Ground breaking deal provides new access for treatments

Ground breaking deal provides new access for thousands of New Zealanders to medical treatments

Multiple sclerosis (MS), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) asthma, cystic fibrosis, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s among disease targets in major Novartis-PHARMAC deal

Auckland, Friday 10th October 2014. New Zealanders will gain new access to the highest number of medicines and targeted treatment areas ever agreed in a single arrangement under a deal jointly announced by PHARMAC and Novartis today.

Collectively, an estimated 300,000*[1]-5 New Zealanders stand to benefit from new access to treatments or expanded treatment options.

Welcoming the deal as a ground breaking example of what can be achieved when industry and PHARMAC work together, Tim Jones, Novartis’ Country Group Manager, New Zealand, said the treatments would give patients more options and in some cases make a vital difference to managing very serious conditions.

The deal covers new access to nine treatments for diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, cystic fibrosis, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. A further six products provide an expanded range of treatment options.

Access to Gilenya® (fingolimod) for patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) will provide an oral treatment for the first time. It will have a direct and positive impact on the quality of life for New Zealanders – and is an alternative treatment option for those who currently have injections to manage or prevent potentially crippling attacks that can leave them hospitalised or incapacitated for several days.6-10

Patients with COPD, now affecting 200,000 New Zealanders1, will gain extra treatment options with high efficacy.11-12 Alzheimer’s patients, for whom there are currently very few treatments, will be able to access an additional patch treatment option.

A treatment for chronic myeloid leukaemia, Tasigna® (nilotinib), will provide access to the latest generation of medicines transforming treatment of the disease.13

“We are thrilled by what this deal has been able to achieve in bringing a much-expanded range of advanced and additional treatments to New Zealanders, many of which doctors and patients have been calling for,” Mr Jones said.

“It has taken a long time and a lot of work to get this deal done. It shows what can be achieved by PHARMAC and industry taking a fresh approach to working together to bring off something that is big and will make a substantial difference to the quality of New Zealand health care.”

Stuart McLauchlan, Chair of PHARMAC, said that they had been very pleased to work so closely with Novartis in finding ways to significantly improve access to treatments.

“This is an exciting step and we are pleased to be able to work together with industry to deliver on our key goal of ensuring New Zealanders have access to treatments they need,” he said.

Patients with MS are supported by groups like Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand (MSNZ) who provide disease awareness and education. Patients with COPD are supported by groups like Asthma and Respiratory Foundation, New Zealand. Patients with CML are supported by Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand.

-ENDS-

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