Québec Becomes First Province to Cover TRYNGOLZA® (olezarsen) for Familial Chylomicronemia Syndrome

Coverage under Québec's public drug plan provides access to the first therapy approved by Health Canada for this rare genetic disease.

MONTREAL, Aug. 4, 2026 /CNW/ -- CELYSTRA Pharma today announced that Québec has become the first Canadian province to provide public coverage for TRYNGOLZA^® (olezarsen), the first treatment approved by Health Canada for familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS), a rare genetic disease.

TRYNGOLZA is listed on the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) List of Medications for eligible patients, in accordance with the applicable coverage criteria.

"To help patients access this treatment as quickly as possible, we worked with the Québec government to support coverage under the public drug plan," said Paul Lévesque, President and Chief Executive Officer of CELYSTRA Pharma.

Although FCS affects only an estimated two to 10 people per million worldwide, it is significantly more prevalent among certain founder populations, including French Canadians, particularly in eastern Québec.

FCS is characterized by a severe and persistent accumulation of chylomicrons in the blood, resulting in extremely high triglyceride levels. The disease is associated with recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis, a painful inflammation of the pancreas that can be life-threatening and can have a profound impact on the quality of life of those affected.

Before TRYNGOLZA became available, people living with FCS had no specific treatment, and management relied primarily on a very strict diet.

TRYNGOLZA targets the excessive accumulation of triglycerides in the blood by reducing levels of apolipoprotein C-III (apoC-III), thereby significantly lowering triglyceride concentrations.

TRYNGOLZA is licensed by CELYSTRA Pharma in Canada from Ionis Pharmaceuticals.

A Major Step Forward for People Living with FCS

Clinicians, patient representatives and CELYSTRA welcome this decision, which marks an important step toward improving access to treatment for people living with FCS.

"For many years, people living with familial chylomicronemia syndrome have been waiting for a treatment specifically designed for this disease," said Dr. Alexis Baass, Director of the Lipid Clinic at the Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM) and Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at McGill University. "As a result of this decision, eligible patients will now have access to an effective treatment for this rare disease."

"This decision is excellent news for the FCS community," said Dr. Jonathan Pratt, Executive Director of the Regroupement Québécois des Maladies Orphelines (RQMO). "Adding a new therapeutic option to the public drug plan represents an important step forward for people living with this rare disease. Greater access to treatment helps improve the management of FCS and provides patients and their care teams with more options."

"This decision marks an important step forward for people living with familial chylomicronemia syndrome," said Paul Lévesque. "We are proud to have helped make this first treatment available to patients. It also represents an important milestone in advancing our mission to work with governments and healthcare partners to expand access to innovative treatments for people living with rare diseases across Canada. We are actively working with all other provinces to make TRYNGOLZA publicly accessible to eligible patients as soon as possible."

About Familial Chylomicronemia Syndrome (FCS)

Familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) is a rare inherited disease characterized by severely elevated triglyceride levels resulting from impaired clearance of chylomicrons. People living with FCS are at risk of recurrent acute pancreatitis and other serious complications, and the disease can have a significant impact on their quality of life. Although FCS is rare worldwide, it is more prevalent among certain founder populations, including French Canadians, particularly in eastern Québec.

About TRYNGOLZA^® (olezarsen)

TRYNGOLZA^® (olezarsen) is the first therapy approved by Health Canada for familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS). It is indicated as an adjunct to diet to reduce triglyceride levels in adult patients with FCS. In Canada, the medicine is marketed by CELYSTRA Pharma under licence from Ionis Pharmaceuticals.

For complete safety information, please consult the TRYNGOLZA^® Product Monograph at https://www.celystrapharma.com/en/products/.

About CELYSTRA

CELYSTRA is a Québec-based Canadian biopharmaceutical company focused on identifying, acquiring, and commercializing innovative therapies developed internationally. The company is committed to bringing these treatments to underserved patient populations in Canada and improving access to medicines that address unmet medical needs. See: www.celystrapharma.com

SOURCE CELYSTRA Pharma

Media contact: Gabrielle Proulx, Director, Media and Public Affairs, NATIONAL Public Relations, Cell: [phone], [email protected]