New Zealand consults on Victrelis listing and some Pegasys amendments

New Zealand’s Pharmaceutical Management Agency, PHARMAC, is seeking feedback on a proposal to list boceprevir (Victrelis) as a result of a provisional agreement with Merck Sharp and Dohme (New Zealand), the local unit of US pharma giant Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) and to amend the listing of pegylated interferon with/without ribavirin (Pegasys and Pegasys RBV Combination Pack) as a result of a provisional agreement with the local subsidiary of Swiss pharma major Roche (ROG: SIX).

The provisional agreements were reached as a result of a Request for Proposals issued by PHARMAC on 30 April 2013. In summary, this proposal would result in:

• boceprevir (Victrelis) being funded, under Special Authority, from September 1, 2013 for treatment of patients living with chronic hepatitis C;
• with IL-28 gene CT or TT allele; and
• who have previously been treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin who were partial responders, responder relapsers or were treated prior to 2005;
• Victrelis being the only funded protease inhibitor for the treatment of hepatitis C in the community until June 30, 2016;
• the funded access criteria for pegylated interferon with/without ribavirin being widened from September 1, 2013, to cover retreatment of patients living with chronic hepatitis C who have previously been treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin who were partial responders, responder relapsers or were treated prior to 2005 in combination with boceprevir; and
• Pegasys being the only funded brand of pegylated interferon with/without ribavirin in the community until June 30, 2017.