Biocon arm's retinal disorder medication Yesafili gets public funding in Canada

Biocon Ltd's subsidiary, Biocon Biologics Ltd (BBL), announced that Yesafili (aflibercept), its biosimilar to Eylea, is now publicly funded in Ontario, Canada, for the treatment of retinal diseases.

The funding covers both vial and prefilled syringe presentations of 2 mg/0.05 ml dosage, making treatment more accessible to patients under the province’s public insurance system.

According to the press release, Yesafili is the first aflibercept biosimilar approved by Health Canada and is indicated for

neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular oedema (DME), visual impairment due to macular oedema secondary to CRVO/BRVO, and myopic choroidal neovascularisation (myopic CNV).

These retinal conditions affect over two million Canadians and are a leading cause of irreversible vision loss.

Ramy Ayad, Head of Canada at Biocon Biologics, said, “Ontario's public funding of Yesafili, Canada’s first Eylea biosimilar and our seventh biosimilar in the country, underscores our commitment to expanding access to biologics and building a sustainable biosimilars environment.”

“Yesafili provides a high-quality, affordable option, removing significant cost barriers for patients and delivering substantial savings to the healthcare system," Ayad added.

Yesafili’s approval is supported by comprehensive analytical, nonclinical, and clinical data, including the phase 3 INSIGHT study, which showed no clinically meaningful differences from Eylea in safety, efficacy, pharmacokinetics, or immunogenicity in patients with DME.

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Shares of Biocon Ltd ended higher on Thursday (September 18) by 4.25% at  ₹369.40 on the NSE.