HPR35 The Impact of Biosimilar Trastuzumab on Drug Spending in Australia

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women in Australia with an estimated 20,000 cases diagnosed in 2021. Trastuzumab is the used for the treatment of HER-2 positive breast cancer. It lost exclusivity in 2019 and within a year five biosimilars were reimbursed through the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Pharmaceuticals in Australia are subject to an initial statutory price decrease followed by an ongoing review of the price through a process called price disclosure. This study sought to investigate the uptake rate, price evolution and budget impact of the reimbursement of trastuzumab biosimilars in Australia.