Limited Coverage Drugs – risankizumab for Crohn's disease

Last updated on September 27, 2024

 

Return to Special Authority drug list

Generic name

risankizumab

Strength & form

360 mg/2.4 mL pre-filled, single-use cartridge with on-body injector

600 mg/10 mL single-use vial

Special Authority criteria

Approval period

Initial

Moderately to severely active Crohn's disease

For the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease when ALL of the following criteria are met:

  • Submitted by a gastroenterologist

AND

  • Patient has a Harvey-Bradshaw Index of 8 or higher1 

AND

  • Patient has had an unsuccessful trial of steroids for their current Crohn's disease activity. The trial must include steroid dose equivalent to oral prednisone 40 mg or more daily taken for at least 14 consecutive days. Unsuccessful trial is defined as one of the following:
    • Inadequate response to steroids2
    • Adequate response while on steroids, but with recurrence of disease following tapering or withdrawal of steroids3
    • Inability to complete steroid course due to intolerance or contraindication4

Fistulizing Crohn's disease

For the treatment of adult patients with active fistulizing Crohn's disease when ALL of the following criteria are met:

  • Submitted by a gastroenterologist

AND

  • Patient has had an inadequate response or intolerance to a course of ciprofloxacin for a minimum of 3 consecutive weeks at maximally tolerated doses, or
    • has a contraindication to ciprofloxacin

16 weeks

Renewal

Moderately to severely active Crohn's disease

For the continued treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease when ALL of the following criteria are met:

  • Submitted by a gastroenterologist

AND

  • Patient has a Harvey-Bradshaw Index decrease of at least 4 points, or
    • the total Harvey-Bradshaw Index must be 5 points or less

Fistulizing Crohn's disease

For the continued treatment of adult patients with active fistulizing Crohn's disease when ALL of the following criteria are met:

  • Submitted by a gastroenterologist

AND

  • Patient has demonstrated an improvement in the number of and/or severity of fistulae

1 year

Practitioner exemptions

  • None

Special notes

  • 1Moderately to severely active Crohn's disease as defined by a Harvey-Bradshaw Index of 8 or higher following completion of a course of steroids (equivalent to oral prednisone 40 mg or more daily for a minimum of 14 consecutive days)
  • 2Inadequate response to steroids is defined as displaying a lack of symptomatic response to therapy
  • 3Steroid dependence is defined as: unable to withdraw oral corticosteroid within 3 months of initiation without a recurrence of symptoms; a symptomatic relapse within 3 months of stopping; or the need for 2 or more courses of corticosteroids within 1 year
  • 4The patient's contraindication to steroid therapy or intolerance/adverse effects to a course of steroids (equivalent to oral prednisone 40 mg or more daily for a minimum of 14 consecutive days) must be specified in the Special Authority request for risankizumab
  • For initial requests in patients who are able to complete a 14-day course of steroids, the patient's Harvey Bradshaw Index worksheet must be submitted with each Special Authority coverage request for risankizumab
  • PharmaCare coverage will not be provided for risankizumab in combination with other biologic drugs or a janus kinase (JAK)-inhibitor for the treatment of Crohn's disease
  • PharmaCare coverage is limited to maintenance dosages of subcutaneous risankizumab of 360 mg every 8 weeks
  • PharmaCare covers a maximum of 56 days' supply per fill of risankizumab
  • Additional information expected to assist with processing of coverage requests is detailed on the forms linked below (and on the eForms published online) 

Special Authority requests