IPSEN Australia's Cabometyx (cabozantinib), a once-daily oral medication for thyroid cancer, is now available on the PBS.
The medication is for patients with locally advanced or metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) that has progressed after prior VEGFR-targeted therapy, and is refractory or ineligible for radioactive iodine (RAI).
In Australia, thyroid cancer cases have quadrupled since 1982, with 1.2% of Australians projected to be diagnosed by age 85.
DTC, the most common form, affects around 4,000 Australians annually, predominantly women.
Though typically treatable when detected early, some DTCs can aggressively spread to other body parts, such as the lungs and bones.
While the prognosis for DTC is generally positive, with an 80-95% 10-year life expectancy, those resistant to RAI have a reduced expectancy of three to five years.
Beverley Garside, CEO of The Australian Thyroid Foundation, said the PBS listing of Cabometyx was a significant step for patients.
"The approval of Cabometyx offers an alternative treatment for those who have exhausted other options, alleviating the financial burden on patients," said Garside. JG
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