Adolescent and adult patients with uncontrolled eosinophilic or allergic severe asthma now have subsidised access to tezepelumab following its listing on the PBS this month.

Recommended by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee last November, tezepelumab (Tezspire) has been added to the highly specialised drugs program in its 210 mg/1.91 mL injection, 1.91 mL pen device form.

Among the extensive requirements for access, patients must have an asthma diagnosis for at least a year, be 12 years and older, be diagnosed by a multidisciplinary severe asthma clinic team or be under the care of the same physician for at least six months and meet the following clinical criteria:

• A blood eosinophil count of at least 300 cells/μL in the 12 months prior or
• A blood eosinophil count of at least 150 cells/μL while receiving treatment with oral corticosteroids in the 12 months prior to initiating treatment or
• A total serum human immunoglobulin E of at least 30 IU/mL in the 12 months prior that has past or current evidence of atopy, documented by either: (i) skin prick testing; or (ii) an in vitro measure of specific IgE.

Patients must have also had inadequately controlled asthma with optimised therapy, despite formal assessment of and adherence to correct inhaler technique.

The treatment also can’t be used in combination with and within 4 weeks of another PBS-subsidised biologic drug prescribed for any of: nasal polyps, uncontrolled severe allergic asthma or uncontrolled severe asthma.

Without PBS subsidy, patients might pay up to $1,600 per single injection, administered every four weeks, according to the federal health department.

In 2025, around 18,500 patients accessed a comparable PBS-listed treatment.

NIP expands pneumococcal vax access as cases surge

Meanwhile, a new 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is entering the National Immunisation Program, expanding funded access to more than five million adults.

Capvaxive (MSD) is now available free to adults aged 65 and over, down from the previous threshold of 70 years. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, eligibility drops from 50 years to 25 years, bringing an additional 1.8 million Australians into the program from July 1.

New at-risk categories have also been added, including adults with COPD, chronic bronchitis, emphysema and chronic liver disease.

Adults who have previously received a pneumococcal vaccine can be revaccinated with Capvaxive at least 12 months after their last dose.

The vaccine’s inclusion on the NIP comes amid concerning surveillance data, with 371 cases of invasive pneumococcal disease notified in the first quarter of 2026, a 17% rise on the same period last year. In 2025, notified case numbers among Australians aged 65–69 were almost 1.4 times higher than among those aged 70–74, and 37% of all invasive pneumococcal disease cases were reported in adults over 65.

Lung Foundation Australia CEO Mark Brooke welcomed the COPD inclusion, noting the organisation had long advocated for it. “For people living with COPD, respiratory infections can have a serious impact on their health and wellbeing,” he said. “Expanding access to pneumococcal vaccination is an important measure to help reduce this burden.”

Capvaxive covers 21 serotypes and, combined with the childhood schedule, the updated programs now cover a total of 31 strains of pneumococcal disease.

Common adverse events include injection site pain, redness, swelling, fatigue, headache, myalgia and fever, typically mild and resolving within three days.