Canada’s Drug Agency Backs Public Reimbursement for Biogen’s LEQEMBI in Alzheimer’s Treatment — Biogen Inc.

Event summary

Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA-AMC) issued a final positive recommendation supporting public reimbursement of LEQEMBI (lecanemab) for early Alzheimer’s disease.
The recommendation follows a reconsideration by CDA-AMC and is a crucial step toward access to LEQEMBI in Canada.
Next steps include negotiations through the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA), followed by individual reimbursement decisions by public drug plans in Canada’s provinces and territories.
More than 770,000 people in Canada were living with dementia in 2025, with projections to increase to 1.7 million by 2050.
Eisai and Biogen co-commercialize and co-promote LEQEMBI, with Eisai having final decision-making authority.

The big picture

The final positive recommendation from Canada’s Drug Agency for LEQEMBI marks a significant milestone in the treatment of early Alzheimer’s disease. This approval comes at a time when the global demand for effective Alzheimer’s treatments is rising, with over 770,000 Canadians currently living with dementia. The strategic collaboration between Eisai and Biogen, along with their co-commercialization efforts, underscores the importance of this development in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors. The next steps in negotiations and reimbursement decisions will be critical in determining the broader impact of this approval on patient access and market dynamics.

What we're watching

Regulatory Progress: The pace at which negotiations through the pCPA and subsequent provincial reimbursement decisions will proceed.
Market Expansion: How the approval in Canada will impact Biogen and Eisai’s strategy for expanding LEQEMBI’s reach in other global markets.
Commercial Execution: Whether Biogen and Eisai can effectively co-promote and commercialize LEQEMBI in Canada, given Eisai’s final decision-making authority.