Biogen Idec wins Canadian approval for hemophilia drug Alprolix

(Reuters) – Biogen Idec Inc said on Friday it had won Canadian approval for its long-lasting hemophilia B drug Alprolix. Hemophilia B, a rare inherited disorder in which the ability of a person's blood to clot is impaired, affects some 4,000 people in the United States and roughly 25,000 worldwide. Biogen is developing the drug in partnership with Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB. Traditional hemophilia treatments must be infused two to three times a week, while Biogen's drug needs to be administered only once a week or once every 10 to 14 days to protect against bleeding episodes.