MSD’s PD-L1 inhibitor receives early access funding after after U-turn decision

Pharma News: Health New Zealand has unexpectedly decided to offer a small group of cancer patients early access to MSD’s PD-L1 inhibitor, despite an earlier stance against it.

Pharmac is due to provide Keytruda (pembrolizumab) funding for head and neck cancer, triple negative breast cancer, colorectal cancer, bladder cancer and Hodgkin lymphoma from 1 October 2024. 

Despite MSD’s efforts to create an Early Access Programme (EAP) that would allow eligible patients to receive Keytruda before this date, Health New Zealand had previously stated that providing the treatment early would be inappropriate. The regulator cited the ongoing process of assembling waitlists based on clinical need as a key reason for delaying early access.

In a surprising reversal, Health New Zealand has now confirmed that, following “further advice from Health NZ clinicians,” it will allow approximately 20 to 30 patients to receive the treatment ahead of schedule.

“Implementation includes the Special Authority which defines eligibility to medications. This process is led by clinical advice informed by clinical trials and evidence.

“Health NZ is also growing the workforce and putting in place infrastructure, such as infusion capacity, to be able to accommodate this additional need in the public system,” Health NZ stated.

In related news, MSD announced the results of its Phase 3 KEYNOTE-811 trial met dual primary endpoint of overall survival (OS) as first-line treatment in patients with HER2-positive advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.

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