Ibrance approved for Canada... finally

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GG27
GG27 Member Posts: 2,128
edited July 2016 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer ONLY

KIRKLAND, QC, May 10, 2016 /CNW/ - Today, Pfizer Canada announced that Health Canada has provided conditional approval of IBRANCETM(palbociclib) and it is now available in Canada.

IBRANCE is a kinase inhibitor indicated in combination with letrozole for the treatment of postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced breast cancer as initial endocrine-based therapy for their metastatic disease.2

http://www.pharmiweb.com/PressReleases/pressrel.as...

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  • dlb823
    dlb823 Member Posts: 9,430
    edited May 2016

    Hooray!!!!!!! So happy to hear this for our Canadian sistas!

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited May 2016

    I've already talked to my onc about this and it may be where I am headed.....thanks for posting!

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  • LindaE54
    LindaE54 Member Posts: 2,054
    edited May 2016

    Barbe - That's great! Keep us posted please.

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  • NewGardener
    NewGardener Member Posts: 109
    edited May 2016

    Good news indeed.

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  • LindaE54
    LindaE54 Member Posts: 2,054
    edited May 2016

    Barbe - Any news on Ibrance?

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  • LindaE54
    LindaE54 Member Posts: 2,054
    edited May 2016

    Below is an article from the pan-Canadian Oncology Drug review. They are the ones who make recommendations to provinces (except Quebec) when new drugs are approved by Health Canada. Sadly, they do not recommend funding/reimbursement of Ibrance + Letrozole. Another article on that site discusses Ibrance + Faslodex as they anticipate pressure from docs to offer this combo as second line tx. But, Faslodex is not funded in any province in Canada.

    https://www.cadth.ca/sites/default/files/pcodr/pcodr_palbociclib_ibrance_abc_rec.pdf


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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited May 2016

    My MO said that might be a consideration when (not if) Arimidex stops working. But he did say that it depended on where the cancer showed up next. Is Ibrance and Paplociclib (sp?) good at targeting certain areas? I didn't think so...

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  • GoldenGirls
    GoldenGirls Member Posts: 608
    edited June 2016

    Barb, my mother was told the same thing about faslodex and ibrance. What her onc meant was if progression was significant or involved an organ as right now her mets are still only in the bone. He opts for chemo if her progression is extensive or causing a lot of pain in order to get it under control as quickly as possible since hormonals stopped working for her. Once the chemo got her cancer under control this last time and kept her stable for a couple of scans he moved her to Faslodex. Ibrance is also on the table for when she needs to switch depending on how things go.

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited June 2016


    Thanks, that makes sense about the organ involvement, then. Obviously I don't know where I'll recur again.

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  • LindaE54
    LindaE54 Member Posts: 2,054
    edited July 2016

    Saw my MO yesterday. She said that Ibrance can now be prescribed in Canada on an exception basis for first line tx only. She's confident it will be approved as second line but it may take a while.

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited July 2016

    I would have thought it would be the other way around - unless I'm not understanding first/second line. I'd think they'd approve it for second line as they'd want you to try cheaper drugs first....no?

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  • dancingdiva
    dancingdiva Member Posts: 475
    edited July 2016

    you would think. I was just denied access to this drug because it's not my first line of treatment. Wtf we're the ones who need this because other stuff isn't working. I'm so upset and depressed

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  • GG27
    GG27 Member Posts: 2,128
    edited July 2016

    dancingdiva, I just responded to you on the other thread, but will mention it here too. I am starting the Palestra trial on Tuesday. Second line treatment with almost any other AI that has not failed you. It is being offered across Canada though there are too many spots open for it. If you need the info about the trial please don't hesitate to send me a PM or post here. GG

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  • GG27
    GG27 Member Posts: 2,128
    edited July 2016

    An arm of the Palestra trial has been opened in Abbotsford, 10 spots added. You don't have to be from the valley to get a spot, though you do have to travel to the centre for all labs, medications & Dr's appts.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2016

    has anyone had their insurance company pay for it? It is about $7000

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