Biocon Biologics Ltd. (BBL), a subsidiary of Biocon Ltd., has achieved a key milestone in Canada with its biosimilar aflibercept, Yesafili®, now publicly funded on the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) Formulary/Comparative Drug Index.
The listing, effective August 29, 2025, means patients in Ontario—Canada’s most populous province—can access Yesafili® (aflibercept) through the public healthcare system. Available in both vial and prefilled syringe formats (2 mg/0.05 mL), the therapy is a biosimilar to Eylea®, widely used for the treatment of serious retinal conditions.
Yesafili® was the first biosimilar to Eylea® approved by Health Canada, marking an important step in expanding access to high-quality, cost-effective treatment options. With its inclusion in the ODB Formulary, affordability barriers are expected to reduce for thousands of patients.
Retinal diseases like neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), macular edema due to central or branch retinal vein occlusion (CRVO/BRVO), and myopic choroidal neovascularization (myopic CNV) represent a major healthcare challenge. Wet AMD alone impacts over 2 million Canadians and is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss globally, creating significant strain on patients, caregivers, and healthcare systems.
