Children aged 2 to 5 living with cystic fibrosis will be able to access ivacaftor (Kalydeco) on the PBS, the federal government has announced.

Prior to today’s announcement only children six years of age and older with the G551D or other class III gating mutations had subsidised access to the drug.

Ivacaftor will be formally added to the PBS on 1 May 2017 but until then manufacturer Vertex will give free access to eligible children.

Vertex Australia Country Manager Eilis Quinn said:

“Because early intervention is critical to preventing damage, we will be providing early access to the medicine for all eligible children while the Department of Health finalises the administrative arrangements for PBS listing over the next three months”.

“Working closely with the CF clinics around Australia, we hope to make Kalydeco available from this week,” she said.