Pharmac Widening Access To A Treatment For People With A Rare Blood Cancer

People in New Zealand living with a type of blood cancer,
systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (sALCL), will
benefit from wider access to the medicine brentuximab
vedotin, from 1 April 2026.

This change comes after
Pharmac consulted on a proposal for brentuximab vedotin to
be used as a first-line treatment option in people newly
diagnosed with sALCL.

“This will mean people could
receive brentuximab vedotin as a first treatment option,
instead of waiting until other options have been tried,”
says Pharmac’s Manager of Pharmaceutical Funding, Claire
Pouwels. “Around 12 people are expected to benefit in the
first year, with around 60 people benefitting over the next
5 years.”

Brentuximab vedotin is currently funded
only for people whose lymphoma has returned or has not
responded to earlier treatment. Using brentuximab vedotin
earlier is expected to support better outcomes for people
with sALCL, who often face poor survival rates and
significant health needs.

“Systemic anaplastic large
cell lymphoma is rare form of cancer that is often diagnosed
in people under 55,” says Pouwels. “Making this
treatment available earlier has the potential to improve
both survival and quality of
life.”

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