BRIEF— Spanish reimbursement for Vertex CF drugs

The Spanish government has approved terms for the national reimbursement of Orkambi (lumacaftor/ivacaftor) and Symkevi (tezacaftor/ivacaftor) in combination with Kalydeco (ivacaftor) for eligible patients in Spain living with cystic fibrosis (CF).

Children aged six to 11 years with CF who have two copies of the F508del mutation in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene can be treated with Orkambi.

Those aged 12 years and older who either have two copies of the F508del mutation, or one copy of the F508del mutation and a copy of one of the other 14 mutations approved within the license in which the CFTR protein shows residual activity, can be treated with Symkevi in combination with Kalydeco.

Both drugs are from Vertex Pharmaceuticals, which has now secured reimbursement for its CF medicines in 17 countries including Australia, the USA and a host of European nations.