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All haemophilia A patients in Republic of Ireland get continued access to extended half-life factor replacement therapy

Agreement has been reached on the continued provision of Extended Half Life (EHL) FVIII as an option for the treatment of Haemophilia A in Ireland for a further year to the end of 2020.

The Haemophilia Product Selection and Monitoring Advisory Board (HPSMAB) have extended the contract for the supply of recombinant extended half- life (EHL) FVIII (Elocta) from SOBI until 31 December 2020. This means that all people with haemophilia A requiring factor VIII (FVIII) replacement therapy with factor concentrates will continue to have access to extended half-life (EHL) therapy for another 12 months under the terms of the current agreement.

This contract extension is a result of positive patient feedback to the HPSMAB regarding Elocta. Alongside the contract extension for recombinant extended half- life FIX (Alprolix) for people with haemophilia B requiring factor IX replacement therapy last year, this maintains Ireland as one of the only countries in the world to routinely offer only EHL therapies as factor replacement treatment to all haemophilia patients. Elocta was first introduced in Ireland in 2016 and became the only factor replacement therapy for people with Haemophilia A used in 2018.

Brian O’Mahony, Chief Executive of the Irish Haemophilia Society, said: “The Irish Haemophilia Society are pleased with the continued access to EHL FVIII and EHL FIX. The availability of EHL factor concentrates has led to a measurable improvement in quality of life for people with haemophilia in Ireland which we reported on during the International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis conference earlier this year.”

Ireland’s progressive approach combines expert medical care co-ordinated across the country by the National Haemophilia Service, a very active patient community via the Irish Haemophilia Society and an inclusive approach to efficient purchasing of necessary therapies via competitive tendering and assessment.

St James’s Hospital in Dublin, in conjunction with the Haemophilia Product Selection and Monitoring Advisory Board (HPSMAB), initially awarded a contract to supply EHL Recombinant FVIII for the treatment of haemophilia A in January 2018 for a minimum of two years. The St James’s Hospital tender process is run according to EU procurement rules and leads the way in its multi-stakeholder approach, including formal representation of patients within the decision-making process.