On March 8, 2019, the Federal Court issued a prohibition order against a generic version of GLUMETZA® (metformin hydrochloride extended-release tablets) proposed by Generic Partners Canada Inc. (Generic Partners) in an application under the pre-CETA Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations. GLUMETZA® is marketed in Canada by Valeant Canada LP/Valeant Canada SEC (Valeant), which asserted Canadian Patent No. 2,412,671 (671 Patent) against Generic Partners in the proceeding. 671 Patent and its Claims The 671 Patent…

On March 20, 2019, new amendments to both the Food and Drug Regulations (the Regulations) and the Medical Devices Regulations regarding the disclosure of clinical data were published in the Canada Gazette. These changes follow from the May 2017 release of Health Canada’s white paper – Public Release of Clinical Information in Drug Submissions and Medical Device Applications (which we have previously reported on here and here), and confirm Health Canada’s decision to…

As we reported the Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare recently released an interim report calling for the creation of a national drug agency.  Yesterday, the federal government announced funding to implement this recommendation. Specifically, the government intends to work with partners to implement the following: Create the Canadian Drug Agency — to provide a coordinated approach on prescription drugs. Budget 2019 proposes to provide Health Canada with $35 million over four years,…

On March 13, the Competition Bureau published a revised version of its IP Enforcement Guidelines (IPEGs). The IPEGs clarify the Bureau’s approach to conducting investigations of alleged anti-competitive activities that involve IP, including settlement of pharmaceutical patent litigation under the Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations (Regulations). The revised IPEGs replace the earlier 2016 version. Sections 7.2 and 7.3 include a detailed explanation of the Bureau’s approach to litigation settlements under the Regulations, which can…

The Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare (“Council”) presented an interim report following consultation with Canadians.  The report outlines work done to date by the Council, core principles the Council believes should underpin national pharmacare, and initial foundational recommendations. As we reported, the Council consulted with Canadians on the implementation of a national program to fund prescription drugs.  The Council engaged with patients and caregivers, healthcare providers, representatives of Indigenous organizations, government…

This week the Ontario government announced legislation that will overhaul the administration of healthcare delivery in Ontario. Bill 74 was introduced in the Ontario Legislature on February 26, 2019, and passed first reading.  The bill creates the Connecting Care Act (the “Act”). The province’s 14 existing Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) and six other agencies such as Cancer Care Ontario and the Trillium Gift of Life Network will be replaced by a single agency known…

Health Canada has decided that all biologic drugs, including biosimilars, will be identified by both their unique brand name and non-proprietary (common) name — without the addition of a product-specific suffix. The ability to distinguish between biologics with the same non-proprietary name is important for pharmacovigilance and to minimize inadvertent substitution of drugs that have not been deemed interchangeable. This policy statement was communicated in a Notice to Stakeholders, which outlines the following steps…