Vorasidenib, a breakthrough targeted treatment for people with IDH-mutant grade 2 glioma, is now listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), making it more accessible to eligible Australians.
For people living with low-grade glioma, this is a significant milestone.
Vorasidenib, marketed as Voranigo, has the potential to delay tumour progression and the need for more intensive treatment. But a breakthrough treatment can only make a difference if the people who need it can access it.
PBS listing means eligible Australians can now access vorasidenib at a subsidised cost, removing a significant financial barrier to treatment. To put this into perspective, without PBS support, patients could face costs of about $28,000 for a 30-day supply.
For people like Jorge, that could make all the difference.
A new treatment option for people living with low-grade glioma
Vorasidenib is a targeted treatment for people with gliomas that have a specific genetic change known as an IDH mutation.
Unlike traditional chemotherapy, vorasidenib is designed to target the altered IDH enzyme that contributes to the growth of IDH-mutant gliomas.
Clinical trial results have shown that vorasidenib can delay tumour progression and the time until people need to start more intensive treatment.
For eligible people living with IDH-mutant grade 2 glioma, this represents a significant advance in treatment and a new option that may change the course of their care.
What does PBS listing mean?
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) subsidises the cost of prescription medicines for eligible Australians. With vorasidenib now PBS-listed, eligible people with IDH-mutant grade 2 glioma can access the treatment at a significantly reduced cost (subject to the PBS eligibility criteria).
What this means for people living with low-grade glioma
For people living with low-grade glioma, access to a new treatment is about more than having another option. It’s also about whether they can realistically afford to access it.
For Jorge, who has been living with low-grade glioma for 14 years, the PBS listing of vorasidenib means he can access a treatment that he says he could not otherwise afford.
“Having the drug listed on the PBS is going to give me an incredible peace of mind. Because – to put it frankly – I could not afford the drug otherwise. This is something that has changed my life so dramatically. I can see the future again.”
Jorge
Living with low-grade glioma
For Jorge, the PBS listing is more than a policy change. It means having greater certainty that he can access a treatment that may help delay tumour progression and the need for more intensive treatment.
From research breakthrough to real-world impact
The journey from a scientific discovery to a treatment that people can access takes years of research, clinical trials and collaboration.
Vorasidenib is an example of what can happen when research leads to new treatment options for people living with brain cancer.
But a breakthrough in the laboratory is only part of the journey.
For a treatment to make a difference, people need to be able to access it.
That’s why PBS listing matters.
It is the point where a scientific breakthrough can begin to translate into real-world impact for people and families living with brain cancer.
Community support
People living with brain cancer and their families have an important role to play in shaping the future of treatment.
As part of the process to secure access to vorasidenib, 827 people affected by brain tumours shared their lived experiences and helped demonstrate why access to this treatment matters.
Their stories provided important evidence of the real-world impact of living with brain cancer and the difference that new treatment options could make.
For people like Jorge, having the opportunity to share their experiences means decision-makers can better understand what access to new treatments can mean beyond the clinical evidence.
Advocating for access
For a breakthrough treatment to make a difference, people need to be able to access it.
Cure Brain Cancer Foundation joined the call for vorasidenib to be made accessible to eligible Australians through the PBS, informed by the experiences of people living with brain cancer and their families.
Together, the brain cancer community shared their experiences and made clear why access to new treatment options matters.
The PBS listing of vorasidenib is a significant milestone and a powerful example of what can happen when research, advocacy and the voices of people affected by brain cancer come together.
A breakthrough made possible by research
The development of treatments like vorasidenib demonstrates why investment in brain cancer research matters.
Every breakthrough begins with research. It takes years of scientific discovery, clinical trials and collaboration to turn research findings into treatments that can make a difference to people’s lives.
Vorasidenib is an important milestone.
But there is still more work to do.
Too many people diagnosed with brain cancer still face limited treatment options and poor outcomes.
We need to keep investing in research. We need to keep listening to people affected by brain cancer. And we need to keep advocating for access to treatments that can make a difference.
Together, we can help make the next breakthrough possible.
Important information
Vorasidenib is a prescription medicine. PBS-subsidised access is subject to specific eligibility criteria. People living with brain cancer should speak with their treating medical team to determine whether vorasidenib is appropriate for them.
For the latest information about PBS eligibility and access, speak with your treating medical team or visit the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme website.
