2 August 2016 - PHARMAC is pleased to announce the approval of an agreement with Merck Sharpe and Dohme (New Zealand) Limited (MSD) for the funding of pembrolizumab (Keytruda), posaconazole (Noxafil) and raltegravir (Isentress) and decisions to amend the Special Authority criteria applying to nivolumab and establish a “programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors” therapeutic sub-group from 1 September 2016.

This was the subject of a consultation letter dated 28 June 2016, available on PHARMAC’s website. No changes were made to the proposal following consultation.

In summary, the effect of the decisions is that from 1 September 2016:

• pembrolizumab (Keytruda) will be fully funded in DHB hospitals for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic (advanced) melanoma, subject to the same clinical criteria as nivolumab.
• a tablet form of the antifungal agent posaconazole (Noxafil) will be fully funded in DHB hospitals and the community, subject to certain clinical criteria being met.
• the contractual terms of listing posaconazole oral liquid (Noxafil) and raltegravir (Isentress) will be amended, without changing the funding of these treatments.
• the Special Authority criteria applying to nivolumab (Opdivo) will be amended so that it will also be funded for patients who experience early treatment intolerance on first-line pembrolizumab.

Read PHARMAC press release