German Firm to Halt Supply of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Drug in Canada, Leaving 800 Patients Facing Uncertainty
Cheplapharm will stop supplying deflazacort to Canada due to supply-chain issues and low demand, leaving approximately 800 Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients with inventory expected to last only until June. A newly approved alternative costs significantly more and awaits public insurance reimbursement.
German pharmaceutical company Cheplapharm has notified Canadian patients and Health Canada that it will cease supplying deflazacort, a medication used to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The notification was delivered through the drug’s distributor, Xediton Pharmaceuticals Inc.
The decision is attributed to supply-chain problems, specifically the inability to source a key ingredient. Cheplapharm also cited insufficient volume across markets such as the U.K. and Canada to justify supporting a new end-to-end technology transfer for manufacturing. Xediton estimated that the current inventory of deflazacort in Canada would last until June.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy affects an estimated 800 Canadian boys and men. The impending shortage leaves these patients facing uncertainty regarding continued treatment access, as families must find new suppliers or switch to higher-priced drugs not yet covered by most insurance plans. Switching from deflazacort to other medications is described as not straightforward or risk-free. Patient advocacy groups, including Muscular Dystrophy Canada, Defeat Duchenne Canada, and Jesse’s Journey, are seeking alternative global suppliers. Health Canada stated it cannot compel a manufacturer to supply a drug to Canada.
A newer drug, vamorolone, sold under the brand name Agamree, was approved by Health Canada in September 2025 and became available to Canadian patients in April. However, the cost difference is substantial. According to Canada’s Drug Agency, an annual supply of Agamree costs $131,400 for a patient weighing 40 kilograms or more. By comparison, deflazacort costs around $1,300 per year, while prednisone costs up to perhaps a few hundred dollars a year per patient.
Kye Pharmaceuticals Inc. is currently supplying Agamree free of charge to 65 Canadian patients who began taking the drug during clinical trials. For the broader patient population, public and private reimbursement negotiations involving entities such as the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance may take many months, delaying accessibility to the newly approved treatment.