Otsuka Pharmaceutical Canada Inc. and Lundbeck Canada Inc. secure public reimbursement of ABILIFY ASIMTUFII®
MONTREAL, March 4, 2026 /CNW/ - Otsuka Pharmaceutical Canada Inc. (OCPI) and Lundbeck Canada Inc. (Lundbeck) have secured coverage of ABILIFY ASIMTUFII® for over 90 per cent of Canadians covered by public drug plans and almost 60 per cent of Canadians covered by private drug plans. ABILIFY ASIMTUFII® is now listed in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island (PEI), Alberta, and by federal drug plans including the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) plan.
- ABILIFY ASIMTUFII® (aripiprazole prolonged release injectable suspension) for intramuscular use, is a once-every-two-months treatment for schizophrenia and maintenance monotherapy of bipolar I disorder in adults. It is the longest long-acting injectable (LAI) that may be used without the need to establish treatment adequacy with a shorter-acting LAI.
Approximately 1 in 100 Canadians live with schizophrenia.1 Every person is different; therefore, it is important that a variety of treatment options for mental illness are accessible and equitable. These public listings are critical for patients in Canada living with schizophrenia or bipolar I, as they may find it difficult to find employment due to symptoms or stigma.
Howard C. Margolese, MD, CM, MSc, FRCPC, commented, "Increasing the treatment options available for patients living with schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder has the potential to reduce burden on patients, families and clinicians and improve the quality of care that can be provided for this population.''
"Access to innovative options can be a challenge for Canadians living with schizophrenia, so having so many Canadians covered under public drug plans is a welcome step forward," said Chris Summerville, CEO of the Schizophrenia Society of Canada.
Michael Laranjo, president and general manager at OCPI, noted, "We are pleased to see so many public plans cover this treatment option. Canadians living with severe, persistent mental illness deserve to have access to treatment options without barriers, and we are encouraged by this step towards improving outcomes for this community."
"The expansion of public coverage is a promising development for individuals and families affected by severe mental illness," said Fakher Aissa, vice president, Patient Access at Lundbeck Canada. "We thank the provinces and public decision‑makers for recognizing the need for stronger support systems and for helping move us toward a more accessible and inclusive mental‑health care across Canada."
About schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a severely debilitating mental illness characterized by delusions, hallucinations, and impaired cognition.1,2 In Canada, 1 in 100 people live with schizophrenia.1, The course of schizophrenia is typically characterized by acute episodes of psychotic behaviours occurring at varying intervals between periods of relative symptomatic stability.1 Although the course of schizophrenia varies among individuals, schizophrenia is typically persistent and can be both severe and disabling.3
About bipolar I disorder
Bipolar I disorder is a recurrent, lifelong mood disorder with a variable course that results in functional and cognitive impairment and a reduction in quality of life that affects 0.6% of the population.4,5,6 The course of bipolar I disorder is characterized by recurrent manic and depressive episodes that may last weeks or months.7 Over 90% of people with bipolar disorder experience recurrences during their lifetimes.8
About ABILIFY ASIMTUFII
ABILIFY ASIMTUFII (aripiprazole prolonged release injectable suspension), a once-every-two-months long-acting injectable, is provided in a pre-filled syringe that does not require reconstitution. It is intended to be administered by a healthcare professional once every two months via intramuscular injection in the gluteal muscle in adult patients with schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder.9
Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at increased risk of death. ABILIFY ASIMTUFII is not indicated in elderly patients with dementia. The safety and efficacy of ABILIFY ASIMTUFII has not been established in pediatric patients and its use is not recommended in this population. For more information about ABILIFY ASIMTUFII, please visit http://otsukacanada.com or https://www.lundbeck.com/ca.
About Otsuka
Otsuka Canada Pharmaceutical Inc. (OCPI) is an innovative, fast-growing healthcare company that commercializes medicines in Canada. OCPI aims to improve the quality of life and health of patients through its commitments to neuroscience, cardio-renal, and nephrology. OCPI was established in 2010, with headquarters in Saint-Laurent, Quebec.
OCPI is part of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., a total healthcare company that focuses on each individual's potential to enhance their well-being. Our medical-related business provides treatments and diagnostics for both physical and mental health. Our nutraceutical business supports daily health maintenance and improvement. Otsuka's unique products and services are based on scientific evidence, under the guidance of our corporate philosophy: Otsuka-people creating new products for better health worldwide.
Otsuka Pharmaceutical is a wholly owned subsidiary of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd., based in Tokyo, Japan. In 2025, the Otsuka group of companies employed approximately 37,800 people worldwide and had consolidated sales of approximately USD 15.8 billion.
All Otsuka stories start by taking the road less travelled. Learn more about Otsuka on the global website at https://www.otsuka.co.jp/en. Learn more about Otsuka in Canada at www.otsukacanada.com.
About Lundbeck
Since 1995, Lundbeck Canada Inc. has been striving to improve the lives of Canadians living with neurological and psychiatric diseases. As a subsidiary of H. Lundbeck A/S, a global biopharmaceutical company focusing exclusively on brain health, we benefit from more than 70 years being at the forefront of neuroscience research.
As a focused innovator, we strive for our research and development programs to tackle some of the most complex neurological challenges. We develop transformative medicines targeting people for whom there are few or no treatments available, expanding into neuro-specialty and neuro-rare from our strong legacy within psychiatry and neurology.
We are committed to fighting stigma and we act to improve health equity. We strive to create long term value for our shareholders by making a positive contribution to patients, their families and society as a whole.
Lundbeck has approximately 5,500 employees in more than 50 countries and our products are available in more than 80 countries.
For additional information, we encourage you to visit our corporate website www.lundbeck.com/ca.
1 The National Institute of Mental Health. Schizophrenia. |
2 American Psychiatric Association. What Is Schizophrenia. |
3 Public Health Agency of Canada. (n.d.). Schizophrenia in Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved January 8, 2026, from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/schizophrenia-canada.html |
4 Bonnín CDM, Reinares M, Martínez-Arán A, et al. Improving Functioning, Quality of Life, and Well-being in Patients With Bipolar Disorder. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2019;22(8):467-477. doi:10.1093/ijnp/pyz018 |
5 Dattani S., Ritchie H., and Roser M. Mental Health. Our World In Data. 2021. |
6 Merikangas KR, Jin R, He JP, et al. Prevalence and correlates of bipolar spectrum disorder in the world mental health survey initiative. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2011;68(3):241-251. doi:10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.12. |
7 The National Institute of Mental Health. Bipolar Disorder. |
8 Leelahanaj T, Kongsakon R, Choovanichvong S, et al. Time to relapse and remission of bipolar disorder: findings from a 1-year prospective study in Thailand. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2013;9:1249-1256. doi:10.2147/NDT.S47711 |
9 ABILIFY MAINTENA / ABILIFY ASIMTUFII (aripiprazole) 2025 full Product Monograph. |
SOURCE Otsuka Pharmaceutical Canada Inc.
Media contact: Otsuka Canada Pharmaceutical Inc: Milena Bembic, [email protected]; Lundbeck Canada: Stella Antonaras, [email protected]
Share this article