PBS listing for ROS-1 positive NSCLC therapy

Lung cancer

By Michael Woodhead

4 Aug 2020

The ROS1 inhibitor entrectinib has been listed on the PBS for the treatment of patients with ROS-1 positive NSCLC.

From 1 August, Roche’s entrectinib will be subsidised for patients with locally advanced (Stage IIIB) or metastatic (Stage IV)  non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with a c-ROS proto-oncogene 1 (ROS1) gene rearrangement.

Treatment eligibility is dependent on testing for ROS-1 gene arrangement.

The PBS listing was recommended by the PBAC at its March 2020 meeting, at which it noted that there was a clinical need for alternative treatment options for patients with ROS1-positive NSCLC, particularly for patients who are unsuitable or intolerant to crizotinib.

The PBAC recommended listing but with a restriction of access to entrectinib to ROS1 inhibitor naïve patients and patients who have developed intolerance to a ROS1-inhibitor

The listing means that a treatment that might otherwise cost more than $177,000 per course would be available to patients for the cost of a general prescription.

Also listed on the PBS from 1 August is lorlatinib (Lorviqua, Pfizer) for the treatment of metastatic ALK-positive NSCLC in patients who have disease progression following prior treatment with a ALK inhibitor.

Without PBS subsidy, patients might pay more than $59,000 per course of treatment.

Access to olaparib (Lynparza, AstraZeneca) on the PBS is also widened for the treatment of high-grade serous ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer and primary peritoneal cancer.

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