Will this drug finally reach Aust?

Roche is having another tilt at bringing Susvimo to Australia and is actively pursuing public funding, as it seeks to reshape the anti-VEGF treatment landscape by offering a long-acting alternative to regular intravitreal injections.

Susvimo, which contains the same active as Novartis’ Lucentis, is given via refillable eye implant designed to release the medicine into the eye continuously for about six months rather than monthly eye injections.

While it is yet to appear on the ARTG, a submission to the PBAC’s July meeting and more recently an update from MSAC, shows Roche is yet again gearing up to make the eye implant available and accessible to Australian patients.