TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Recordati Rare Diseases Canada Inc., a biopharmaceutical company providing orphan therapies for patients with rare diseases, today announced the commercial launch of PANHEMATIN®, the first prescription medication approved by Health Canada for the treatment of recurrent attacks of acute intermittent porphyria (AIP).
AIP is a rare metabolic disorder caused by reduced activity in one of several enzymes that generate heme, a complex molecule used to transport oxygen around the body. AIP attacks most commonly present as episodes of intense abdominal pain accompanied by other highly variable gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, psychological, or neurological symptoms that can be life threatening or progress to irreversible neuronal damage.
Although there is no prevalence information in Canada, based on European data, there are between 1 and 2 patients per 100,000 with the disease, which would translate into 360-720 Canadians with AIP, of which 20% have symptoms that would require treatment (Source: Canadian Association for Porphyria/ Association Canadienne de Porphyrie).
“We are excited that PANHEMATIN® is now available for Canadian patients as a treatment for painful and devastating AIP attacks,” said Renata Sklodowska, M.D., Director Medical Affairs, Recordati Rare Diseases Inc. “The fact that a disease is uncommon does not mean that it should go untreated. Recordati remains committed to supporting patients with rare disorders, including the needs of the Canadian AIP community.”
PANHEMATIN® (hemin for injection) is an enzyme inhibitor derived from processed red blood cells and administered by injection as a prescription medication. For more information about PANHEMATIN® and Recordati Rare Diseases Canada Inc., visit www.recordatirarediseases.ca.
About Recordati Rare Diseases Canada Inc.
Recordati Rare Diseases Canada Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company committed to providing often overlooked orphan therapies to underserved rare disease communities in Canada. Recordati Rare Diseases Canada Inc. and our sister company, Orphan Europe, are part of the rare disease business within the Recordati Group, a public global pharmaceutical company committed to the research and development of new specialties with a focus on treatments for rare disease.
Recordati Rare Diseases Canada’s mission is to reduce the impact of extremely rare and devastating diseases by providing urgently needed therapies. We work side-by-side with rare disease communities to increase awareness, improve diagnosis and expand availability of treatments for people with rare diseases.
The company’s Canadian corporate headquarters are located in Toronto, with global headquarters located in Milan, Italy.
