Health Canada Extends the Approval of Evkeeza® (evinacumab) to Children as Young as 6-months Old with Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (HoFH)

Core Viewpoint - Health Canada has approved Evkeeza (evinacumab) for children aged 6 months and older with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH), marking it as the first and only medicine for this ultra-rare condition in young patients [1][3] Group 1: Approval and Treatment - Evkeeza is now approved as an adjunct to diet and other LDL-C lowering therapies for treating HoFH in children aged 6 months and older, expanding its initial approval for patients aged 5 years and older [1][2] - The drug is expected to provide effective lipid level reduction in young patients, with predicted similar or higher LDL-C reduction compared to older pediatric patients and adults [2][3] Group 2: Clinical Data and Efficacy - Model-based extrapolation analysis indicates that pediatric patients aged 6 months to less than 5 years will experience a significant reduction in LDL-C levels when treated with a 15 mg/kg dose every 4 weeks [2] - Supportive data from compassionate use in five patients aged 1 to 4 years showed clinically meaningful LDL-C reduction consistent with older patients [2] Group 3: Disease Context and Urgency - HoFH is a severe inherited condition affecting approximately 1 in 300,000 people globally, leading to dangerously high LDL-C levels and increased risk of premature heart disease if untreated [4] - Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to prevent life-threatening consequences associated with very high cholesterol levels in young patients [2][3] Group 4: Availability and Accessibility - Evkeeza is commercially available in Canada through private drug plans and public drug programs, and is also accessible in several other countries via early access programs [3][6]