Novartis and The Max Foundation transform pioneering cancer access program for people in lower-income countries

Novartis has enterned in new collaboration with The Max Foundation to support continued access to treatment at no cost for nearly 34,000 current patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), gastrointestinal tumors (GIST) and other rare cancers.

The two organizations have been long-time collaborators in providing access to care for patients in lower-income countries through the Glivec International Patient Assistance Program (GIPAP), one of the most innovative patient assistance programs ever implemented on a global scale.

Novartis said that the new collaboration, called CMLPath to Care(TM), is an evolution from GIPAP, a partnership that provided Glivec(imatinib)* at no cost to diagnosed patients in lower-income countries where there may not be access to reimbursement or funding mechanisms, and to those unable to pay for the medication. Under the new initiative, The Max Foundation, a global, patient-focused, non-governmental organization (NGO), will assume from Novartis the responsibility for delivering the treatment to these patients, including supply chain management. Novartis will provide funding and drug donation support. The collaborative agreement runs through Q1 2021 with an option to extend. During this timeframe, Novartis expects to donate more than $29 million to the collaboration, along with approximately 315,000,000 doses of medicine.

Novartis introduced GIPAP in 2002 after recognizing the impact of its breakthrough cancer therapy, Glivec. The program has served the CML treatment needs of approximately 75,000 people since its inception.

“Fifteen years ago, Novartis recognized the critical importance of ensuring patients in lower-income countries had access to breakthrough cancer therapy, and we partnered with The Max Foundation to develop a revolutionary global program to address this need,” said Bruno Strigini, CEO of Novartis Oncology. “CMLPath to Care renews and extends our unique collaboration with The Max Foundation and builds on the strengths of both organizations to better serve these patients.”