Canadian Patients and Advocacy Groups Escalate Pressure to Fund Ovarian Cancer Drug Elahere After Negotiations Collapse
Key Insights
Elahere (mirvetuximab soravtansine) (search), the first new treatment for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (search) in over a decade, remains unfunded by Canadian public drug plans despite Health Canada approval and a positive reimbursement recommendation from Canada's Drug Agency.
Negotiations between drugmaker AbbVie (search) and the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) (search) broke down in May 2026, with each party indicating willingness to re-engage but no new offer yet submitted.
Patient Gertrude Spatafora, who cannot tolerate platinum-based chemotherapy due to comorbid Crohn's disease (search), faces treatment costs of up to $30,000 per infusion and requires at least three treatments annually.
Growing calls from patients, advocacy organizations, and clinicians are intensifying pressure on Canadian drug pricing negotiators and AbbVie (search) to return to the bargaining table and secure public funding for Elahere (mirvetuximab soravtansine) (search), a targeted therapy for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (search) that remains out of reach for women who cannot afford tens of thousands of dollars per treatment.
Elahere has been approved by Health Canada for use, and Canada's Drug Agency (CDA-AMC) (search) has recommended that it be reimbursed by public drug plans for the treatment of adults with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (search). Despite these regulatory and expert endorsements, negotiations between AbbVie (search) and the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) (search)—the body that negotiates drug prices on behalf of federal, provincial, and territorial public drug plans—collapsed in May 2026 without a deal.
A Patient's Fight for Access
Toronto resident Gertrude Spatafora embodies the human toll of the impasse. Diagnosed with both Crohn's disease (search) and ovarian cancer, Spatafora cannot receive platinum-based chemotherapy—the standard of care covered under her Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP)—because platinum-based agents can be highly toxic to the gut lining of patients with Crohn's disease.
"If I were to take those treatments it could hospitalize me for months and would require me to effectively stop chemo while I'm being monitored, which really is not an option," Spatafora told CityNews.
Her physicians recommended Elahere, a targeted medication designed specifically for women with ovarian cancer who are unable to receive platinum-based chemotherapy. Without public coverage, however, each treatment can cost up to $30,000, and Spatafora has been told she may need at least three treatments annually.
"I have no choice but to find the money to pay for this, there are no other options," she said.
Spatafora and her family have launched a petition to the House of Commons demanding public funding for the drug. She is urging both parties to resume talks: "People should be able to access the type of medication that they need especially when it's been researched and it's proven to be good."
Advocacy Campaign Gains Momentum
Ovarian Cancer Canada (search) has initiated a public awareness campaign to push for Elahere's funding, framing the stalled negotiations as a life-or-death matter.
"We will lose women while we wait for this process to finalize," said Tania Vrionis, CEO of Ovarian Cancer Canada (search).
Vrionis described the breakdown in negotiations as both surprising and unacceptable. "To see it fall apart without a resolution was rather shocking and quite honestly it's infuriating," she said. "Elahere is the first treatment for some women with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer (search) in more than a decade. This is the only option available that can give these women more time."
Negotiation Standoff
Both the pCPA and AbbVie (search) have publicly stated their willingness to return to negotiations, yet no new offer has been formally submitted.
A pCPA spokesperson told CityNews: "While negotiations have concluded, the pCPA process allows for AbbVie (search) to submit an unsolicited offer if they wish to re-engage in negotiation. The pCPA would welcome an unsolicited offer from AbbVie."
AbbVie (search), for its part, expressed a similar readiness. "AbbVie wants to negotiate with pCPA as quickly as possible to ensure Canadian women who need Elahere can get it," a company spokesperson said. However, when asked whether the company plans to submit a new offer, AbbVie did not provide an answer.
The pCPA acknowledged the disappointing outcome, stating: "We recognize this is not the outcome many were hoping for. We also wished for a different result. Negotiations are a two-way street, and both parties share responsibility for the outcome."
A Systemic Problem in Canadian Drug Access
Vrionis emphasized that the Elahere funding struggle reflects a broader systemic issue in Canada's pharmaceutical access landscape. "Canada is the worst in the G7 in terms of bringing new drugs to market, which is a huge concern," she said.
She warned that protracted and difficult negotiations could deter pharmaceutical companies from seeking to bring innovative therapies to the Canadian market altogether. "I'm very concerned that companies won't want to bring their drugs to Canadians because it is so difficult."
Both Spatafora and Ovarian Cancer Canada (search) remain resolute in their campaign, calling on Canadians nationwide to support the effort. "We do need the support of Canadians across the country to also stand up and say, 'this is an important health issue, and an important precedent that we really have to rally around and say Canadians deserve access to treatments, full stop,'" Vrionis said.