CORZYNA® – A New Add-On Therapy for Stable Angina

Drug Review: Volume 22, Issue 1

Stable angina is a heart condition caused by obstruction or dysfunction to the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle. When combined with physical or emotional stress, it can lead to reduced oxygen supply to the heart, resulting in angina attacks, which are 5-to-15-minute episodes of chest pain, chest pressure, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Stable angina affects approximately 704,431 Canadians and reduces health-related quality of life by significantly impacting physical functioning and emotional wellbeing.

Current treatment options for stable angina include beta-blockers (BBs), calcium channel blockers (CCBs), and long-acting nitrates (LANs). However, 9% to 11% of patients stop these medications due to intolerable side effects such as low blood pressure, low heart rate, and dizziness. This is especially evident in elderly patients which account for almost half of all angina patients. Many patients also experience inadequate angina control despite taking these medications.

Corzyna^® was approved by Health Canada as an add-on therapy for patients with stable angina who are inadequately controlled with or intolerant to 1st line therapies.

The annual cost of Corzyna^® is $2,555 making it more expensive than current treatment options for angina. It is considered a 2^nd line therapy and is reserved for those who are intolerant to or are inadequately controlled with 1^st line therapies. Therefore, Corzyna^® is recommended to be placed under Special Authorization for ClaimSecure groups subscribing to Managed Plans to ensure Corzyna^® is reserved for patients who have tried or are intolerant to more cost-effective options. Corzyna^® will be fully covered for groups subscribing to Open Formularies.

Corzyna^® is a new medication that was shown to reduce angina attacks when used with 1st line agents (BBs and CCBs), compared to 1st line therapies alone. Furthermore, for those who are intolerant to 1st line therapy, adding Corzyna^® allows for the lowering of 1^st line therapy dose which reduces the incidence of undesirable side effects such as low blood pressure or low heart rate.