Myeloma Canada welcomes the news that negotiations between the pan‑Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) and the manufacturer of Carvykti® (ciltacabtagene autoleucel, or cilta‑cel), have officially restarted.

Carvykti is a type of CAR T-cell therapy that has shown the potential to significantly extend survival, even for patients who have exhausted all other treatment options. Some individuals have remained in remission for more than five years after a single infusion.

Why the Restart Is Significant

When pCPA negotiations were paused in late 2025, patients were left without a clear path to access for a therapy that could dramatically improve outcomes. This created uncertainty and distress, especially for individuals with limited treatment choices.

The resumption of negotiations is an encouraging step toward ensuring Canadians can access this therapy through public funding. For many, time is not a luxury. Each week of delay can mean fewer remaining treatment options.

(See Myeloma Canada’s earlier update: What Happened with Carvykti and Why it Matters to Canadians Living with Myeloma)

Myeloma Canada’s Advocacy

Since the pause, Myeloma Canada has worked actively to keep our community’s needs front and centre by:

• Launching an advocacy campaign targeted at provincial/territorial elected representatives and Ministers of Health across Canada
• Engaging directly with health system decision‑makers
• Sharing patient and clinician perspectives on the urgency of access
• Raising public awareness of the consequences of delays across media channels
• Emphasizing the impact that stalled access has on patients with rapidly evolving disease

None of this Work Would Be Possible Without YOU!

When the call to action went out, you mobilized in droves. Nearly 6,000 emails were sent to elected representatives in 11 provinces and territories.

The overwhelming response from our community has been instrumental in demonstrating to decisionmakers how important Carvykti is to Canadians, and we’ll keep working to ensure your voices are heard.

A Call for Timely Progress

Myeloma Canada urges all parties involved to move forward efficiently and transparently. Further delays would have serious implications for patients, families, and care teams.

Carvykti has the potential to transform patient outcomes. The decisions made in the coming weeks will determine how quickly this innovation reaches those who urgently need it.

Our Commitment

With March marking Myeloma Action Month (MAM), it is more important than ever to highlight the challenges that patients face, and the critical need for access to life changing drugs such as Carvykti.

The restart of negotiations is an opportunity to convert awareness into meaningful action, so Carvykti can reach patients when it matters most. We remain committed to advocating for access to innovative and effective treatments progressing through the approval and reimbursement processes. Carvykti is just one example, and its timely reimbursement could help pave the way for other therapies like Blenrep, a BCMA-targeted therapy that could be distributed to patients across Canada, or Talvey, a GPRC5D-targeted bispecific therapy, which would be another treatment option for people who have already received BCMA-targeted therapy.