On 10 January 2025, New Zealand’s Pharmac announced that it will be expanding access to Amgen’s Prolia® and Xgeva® (denosumab).
Both Xgeva® (70mg/ml solution for injection, for various bone-related cancer indications) and Prolia® (60mg/ml, for severe osteoporosis) are approved in New Zealand, but only Prolia® is currently funded by Pharmac. The Pharmac announcement will result in a new strength and presentation of Xgeva® (120 mg solution for injection) being listed for hypercalcaemia associated with cancer from 1 February 2025 and widened access to Prolia®, for more people with osteoporosis, from 1 March 2025 (in both cases subject to eligibility criteria). The price of both presentations will be reduced annually between 2025 and 2027.
Pharmac’s decision to widen access to Prolia® and Xgeva® follows a public consultation commenced on 31 October 2024.