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, Parkinsons and Alzheimers 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, Parkinsons and Alzheimers. 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 Alzheimers 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.

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Ground breaking deal provides new access for treatments