Pharmac consultation on adalimumab biosimilar

Kia ora,
 
Pharmac is consulting on a proposal to widen access to, and award principal supply of adalimumab (biosimilar).
 
We want to hear from people about this proposal which would give more New Zealanders access to adalimumab.
 
Please share this information
 
We want to make sure everyone who might be interested is aware of these proposed changes. Please share this information with people you think might want to provide feedback on this consultation.
 

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Details about this proposal
 
We are proposing to make changes to the funded brand of adalimumab, from Humira to a citrate-free biosimilar called Amgevita. Amgevita is Medsafe registered and is supplied by Amgen in more than 40 countries around the world.
 
If the proposal is approved, a number of changes would occur. These include:

• Access to adalimumab (Amgevita) treatment would be widened for a range of uses, both new uses and to enable improved access to adalimumab treatment for currently funded uses.  
• A biosimilar adalimumab (Amgevita) would be funded from 1 February for all people starting on adalimumab treatment.
• People receiving treatment with the currently funded brand of adalimumab (Humira) before 1 February 2022 would move to Amgevita before 31 August 2022.
• Humira would remain funded for people who cannot successfully transition to Amgevita. This would mean these patients can continue receiving (or go back to receiving) funded treatment with Humira, in consultation with their prescriber.

More information on the changes that would occur if this proposal were to be approved is available in the attached consultation document.
 
Submitting your feedback
 
We welcome and value your feedback on this proposal. Please provide feedback by 5 pm, Wednesday 22 September 2021. Feedback can be submitted using this webform or emailed to consult@pharmac.govt.nz.

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