China-based biotech Antengene Corp., Ltd (HKG: 6996) has revealed that Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) will reimburse the firm’s Xpovio (selinexor) plus bortezomib and dexamethasone combination therapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (R/R MM), specifically for those who have previously received one other therapy. This marks an expansion of coverage, as Xpovio plus dexamethasone was previously granted reimbursement for R/R MM.
Xpovio: The First and Only Oral XPO1 Inhibitor
Discovered by US-based Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: KPTI), Xpovio is the world’s first and only FDA-approved oral XPO1 inhibitor, used to treat hematological malignancies. Karyopharm licensed the rights for the drug to Antengene in Greater China, South Korea, and ASEAN countries in May 2018. The drug received its first approval in the US to treat R/R MM and R/R DLBCL in 2019, followed by conditional approval in China in November 2021. It has since gained market approval in Singapore and Australia in March 2022.
Broadening Access to Xpovio for Patients with R/R MM
The inclusion of Xpovio in the Australian PBS is a significant step forward in broadening access to this innovative treatment for patients with R/R MM. The reimbursement coverage will help reduce the financial burden on patients and improve the affordability of this potentially life-changing therapy.-Fineline Info & Tech
