12 May 2016 - PHARMAC is pleased to announce the approval of an agreement with Janssen-Cilag for the listing of bedaquiline fumarate (Sirturo) and siltuximab (Sylvant).

The agreement is the fourth that PHARMAC has reached with a bidder following a Request for Proposals that was run in 2014, related to the supply of medicines for rare disorders.

This was the subject of a consultation letter dated 12 April 2016, available on PHARMAC’s website.

In summary, the effect of the decision is that:

• Bedaquiline fumarate (Sirturo) will be funded in the community and in DHB hospitals for treatment of extensively drug resistant tuberculosis. Listing in the Pharmaceutical Schedule will occur subject to Medsafe approval of the pharmaceutical.
• Siltuximab (Sylvant) will be funded in the community and in DHB hospitals for treatment of HHV-8 negative idiopathic multicentric Castleman’s disease. This listing will occur from 1 June 2016.

For more details, go to: http://www.pharmac.govt.nz/news/notification-2016-05-12-bedaquiline-siltuximab-rare-disorders/