Pendopharm, a division of Pharmascience, is pleased to announce that Health Canada has issued a Notice of Compliance (NOC) approving MYINFLATM (colchicine 0.5 mg extended-release tablets), a prescription medicine for use in the reduction of cardiovascular risks in patients with coronary artery disease.Pharmascience wishes to thank Health Canada for its priority review of the file in the difficult context of COVID-19.
In Canada, heart disease is the second leading cause of death and continues to be a leading cause of hospitalization. While prevention and education remain effective ways to help reduce the toll of this disease on Canadians, developing additional, evidence-based, and cost-effective treatment options is critical. MYINFLA TM will now add to those options to address this major public health issue.
MYINFLA TM: A Successful Partnership Between the Montreal Heart Institute and Pharmascience
Health Canada’s approval of MYINFLATM was primarily based on the results of the Colchicine Cardiovascular Outcomes Trial (COLCOT) led by Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif from the MHI, in partnership with Pharmascience. As seen in COLCOT, MYINFLATM significantly reduced the risk of a first ischemic cardiovascular event and the risk of total ischemic cardiovascular events by 23% and 34%, respectively, in addition to standard of care in patients with a recent myocardial infarction (MI). The primary efficacy endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular death, resuscitated cardiac arrest, MI, stroke, or urgent hospitalization for angina requiring coronary revascularization. These results were published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine (Tardif et al., N Engl J Med 2019; 381:2497-505).
“I am pleased by the approval of MYINFLATM by Health Canada based on the COLCOT trial. The success and availability of MYINFLATM proves the value of investigating known therapeutic agents to find new treatment options to improve patient outcomes and expanding the possibilities for life science innovation,” said Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif.
MYINFLA TM is indicated for the reduction of atherothrombotic events in adult patients with existing coronary artery disease, in addition to standard therapies, including LDL-C (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) lowering and antithrombotic drug treatment). It is formulated in a novel, lower-dose, extended-release tablet.
A Case for Repurposing
“Thanks to the partnership that we developed with MHI in the COLCOT study, Dr. Tardif and his team were able to generate concrete results that highlight the benefits of colchicine repurposing. This paves the way for a faster, more cost-effective approach to bring new therapies to patients, by taking advantage of the known safety profile of the drug,” said David Goodman, Ph.D., President and CEO of Pharmascience.
The active ingredient in MYINFLA TM, colchicine, has been used for decades as a treatment for gout with recognized anti-inflammatory properties. Today’s approval of MYINFLA TM marks a significant milestone for the Canadian healthcare system, as it demonstrates the additional benefits that can be derived from an established drug when repurposed into new indications.
“Pharmascience invites healthcare professionals, investigators, pharmaceutical industry leaders, and government agencies to continue to invest in drug repurposing projects. We cannot forego the substantial benefits of high-quality, affordable drug repurposing research, nor its potential impact on the long-term sustainability of health systems,” added Dr. Goodman.
About Pharmascience Inc.
Founded in 1983 by pharmacists Morris Goodman and Ted Wise, Pharmascience Inc. is the largest pharmaceutical employer in Quebec with 1,400 employees proudly headquartered in Montreal. Pharmascience is a privately owned pharmaceutical company with strong roots in Canada and a growing global reach in over 50 countries. Ranked 56th amongst Canada’s Top 100 R&D investors, with $38.5M invested in 2020, Pharmascience is committed to promoting affordable healthcare innovation.
For product information, please contact Pharmascience’s Medical Information Team at 1-888-550-6060.