The Federal Government will list Darzalex on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme from January 1, reducing the annual cost for patients from up to $160,000 to as little as $480. The drug treats multiple myeloma, an incurable blood cancer affecting an estimated 18,000 to 20,000 Australians.
Darzalex works by binding to cancerous plasma cells and either destroying them directly or helping the immune system identify and kill them. Professor Miles Prince of Epworth Health Care described it as a 'completely new' treatment that can make the disease undetectable for long periods, though it does not provide a cure.
About 1,165 patients are expected to benefit from the subsidy, which will be available as a second-line treatment for those who relapse. Concession card holders will pay even less than the $40 per month standard cost.
Steve Roach, CEO of Myeloma Australia, called the announcement 'enormous' and 'heart-lifting' for patients and families. He noted that living with an incurable disease is difficult, especially when it is not widely understood, but said the government's action creates hope and shows the condition is being taken seriously.
