People who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis will benefit from several new listings to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) next week.
Actemra (tocilizumab), Cimzia (certolizumab pegol), and Simponi (golimumab) will be added to the PBS from 1 August for the treatment of the autoimmune disease.
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Actemra will be subsidised for adults with severe, active rheumatoid arthritis who have failed treatment with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).
It is the first biologic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis specifically targeting the function of interleukin-6 (IL6), the most abundant cytokine in the in the synovial fluid of people with the condition and a key driver of the chronic inflammation, joint damage and anaemia associated with the disease.
Cimzia, the first PEGylated anti-TNF for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, will be available on the PBS for the treatment of severe active rheumatoid arthritis as an authority prescription in combination with methotrexate (MTX) or as monotherapy. It is administered as a subcutaneous injection using a pre-filled syringe.
“Cimzia has a rapid onset of action, with clinical trials showing evidence of patient’s response after the first injection,” says Dr Stephen Hall, a Melbourne rheumatologist.
Simponi will be PBS listed on the PBS for three rheumatology conditions - rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.
It is the first monthly subcutaneous anti-TNF to offer patients monthly dosing. Recent research that shows minimising the number of injections has become a serious consideration in choice of therapy: 78 – 90 per cent of surveyed patients reported disliking at least one aspect of administering their subcutaneous injection, including 10 per cent admitting to skipping an injection because of the pain.
In Australia, approximately 500,000 people are affected by rheumatoid arthritis.
