Knight Therapeutics Announces Launch of Bijuva® in Canada
06 February 2024 - 11:30PM
Knight Therapeutics Inc., (TSX: GUD) ("Knight"), a Pan-American
(ex-USA) specialty pharmaceutical company, announced today the
launch of BIJUVA® (estradiol and progesterone) capsules in Canada.
BIJUVA® is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe
vasomotor symptoms (VMS) associated with menopause in women with an
intact uterus. VMS affects 60% to 80% of women entering menopause1
and are commonly known as hot flashes or flushes and night sweats.
BIJUVA® is a once-daily combination of bioidentical estradiol and
progesterone in a single oral capsule. The two hormones included in
BIJUVA® have the same structure as the hormones produced and
circulating in a woman’s body.
Dr. Vivien Brown, a renowned family physician
recognized for her national and international advocacy efforts in
promoting women's health remarked, "Menopause remains undertreated
and there is a need to enhance the conversation, especially
regarding the most debilitating vasomotor symptoms such as hot
flashes and night sweats. These symptoms can be physically
and emotionally challenging, impacting patients' wellbeing and
function across several aspects of their daily life. The
introduction of Bijuva® in Canada offers an option of hormone
therapy (combination of estradiol and progesterone), to add to our
toolbox of prescription choices, for the patient in need.”
“We are very pleased to offer a new treatment
option for menopausal women in Canada. BIJUVA® offers women the
opportunity to address the challenging symptoms of hot flashes and
night sweats associated with menopause with a once-daily, single
oral capsule,” said Samira Sakhia, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Knight.
Knight and TherapeuticsMD signed a license
agreement in July 2018 pursuant to which TherapeuticsMD granted
Knight the exclusive Canadian commercialization rights to BIJUVA®.
Under the terms of the license agreement related BIJUVA® in Canada,
Knight will pay TherapeuticsMD sales milestone fees and royalties
based upon certain aggregate annual sales of BIJUVA® in Canada.
About
BIJUVA®
BIJUVA® (17β-estradiol (estradiol
hemihydrate)/micronized progesterone 1 mg/100 mg and 0.5 mg/100 mg)
is a softgel formulation containing solubilized estradiol with
micronized progesterone (P4) intended to treat moderate to severe
VMS while protecting the endometrium from unopposed estradiol.
BIJUVA® is the first fixed-dose combination of
two bioidentical hormones that are most often preferred by women
with VMS (estradiol and micronized progesterone). The rationale for
the development of BIJUVA was to provide healthcare providers with
a well-studied and Health Canada approved treatment option that has
demonstrated clinical effectiveness with a favorable benefit/risk
profile.
The recommended dose of BIJUVA® is a single
capsule, taken orally, each evening with food. BIJUVA® should be
used for a duration consistent with treatment goals and the
benefits and risks for the individual woman. Postmenopausal women
should be periodically re-evaluated as clinically appropriate to
determine if treatment is still necessary.
About Menopause
VMS are the hallmark symptom associated with
menopause. Up to 80% of women experience VMS or hot flashes during
the menopause transition1,2, with the majority of women reporting
them to be moderate to severe 3. For many women, VMS can have a
significant negative impact on quality of life , sleep quality and
mood. The decline in endogenous estrogen levels at the time of
menopause plays a role in the onset of VMS and the genitourinary
syndrome of menopause (GSM) which is characterized by vulvovaginal
atrophy, atrophic vaginitis, or urogenital atrophy 4-9.
Furthermore, the menopausal transition represents a critical point
in a woman’s life that marks an increased risk for cardiovascular
disease (CVD)6,10, diabetes11 higher bone turnover and faster bone
loss12. When left untreated, VMS are associated with significantly
higher healthcare utilization costs, work productivity loss, and
total costs13.
There is robust evidence that estrogen is a
highly effective treatment for VMS and GSM14,15 and when initiated
before the age of 60 years (or within 10 years of menopause) it is
associated with reduced risk for CVD, osteoporosis, and all-cause
mortality16-22. Despite the available treatments, VMS is severely
undertreated with less than 20% of postmenopausal women who have
ever been prescribed estrogen therapy23, even when recognized
groups such as the North American Menopause Society have stated
that hormone therapy remains the most effective treatment for VMS
and GSM.24. Currently in Canada, bioidentical hormone regimens are
only available as separate components and are associated with poor
adherence rates due to inconvenient dosing schedules23. As a
result, both safety and efficacy are compromised due to
inconsistent hormone bioavailability and bioactivity. It is
especially important that the progesterone be provided at
sufficient levels to protect the endometrium from estrogenic
stimulation and prevent endometrial hyperplasia, which is a
precursor of endometrial cancer25-27.
VMS can appear during pre-menopause, as early as
two years prior to the last menstrual period, and usually peaks one
year after this final menstrual period28,29. Fifty percent of women
will even experience VMS up to four years after their menopause
started and it is estimated that VMS will persist up to 11 to 12
years after the final menstrual period in 12% of women28-30.
Please see the Full
BIJUVA® Canadian Product
Monograph available
at https://knighttx.com/CA/products/.
About Knight Therapeutics
Inc.
Knight Therapeutics Inc., headquartered in
Montreal, Canada, is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on
acquiring or in-licensing and commercializing pharmaceutical
products for Canada and Latin America. Knight's Latin American
subsidiaries operate under United Medical, Biotoscana Farma and
Laboratorio LKM. Knight Therapeutics Inc.'s shares trade on TSX
under the symbol GUD. For more information about Knight
Therapeutics Inc., please visit the company's web site at
www.knighttx.com or www.sedarplus.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This document may contain forward-looking
statements for Knight Therapeutics Inc. and its subsidiaries. These
forward-looking statements, by their nature, necessarily involve
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking
statements. Knight Therapeutics Inc. considers the assumptions on
which these forward-looking statements are based to be reasonable
at the time they were prepared but cautions the reader that these
assumptions regarding future events, many of which are beyond the
control of Knight Therapeutics Inc. and its subsidiaries, may
ultimately prove to be incorrect. Factors and risks, which could
cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations
are discussed in Knight Therapeutics Inc.'s Annual Report and in
Knight Therapeutics Inc.'s Annual Information Form for the year
ended December 31, 2022 as filed on www.sedarplus.com. Knight
Therapeutics Inc. disclaims any intention or obligation to update
or revise any forward-looking statements whether because of new
information or future events, except as required by
law.References:
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CONTACT INFORMATION:
Knight Therapeutics Inc. |
|
|
Samira Sakhia |
Arvind Utchanah |
President & Chief Executive Officer |
Chief Financial Officer |
T: 514.484.4483 |
T. +598.2626.2344 |
F: 514.481.4116 |
|
Email: IR@knighttx.com |
Email: IR@knighttx.com |
Website: www.knighttx.com |
Website: www.knighttx.com |
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