AstraZeneca’s SGLT-2 inhibitor PBS listed for patients with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk

More than 100,000 Australians living with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular risk will gain earlier access to AstraZeneca’s SGLT-2 inhibitor Forxiga (dapagliflozin) and the combination therapy Xigduo XR (dapagliflozin/metformin) through an expanded Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) listing from 1 December.

Type 2 diabetes remains the fastest-growing common chronic condition in Australia, with approximately 1.2 million individuals formally diagnosed and an estimated additional 500,000 living undiagnosed. Compounding the challenge, about 30% of type 2 diabetes patients also live with cardiovascular disease, which continues to be the leading cause of death among Australians.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler MP highlighted the critical impact of the decision, stating, “Dealing with type 2 diabetes is one of the most significant health challenges that this country has right now. [The earlier access] will provide an extraordinary amount of support, not just in terms of the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of diabetes patients, but also their productivity, their ability to go about work and other parts of life as well.”

The announcement is also expected to shift the clinical approach to diabetes management. Professor Jonathon Shaw, Deputy Director (Clinical and Population Health) at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, explained, “This is a big change in the way that we can use these medications. It will also help to refocus, not only doctors, but also people with diabetes, on the risk of the outcomes such as cardiovascular disease, and not just focus on the number of the blood sugar. It is a very important number, but it’s not the only thing to focus on, and this allows us to broaden that focus, and therefore will allow us to broaden the benefits of what we can do to help people with type 2 diabetes.”

The broadening of the PBS listing has been welcomed by Diabetes Australia and the Australian Diabetes Society as a significant step forward in managing the chronic condition.

“These are important medicines because of the strong link between diabetes and heart disease, so it’s important to remove barriers to people accessing them. We know from our recent cost of living survey that people living with diabetes are really struggling with the cost of living, so this is good news for the diabetes community,” a Diabetes Australia spokesperson emphasised.

Ben McDonald, Country President of AstraZeneca Australia and New Zealand, said, “It is really a major shift for Australian diabetes patients. This particular PBS listing means that patients with type 2 diabetes now don’t need to wait until their blood sugar levels increase to a certain point; they can now access Forxiga and Xigduo XR earlier.”

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