Vol. 4 No. 1 (2024)
Reimbursement Recommendations

Upadacitinib (Rinvoq)

decorative image of the issue cover

Published January 9, 2024

Key Messages

  • CADTH recommends that public drug plans reimburse Rinvoq for the treatment of moderately to severely active Crohn disease (CD) if certain conditions are met.
  • Rinvoq should only be covered to treat adult patients with moderately to severely active CD who do not respond to, stop responding to, or who cannot tolerate conventional or biologic therapies, provided that Rinvoq is covered for a similar patient population and in a similar way to biologic therapies currently reimbursed by public drug plans for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active CD.
  • Rinvoq should only be reimbursed if prescribed by a physician experienced in the diagnosis and management of CD, if it is not used in combination with biologics for CD, and if the cost of Rinvoq is reduced so that it does not cost the drug programs more than the least costly biologic therapy reimbursed for the treatment of moderately to severely active CD. Patients must respond to treatment in the first 12 weeks of starting Rinvoq to continue receiving the drug.