Merck & Co., Inc. announced that Canada's Drug Agency (CDA) has recommended WINREVAIR® (sotatercept) for reimbursement in combination with standard pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) therapy, for the treatment of adults with World Health Organization [WHO] Group 1 PAH and Functional Class (FC) II or III. Sotatercept is the first activin signaling inhibitor therapy for PAH in Canada, a new class of therapy that works by improving the balance between pro-proliferative and anti-proliferative signaling to modulate vascular proliferation in PAH patients. The next steps toward product accessibility include the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) engaging with Merck Canada to begin negotiations for WINREVAIR®, so that it may be publicly funded by participating drug plans in Canada.

It has been 8 years since a new pharmacological therapy has been launched in Canada for PAH. WINREVAIR® is the subject of a licensing agreement with Bristol Myers Squibb.