Good news for New Zealanders with advanced triple negative breast cancer. From 1st October 2024 Pharmac will fund Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for those with recurrent or metastatic triple negative breast cancer. Around 15% of all breast cancers, and 16% of metastatic breast cancers, are classified as triple negative. This type of breast cancer does not respond to medicines that target HER2 or oestrogen receptors and until now only chemotherapy was available for these patients in our public system. Keytruda is an immunotherapy that is expected to improve progression-free survival, overall survival and quality of life for people with triple negative breast cancer who have a PD-L1 Combined Positive Score ≥10.
BCAC has urged supplier Merck Sharpe and Dohme to provide Keytruda for free to those who need it now, before the Pharmac funding kicks in and they have said that they are working hard on this.
BCAC has responded to Pharmac’s consultation on Keytruda to ensure that all patients with locally advanced inoperable disease, whether recurrent or de novo, will be included and to make the case for urgent funding of this vital immunotherapy for those with early-stage triple negative breast cancer as well.
Read BCAC's response to Pharmac's proposal at the link below.
