Listings for biosimilar uptake drivers expanded

Amended prescribing information has been released for two biosimilar uptake drivers listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), as part of the Biosimilar Awareness Initiative.

Infliximab is listed on the PBS as biosimilar brands Renflexis and Inflectra, together with the reference biological medicine Remicade, for treatment-naive cases of Crohn’s disease.

Under recently made changes to its PBS listing, prescriptions for subsequent continuing treatment with Renflexis and Inflectra in public hospitals can now be written using an Authority Required (streamlined) code. In private hospitals, such prescriptions can be written using an online approval or Authority Required (telephone) code.

Authority levels for Inflectra, Remicade or Reflexis for initial and first continuing treatment remain unchanged, as do Remicade prescriptions for subsequent continuing treatment.

Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits listings for initial treatment with infliximab will now also  carry a note encouraging the prescription of Renflexis and Inflectra for treatment-naive patients.

Meanwhile, the PBS listing for etanercept has also been updated, allowing prescriptions for Brenzys – a biosimilar brand of the reference biological medicine Enbrel – to be written using an Authority Required (streamlined) code for subsequent continuing treatment.

Other authority levels for Brenzys and Enbrel remain unchanged.

Information on the Biosimilar Awareness Initiative and Biosimilar Uptake Drivers, including fact sheets for pharmacists on PBS listings, is available here.