myeloid leukemia.
• Jamp Granisetron: For the prevention of nausea and vomiting in patients receiving highly/moderately emetogenic chemotherapy/radiation or patients receiving radiation therapy who have inadequate control with other available antiemetics.
• Riv-Leucovorin: Open benefit.
• Zejula: For treatment of newly diagnosed advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer. For relapsed, platinum sensitive advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer.
• Ocrevus: For the treatment of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis and primary progressive multiple sclerosis.
• Lynparza: For treatment of metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer. For newly diagnosed advanced, BRCA-mutated, high grade epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer. For relapsed, BRCA-mutated, high grade serous epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer.
• Duobril: Patients must have a clinical diagnosis of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and an inadequate response to a topical high-potency corticosteroid.
• Thyroid: Open benefit.
• Mar-Tranexamic Acid: Open benefit.
• Apo-valacyclovir: Open benefit.
• Abrilada: For the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn's disease, plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, hidradenitis suppurativa and uveitis.
• Forxiga: The indication considered for coverage has expanded to include treatment of adult patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II or III heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 40%) as an adjunct to standard of care therapies.
• Xtandi: The indications considered for coverage have expanded to include treatment for metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer and non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (high metastases risk).
• Brenzys: The indications considered for coverage have been expanded to include plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
• Erelzi: The indications considered for coverage have been expanded to include plaque psoriasis.
• Venclexta: The indications considered for coverage have been expanded to include combination with obinutuzumab for previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma and in combination with azacitidine for newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia.
• Simlandi: The indications considered for coverage have been expanded to include hidradenitis suppurativa and uveitis.
• Amgevita: The indications considered for coverage have been expanded to include hidradenitis suppurativa and uveitis.
• Hulio: The indications considered for coverage have been expanded to include hidradenitis suppurativa and uveitis.
• Hyrimoz: The indications considered for coverage have been expanded to include hidradenitis suppurativa and uveitis.
• Hadlima: The indications considered for coverage have been expanded to include hidradenitis suppurativa and uveitis.