Australia to subsidize Genzyme's Pompe disease drug Myozyme for young patients

Australia’s Minister for Health Sussan Ley said today that she has approved a life-saving drug that will ensure young Australian Pompe patients receive treatment they previously may not have been able to access.

Ms Ley said she had approved the drug Myozyme (alglucosidase alfa) from Sanofi (Euronext: SAN) subsidiary Genzyme, for government subsidy for children aged two to 18 through the Life Saving Drugs Program (LSDP).

Myozyme “is very expensive”

“Pompe disease is a rare and severe medical condition, affecting only a very small number of Australians every year,” Ms Ley said, adding: “However, it is a very expensive treatment – costing several hundred thousand dollars – putting it out of reach for many Australians.”

She continued: “This is only the first step. The government is committed to continuing to work with the company towards a future application and subsidy for Myozyme on the PBS [Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme] for adult late onset Pompe patients.”

The drug has been listed on the LSDP for children with the infantile-onset form of the disease since 2010.