What therapy is currently available and where?

This list may be out of date. We do our best to edit it as we come across news on coverage, but if you see something we have missed, please let us know!

United States

There are four augmentation therapy products approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and available in the United States, and more potential therapies are on the horizon. The five approved products are Prolastin-C® and Prolastin-C Liquid® from Grifols, Aralast NP™ from Takeda, Zemaira® from CSL Behring and Glassia® from Kamada Ltd. A product named Trypsone® from Grifols is available in Spain. Prolastin has been marketed since 1988 and has an excellent safety record. Aralast NP and Zemaira were introduced to the marketplace in 2003 and Glassia was introduced in 2010. Each was approved by demonstrating that they were comparable to Prolastin in their safety and in augmenting blood and lung alpha-1 levels.

Treatment – Alpha-1 Foundation

TIP: Check with your specific insurance carrierAn Alpha-1 Carrier is a person who has one normal ATT gene (M) and one defective AAT gene (usually S or Z). It does NOT mean you cannot get sick. as they utilize their own guidelines to make coverage determinations regarding augmentation therapy.

Canada

The augmentation therapy product currently approved for use in Canada is Prolastin-C from Grifols Canada, Ltd.  Prolastin has been marketed since 1988 and has an excellent safety record. Augmentation infusions are typically given by healthcare professionals in the home, at a physician’s office, outpatient infusion center or other medical facility.

Augmentation Therapy – AlphaNet Canada

Currently, only British Columbia and Quebec offers coverage, leaving patients in the rest of Canada dependent on private insurance coverage. Coverage in Alberta is currently under review and no new cases are being funded.

TIP: AlphaNet Canada is a great resource for Alphas who need infusions. Contact your local coordinator and they can walk you through the process and help you get the resources you need!

Europe

Respreeza and Prolastina were both approved for reimbursement in Denmark January 22nd, 2020.

UK

License was granted August 2015 for CSL’s Respreeza, but reimbursement then has to be applied for in each country. The bottom line seems to be that if you have lots of money and your clinician prescribes it, you can have access. The Alpha-1 UK Support Group is working with other groups and parliament to get coverage, but it’s a complex process.

Australia

Not available.

If we haven’t covered your country, and you can find documentation of what is available and how it is covered, please send it to us!