The Breast Cancer Foundation is welcoming news Pharmac is proposing to fund a new drug for those with an advanced form of incurable breast cancer.
Enhertu is a treatment given to patients with HER2-positive advanced breast cancer.
It was heralded as a “wonder drug” by the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ.
Trials showed patients reduced their risk of death by 27% and were given 29 months of progression free survival (time when their cancer didn’t get worse), the foundation said.
Other drugs included in Pharmac’s latest proposal for medicine funding are:
- Tagrisso for lung cancer
- Synagis for RSV
- Breztri Aerosphere for COPD
Chief executive of Breast Cancer Foundation NZ Ah-Leen Rayner said the availability of Enhertu would be “life-changing for our women”.
“Our country’s top breast cancer specialists declared Enhertu to be one of the top three priorities for unfunded drugs in New Zealand and the clinical trials for it have generated a level of excitement not seen in breast cancer since the emergence of Herceptin 20 years ago.
“Ground-breaking treatments like Enhertu can stop lives being cut short and if we can keep increasing access to new medicines like this, New Zealand can catch up with the rest of the world.”
Breast cancer affects one in nine women in New Zealand.
If approved by Pharmac, the medicines could be funded from January 2025.
Chair of the Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition Libby Burgess said: “This will give people more time with their families, allow them to continue contributing to their communities and working in their jobs. This is nothing short of outstanding.
“We’re absolutely delighted to see this announcement from Pharmac as it will truly benefit those with advanced HER2+ breast cancer if this medicine is funded.”
