Trastuzumab: Herceptin moved to Herzuma

From 1 October 2023, the Special Authority criteria for trastuzumab was changed to allow people using trastuzumab to have treatment holidays.

Treatment holidays allow people to take a break from long-term treatment. This reduces the time people spend receiving treatment so instead they can spend this time with their loved ones doing activities they enjoy.

The funding criteria for pertuzumab will also be changed to allow ‘treatment holidays’. Pertuzumab is another treatment for metastatic breast cancer and is funded for use in combination with intravenous trastuzumab.

People going on a treatment holiday and planning to restart treatment after 1 December 2023 will be given the new brand, Herzuma. 

Prescribing and dispensing

From 1 December 2023 and onwards, prescriptions for trastuzumab should be prescribed by brand (Herceptin or Herzuma) to avoid confusion around which product is intended.

Pharmacists should check prescriptions and dispensing histories to ensure the correct brand is dispensed. Any uncertainty should be discussed with the prescriber before dispensing

Moving people from Herceptin to Herzuma

From 1 December 2023, healthcare practitioners should identify everyone currently receiving treatment and discuss the most appropriate time for them to move from Herceptin to Herzuma, where treatment will be ongoing.

Alternatively, this conversation could place when their Herceptin Special Authority was due for renewal.

We worked with the Ministry of Health to ensure there is smooth transition for people receiving treatment with trastuzumab. All patients with a Special Authority approval for Herceptin had an approval for Herzuma from 1 December 2023. This was done automatically, neither you nor your patient needed to do anything.

Counselling and reassurance is vital for people changing to or starting on Herzuma. 

Resources

We worked with the sector and the supplier to ensure that healthcare practitioners and providers have the information they need to support a smooth transition.

Information and education resources for healthcare professionals are available from Celtrion(external link), the supplier of Herzuma. 

Throughout this transition process, please give us any feedback or suggestions where we can give you further clarity or support.

We know that you might be worried about changing your treatment options or starting a new treatment. We're sharing as much information as possible to help you with this change.

Medsafe have assessed Herzuma as a safe and effective treatment for all New Zealanders. Herzuma has been used in other countries and privately in New Zealand for a number of years with positive results.

Please talk to your treating clinician if you have any questions or concerns.

Resources about Herzuma(external link)

Please reach out with feedback or suggestions so you can get any clarity or support you need.

A biosimilar medicine is a very similar version of a biological medicine. Biologic medicines are made from living organisms which means small differences may occur between different products. These medicines are large complex molecules. However, biosimilar medicines are as safe and effective as the original biological medicine.

We are changing to a biosimilar trastuzumab from the original brand (Herceptin) following the decision of a competitive procurement process. Moving to the biosimilar, Herzuma, has allowed us to release funds to widen access to the treatment.

About biologic and biosimilar medicines - Pharmac's website

Biologic and biosimilar medicines - Healthify NZ(external link)

Several educational resources about biosimilars are available for clinicians :

Introduction to biological medicines(external link) (He Ako Hiringa)

Biosimilars: A promising new era(external link) (He Ako Hiringa)

Biosimilars: the future of prescribing biological medicines(external link) (Best Practice Advocacy Centre New Zealand – BPAC)