17 drugs eye August listing

Twelve drugs have joined the PBS listing wait queue after reaching the last stage before listing occurs, bringing the total number of contenders for an August PBS listing to 17.

Recently joining the wait list is Apellis’ Syfovre, which is a step off becoming the first treatment for geographic atrophy to be listed on the PBS after reaching the government processes stage in June, also known as the last stage before listing occurs.

Although Syfovre contains pegcetacoplan, the same active ingredient as Sobi’s PBS listed paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria drug Empaveli it is administered via an intravitreal injection rather than a subcutaneous injection.