BRIEF—Health Canada approves Ferriprox for iron overload due to sickle cell disease

Chiesi Global Rare Diseases, a business unit of privately-held Italian drugmaker Chiesi Farmaceutici, announced today that Health Canada has approved Ferriprox (deferiprone) for the treatment of iron overload in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) or other anemias.

Ferriprox was previously approved in Canada for the treatment of iron overload in patients with thalassemia major when current chelation therapy is inadequate.

Ferriprox is a synthetic, orally active iron-chelating agent shown to be effective in reducing iron concentration by penetrating cell membranes and removing toxic iron from organ tissues and extracellular fluids.

In September 2021, Ferriprox was approved in Brazil for the treatment of iron overload in patients with SCD or other anemias.

In the USA, Ferriprox is approved to treat iron overload in patients with SCD or other anemias (adults and children aged three and older) as well as patients with thalassemia syndromes regardless of prior iron chelation exposure.