Slynd is now available to 95% of the Canadian population under public insurance plans

BLAINVILLE, QC, Feb. 27, 2025 - Duchesnay Inc., a pharmaceutical company specializing in women's health and member of Duchesnay Pharmaceutical Group, winner of the 2024 Life Sciences Innovation Award by ADRIQ, is pleased to announce that Slynd (drospirenone tablets, 4 mg), is now available under provincial reimbursement plans in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Yukon and Northwest Territories and also covered by Federal programs (including Non-Insured Health Benefits, Canadian Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Canada). Additionally, this contraceptive method is reimbursed by most private plans and by the province of Quebec (RAMQ since 2023).

Duchesnay Inc. has made Slynd (prescription drug) available to Canadian women in 2022. This contraception option came 50 years after the introduction of the initial progestin-only pill (POP) in 1972. Slynd is used for conception control in adolescent and adult women. It contains as a sole active ingredient, drospirenone 4 mg, a synthetic form of progesterone.

"As a woman, I could not be any prouder of this announcement as it provides access to innovative medicine, respectful of women's ability to pay. With women's well-being at the heart of our mission, the Duchesnay team strives to make innovative contraception options accessible to all Canadian women, bridging the gap in equitable access to reproductive health care thus empowering women to make decisions about their own bodies," said Édith Sirard, Director, Sales and Marketing, Duchesnay.

Healthcare professionals have been advocating for equitable access to contraception for years, as it can significantly improve health outcomes by giving women greater control over their reproductive choices while reducing the risk of unintended pregnancy and related health complications.

"The announcement of coverage for a safe and effective progestin-only pill (Slynd) is an important advance for women's health. Canadian women should have access to a wide range of contraceptive options because there is no "one size fits all" method. Removing cost as a barrier is essential to ensuring that each woman can choose the contraceptive method that is safest and most suitable for them," said Dre Amanda Black, former President of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC).

Slynd provides a 24/4 dosing regimen (24 active tablets plus four inactive tablets taken once-daily for 28 consecutive days) and offers a 24-hour missed pill window during which no further contraception is required to prevent pregnancy if the missed tablet is taken within 24 hours.¹

"Progestin-only contraception is a suitable option for many women of reproductive age. That is why it is so crucial that patients have access to these important medications. Having Ontario Drug Benefit coverage for Slynd is a big win for my patients," said Dr. Dustin Costescu, a Family Planning Specialist and Associate Professor in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at McMaster university in Hamilton, Ontario.

Slynd is contraindicated in women who are hypersensitive to drospirenone or to any ingredient in the formulation, including any non-medicinal ingredient, or component of the container and in women with the following conditions: renal impairment, adrenal insufficiency, presence of history of cervical cancer or progestin sensitive cancers, liver tumors, benign or malignant, or hepatic impairment, undiagnosed abnormal uterine bleeding.¹

Consult the Product Monograph at https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00070310.PDF for contraindications, warnings and precautions, adverse reactions, drug interactions, dosing instructions and conditions of clinical use. The product monograph is also available through our Medical Information Department. Contact us at 1-888-666-0611 or medicalinfo@duchesnay.com.

ABOUT DUCHESNAY

Duchesnay is a specialty pharmaceutical company with a long-standing commitment to women's health. Until recently, the company focused on filling the void in terms of scientific research and education and on developing pharmacological solutions that are safe and effective for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Today, Duchesnay has broadened its portfolio of products to offer safe and effective therapeutic options that meet the health and quality of life needs of women and their family members at different stages of their lives. Believing that women around the world deserve to have access to specialized treatments for their conditions, Duchesnay now distributes its products internationally.

For more information about Duchesnay, please visit https://duchesnay.com/en/ .

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ABOUT DUCHESNAY PHARMACEUTICAL GROUP

Duchesnay Pharmaceutical Group (DPG), with its affiliated companies, is headquartered in Blainville, Quebec. The Group consists of six pharmaceutical companies to meet the needs of patients in Canada, the U.S. and abroad. The companies are Duchesnay (Canada) and Duchesnay USA, both dedicated to women's health; Medunik Canada and Medunik USA, which provide treatments for rare and debilitating diseases; and Analog Pharma Canada and Analog Pharma, specializing in orphan generic medications. From its state-of-the-art manufacturing plant, DPG exports its innovative treatments to more than 50 countries.

DPG is one of the eight companies across the country chosen to participate in the Government of Canada's Global Hypergrowth Project. This appointment offers exclusive and personalized support for at least two years, in order to accelerate its growth to become an anchor firm in the Canadian economy.

DPG is the winner of the 2024 Life Sciences Innovation Award by ADRIQ, the Association for the Development of Research and Innovation of Quebec, which recognizes DPG's healthy workplace culture and commitment to pharmaceutical innovation, while DPG president Éric Gervais is the recipient of the 2024 Bernard-Landry Award by ADRIQ which acknowledges his impactful leadership on Quebec's research and innovation ecosystem.

DPG, through its proprietary research and development, and through exclusive partnerships, offers innovative treatments for a variety of medical conditions in women's health, urology, oncology and for rare diseases, plus lower-cost generic medications. DPG recognizes the dedication and professionalism of its employees and promotes a positive culture and flexible work environment. It is deeply committed to environmental responsibility and to giving back to the community through the support of various charitable organizations.

For more information, please visit https://duchesnaypharmaceuticalgroup.com/en.

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