ACCESS
Access to medicines
Our approach
Camurus aims to improve access to effective and convenient treatments for patients with severe and chronic diseases, such as opioid dependence and rare diseases. The goal is to increase access to treatments to potentially improve quality of life for as many people as possible. Camurus aims to achieve this goal by focusing on:
Access to treatment for more patients with opioid dependence
Opioid dependence is an escalating global health problem which contributes to significant adverse mental, physical, and social consequences, including unemployment, criminal activity, imprisonment, transmission of infectious diseases, unintentional overdose and death.1 It is a disease impacting all aspects of a person’s daily life and is often associated with high social stigma and social exclusion.1,2
Camurus has developed a long-acting buprenorphine injection depot indicated for the treatment of opioid dependence – within a framework of medical, social and psychological treatment – which is currently approved in the EU, UK, Australia and several countries in the Middle East and North Africa. In 2023, the treatment was also approved in the US where it is licensed to Camurus’ partner Braeburn.
In the area of opioid dependence, Camurus works with healthcare providers and partners to expound the need for new treatment options. This has resulted in increased funding for and access to long-acting treatment in several countries, both in general care and the prison system.3-6
Camurus believes that everyone should have the right to equal treatment, regardless of socioeconomic background, and actively works to increase access to treatment in particularly vulnerable groups, such as women – an underrepresented group in the treatment for opioid dependence – and patients in the prison system.
At the end of 2023, Camurus’ long-acting treatment for opioid dependence (excl. the US) was available in more than 20 countries within Europe, Australia, the Middle East and North Africa with more than 48,000 patients estimated to be in treatment at the end of the year. Camurus is aiming to reach 100,000 patients in treatment in 2026.
48,000
patientsin treatment for opioid dependence*
0.6 billion
SEKinvested in research and development in 2023*
*as at end December 2023, source: Annual Report 2023
Increasing awareness, knowledge and reducing stigma
An important step to increase access to healthcare is to raise disease awareness and reduce potential stigma for those affected. Camurus supports and collaborates with healthcare and patient organizations to increase knowledge about serious and rare diseases. This work is conducted within the framework of the EFPIA (European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations) guidelines. For more information on Camurus’ provision of grants and donations to healthcare and patient organizations, see Camurus’ transparency reporting
Camurus conducts activities each year aimed at raising awareness and reducing stigma by supporting international campaigns, and in 2023 supported Rare Disease Day, Unite for Recovery, International Overdose Awareness Day, World Acromegaly Day and World NET Cancer Day. The company also supports initiatives focused on reducing stigma and improving access to treatment for women with opioid dependence – an underrepresented group in treatment programs. For example, in 2023 Camurus supported the campaign “A gateway within all women’s reach”, organized by the non-governmental, not-for-profit organization Dianova International, aimed at reducing stigma and improving women's access and adherence to addiction services.
Throughout the year, Camurus actively participates in leading international medical congresses to exchange knowledge and experiences with the aim of improving access and care for patients. The company also support several Investigator Sponsored Studies (ISS) – research projects run by external researchers with support from Camurus – aimed at strengthening the evidence base on opioid dependence and its treatment. Learn more about ISS and grants
Developing new innovative medicines for diseases with high unmet medical need
Camurus has a broad and diversified pipeline with product candidates targeting diseases with high unmet medical needs, including cancer. For some, such as symptomatic polycystic liver disease, there is currently no approved pharmacological treatment available in the EU or US.
In 2023, Camurus reported more than SEK 0.6 billion in research and development to bring forward new innovative treatments for diseases in the focus areas of central nervous system (CNS), rare diseases, oncology and supportive care.
In the UK, Camurus in 2023 ran the initiative “Access All Areas” focusing on challenges and successes associated with expanding choices in addiction services beyond specialist to primary care.
The meetings highlighted the complexities of providing patients with a more extensive array of alternatives. In total, the meeting series brought together more than 500 frontline healthcare professionals and decision makers with the goal of broaden access to treatment and improve clinical practice.
References
- https://www.cdc.gov/stopoverdose/stigma/
- Dematteis, M., et al. Recommendations for buprenorphine and methadone therapy in opioid use disorder: a European consensus. Expert Opin Pharmacother. Dec;18(18):1987-1999, 2017.
- https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1079147/From_harm_to_hope_PDF.pdf
- https://www.gov.scot/news/drug-related-death-statistics-2020/
- https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2019-10/substance-misuse-delivery-plan-2019-22.pdf
- Scott, R., et al. Australian Psychiatry. 2022; 30(4): 498-502