26 November 2014
Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia welcomes the reimbursement of Xtandi in Australia
Wednesday 26 November 2014: Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) welcomes the reimbursement of a new therapy called Xtandi (enzalutamide) for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer via the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from 1st December.
XTANDI is manufactured by Astellas Pharma and will now be available in Australia for the treatment of men with castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer (mCRPC), whose disease has progressed on or after docetaxel therapy.
This marks an important step in the management of metastatic prostate cancer as enzalutamide is the latest in a new generation of antineoplastic agents which can extend survival and improve the quality of life for men with mCRPC.
Associate Professor Anthony Lowe, PCFA’s Chief Executive Officer, welcomed the reimbursement news saying this is a positive development as it allows patients access to an additional treatment option for advanced prostate cancer. He said it has the potential to extend the amount of time they have with their families and improve their quality of life during treatment.
"Clinical studies have shown that Xtandi can improve survival rates and quality of life for patients suffering from the metastatic form of this disease. It is currently estimated that there are approximately 22,000 men in Australia living with advanced prostate cancer. This is very positive news which has the potential to benefit many of those men," said Associate Professor Lowe.
