Dulaglutide (Trulicity) will be listed on the PBS from 1 June for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, the Federal Minister for Health Greg Hunt has announced.

The listing of the GLP-1 receptor agonist follows a successful application by Eli Lilly for the 1.5mg once weekly injection to be subsidised for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus as dual therapy in combination with metformin and triple therapy in combination with metformin and sulfonylurea.

At its November 2017 meeting the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) recommended listing of dulaglutide on the basis of comparative efficacy and safety studies against exenatide.

However the PBAC noted that “the requested listing, in line with the TGA registration, does not include use as a dual therapy with sulfonylurea, which is different to the exenatide listing, and may lead to use outside of the restriction.”

The listing of dulaglutide will give patients access to a medication that would otherwise cost more than $1700 a year, the minister said.