1 March 2019 - The public summary documents (positive recommendations and subsequent decisions not to recommend) from the November 2018 PBAC meeting are now available.

Analysis of the first tranche of PSDs from the November 2018 meeting reveals the following pricing insights:

• The PBAC rejected Amgen's submission for a revised (higher) price for denosumab for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma as the price proposal did not meet the requirements of a CMA.
  
• Despite the submission not including an economic evaluation, the PBAC recommended the listing of lacosamide tablets and oral solution for the treatment of patients aged 4-15 years with intractable partial onset epileptic seizures on the basis that for some patients it provides a significant improvement over placebo.  The PBAC accepted a price premium for the oral solution was appropriate.
  
• The PBAC considered a request from Eisai to revise the dose relativity for lenvatinib mesylate versus sorafenib tosylate for liver cancer as determined in July. The PBAC reaffirmed its July 2018 advice that lenvatinib be listed on a cost-minimisation basis compared to sorafenib with the equi-effective doses based on the mean treatment durations and mean doses from Study 304. Nonetheless, the PBAC further recommended that it may be reasonable that the drug cost for lenvatinib be no more than 5% higher than the price of sorafenib using the previously recommended equi-effective doses reflecting its different safety profile.
  
• The PBAC considered a minor submission from Seqiris to list of a new oral liquid formulation of riluzole for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Riluzole tablets (Rilutek) were listed on the PBS on 1 July 2003 and is currently listed in F2. The PBAC recommended the listing of a new liquid formulation of riluzole  on a cost minimisation basis with riluzole tablets, with a price premium as this form of riluzole offers an advantage to some patients with this disease. The PBAC considered that a price premium around 5-10% higher per mL for the liquid formulation over the tablet formulation may be considered reasonable.
  

Read PBAC public summary documents