New Zealand's PHARMAC seals deal with Pfizer for new kidney cancer, smoking cessation and arthritis drugs

New Zealand’s Pharmaceutical Management Agency PHARMAC has entered into an agreement with global pharma behemoth Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) to make several of the firm’s drugs available to people in the country.

The agreement, financial aspects of which were not disclosed, includes Pfizer’s Sutent (sunitinib), a treatment for renal cell (kidney) cancer, the smoking cessation drug Champix (varenicline) and the auto-immune disorder drug Enbrel (etanercept), and has long-term cost savings. Sunitinib and varenicline will become funded for the first time, while etanercept has its funding widened. These aspects of the agreement came into effect today (November 1), the agency stated.

PHARMAC medical director Peter Moodie says about 450 New Zealanders each year are diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma, and there is currently a lack of funded treatment options for patients with advanced disease. Currently, interferon alpha is the principal treatment for people with advanced disease, but can be difficult to tolerate and has limited effectiveness.