Vertex Pharmaceuticals has announced that Symdeko (tezacaftor/ivacaftor and ivacaftor) is now conditionally reimbursed in Australia for people with cystic fibrosis (CF) aged 12 and over.
To be reimbursed, patients must be homozygous for the F508del mutation or have one copy of the F508del mutation and another responsive residual function mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene.
In addition, Orkambi (lumacaftor/ivacaftor) is now also reimbursed for the treatment of children with CF aged from two to five years who have two copies of the F508del mutation in the CFTR gene. Patients over the age of six have been able to access Orkambi in Australia since October 2018.
Eligible patients will be able to access both medicines immediately. The medicines will be listed on the PBS from the beginning of December.
“We appreciate that the PBAC has recognised the value of these medicines to patients and thank the Department of Health and the Minister for Health in Australia for their strong engagement and collaboration to finalise the agreement,” Vertex International Senior Vice President Ludovic Fenaux said.
Vertex’s CF medicines are reimbursed in 17 countries, including Austria, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and the US.
