Australian patients gain subsidized access to expensive new medicines

As of today, December 1, Australians will pay no more than A$38.30 ($28.37) for a medicine to treat thyroid cancer that would cost a patient A$117,000 without subsidized access through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

The medicine - Japanese pharma major Eisai’s (TYO: 4523) Lenvima (lenvatinib) - is used in the treatment of radioactive iodine refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (RAI-R DTC) and works by blocking certain proteins that would otherwise encourage cancer cell growth.

The Minister for Health and Aged Care, Sussan Ley, said: “The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee agreed that there was a clinical need for an effective treatment for symptomatic, rapidly progressing patients with RAI-R DTC. This listing will help reduce stress for people at a very difficult time in their lives. Around 140 patients annually will benefit from the listing, and without government subsidy, these patients could pay more than $117,000 for one year of treatment.”

Most patients with thyroid cancer respond well to treatment with radioactive iodine. However, there are currently no subsidised treatment options for those patients who do not respond to this therapy.

Ms Ley said: “The addition of this cancer medicine to the PBS, at a cost of approximately A$71 million over five years, is part of the Australian government’s undertaking to make new and affordable treatments available for people when they are very sick and in need of affordable access to medicine.”

Concessional patients pay A$6.20 per script and the general PBS co-payment is A$38.30 for access to PBS medicines.

Repatha and Humira listings

Ms Ley also announced the listing of US biotech company Amgen’s (Nasdaq: AMGN) Repatha (evolocumab) from December 1, 2016 for the treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH).

HoFH is a very rare inherited disease associated with elevated cholesterol levels which, if left untreated, can lead to a heart attack at a young age. The PBS listing of evolocumab will provide up to 160 high-risk Australians in this population with an affordable option to help reduce their cholesterol to target levels. Patients would pay more than A$900 per month for this treatment without subsidized access through the PBS.

Additionally, she said that the listing of AbbVie’s (NYSE: ABBV) Humira (adalimumab) will be extended to include the treatment of moderate to severe ulcerative colitis. Patients would pay more than A$22,400 per course of treatment without the PBS listing.