Kiwis with advanced triple negative breast cancer get the news they’ve been waiting for

It’s a historic day for New Zealanders with the most aggressive form of breast cancer, as Pharmac announces a consultation that would see pembrolizumab (brand name Keytruda) funded for people with advanced triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) from 1 October.

Keytruda will be the first publicly available drug for advanced TNBC, a form of breast cancer which doesn’t respond to other targeted or hormonal treatments.

Ah-Leen Rayner, chief executive of Breast Cancer Foundation NZ, is thanking Pharmac for its swift work and the Government for providing the $604 million for more medicines.

“We are ecstatic Kiwis with advanced triple negative breast cancer will finally be able to get the life-extending treatment they need. Keytruda is a breakthrough drug that can help patients live significantly longer and healthier lives, and it’s recognised internationally as the best way to treat this form of the disease,” she says.

“Pharmac has done well to work at pace to include Keytruda within the first tranche of cancer medicines as part of the Government’s $604 million funding boost. This shows what can be achieved with increased budget and quick processes – something we need to see more of.

“The obvious next step is for Pharmac to expand access to Keytruda for early triple negative breast cancer, and fund a new drug desperately needed by patients with advanced HER-2 positive breast cancer called Enhertu.”

While today’s news is specific to patients with advanced TNBC, clinical trials have also shown Keytruda can help people with earlier stages of TNBC by preventing their disease from spreading to other parts of the body.

Breast Cancer Foundation NZ has been advocating for Keytruda to be funded for both early and advanced TNBC, given the drug’s potential to make a huge difference for both patient groups, as well as the drug Enhertu for advanced HER-2 positive breast cancer.

Enhertu (also called trastuzumab deruxtecan or T-Dxd) has been heralded as a wonder drug for advanced HER-2 positive breast cancer – another highly aggressive form of the disease. It is on Pharmac’s Options for Investment list, so the Foundation is hoping to see this funded quickly too. In 2022, the country’s top breast cancer specialists declared Enhertu to be one of the top three priorities for unfunded drugs in New Zealand, given its potential benefit.