Proposal for the supply of perindopril tablets

What we’re proposing

We are seeking feedback on a proposal to secure supply of the funded brand of perindopril tablets. Perindopril is an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor medicine used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure and diabetic kidney disease. About 20,000 people currently use funded perindopril tablets.  

The Coversyl brand of perindopril tablets currently supplied by Servier Laboratories (Aust) Pty Ltd (“Servier”) would have Principal Supply Status from 1 January 2022.

A higher strength 8mg tablet would also be funded in the future, subject to Medsafe approval.

This proposal results from a competitive process to source an alternative long-term supply of perindopril tablets and follows Apotex New Zealand Limited’s (Apotex) decision to leave the New Zealand market and stop supplying Apo-Perindopril from early 2021.

Consultation closes at 4 pm on Tuesday, 16 November 2021 and feedback can be emailed to consult@pharmac.govt.nz.

To provide feedback

Consultation is a very important step in our process. When providing consultation feedback, you might want to think about the following:

• The impact of the additional strength of perindopril tablet (8mg)

Send us an email: consult@pharmac.govt.nz by 4pm Tuesday 16 November 2021.

All feedback received before the closing date will be considered by Pharmac’s Board (or its delegate) prior to making a decision on this proposal.

What would the effect be?

If this proposal is approved, no patients would be required to change brand.

In early 2021 Pharmac secured a short-term supply of Servier’s brand of perindopril (Coversyl) to ensure supply until a long-term solution could be found. This means patients on perindopril have already changed from the Apotex brand to the Servier brand. This proposal would mean Servier’s brand (Coversyl) would remain the funded brand of perindopril.

An 8 mg tablet would become available in the future in addition to the currently funded 2 mg and 4 mg strengths.  This would reduce the number of tablets some people need to take.

Who we think will be interested

• People with high blood pressure, heart failure and diabetic kidney disease and their family or whānau.
• People currently using the funded Coversyl brand of perindopril.
• Healthcare professionals who treat people with high blood pressure, heart failure and diabetic kidney disease.
• Hospital and community pharmacists, DHBs and wholesalers.
• Suppliers of pharmaceuticals to the New Zealand market.

About perindopril

Perindopril belongs to a group of medicines called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors which are used to treat a variety of conditions.

Perindopril may be used for the following conditions:

• High blood pressure 
• Heart failure 
• Diabetic kidney disease (diabetic nephropathy) 

The 2mg and 4mg tablet strengths of Coversyl perindopril have provisional Medsafe approval in New Zealand.

The 8 mg strength is not currently approved and is undergoing Medsafe regulatory assessment.

You can monitor the regulatory status of perindopril (Coversyl) on the Medsafe website.(external link)

Why we’re proposing this

Until early 2021, Apotex was the sole supplier of perindopril erbumine (Apo-Perindopril) to New Zealand. Following Apotex’s announcement that it is leaving the New Zealand market, Pharmac has sought to secure ongoing supply of perindopril through two open procurement processes over the last 18 months.

The first of these was the 2019/20 Annual Invitation to Tender and the second was the June 2020 ROI – supply of various pharmaceuticals. These processes were not successful for this market.

Pharmac then released a closed Request for Quotes on 25 August 2021 for the ongoing supply of perindopril. As a result of this procurement process and our analysis of the bids received, we have entered into a provisional agreement with Servier for the ongoing supply of perindopril.

This proposal would ensure a suitable medicine would continue to be available for New Zealanders who need it.

Feedback to this consultation will help us to decide whether to enter into the agreement with Servier.

Details about our proposal

Perindopril tab 2 mg and 4 mg would be listed in Section B and in Part II of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 January 2022 as follows:

Perindopril tab 8 mg would be listed following any provisional approval from Medsafe in Section B and Part II of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule as follows: 

Servier would hold Principal Supply Status (PSS) until 30 June 2024. There would be an Alternative Brand Allowance (ABA) of 5%, which means that 5% of perindopril purchased in hospitals and the community could be a brand that is not Coversyl.

The price and subsidy for the Coversyl brand of perindopril would be notified should Pharmac decide to progress the proposal following consideration of consultation feedback. Servier would work with wholesalers to ensure a smooth transition to the new pricing.

All feedback received before the closing date will be considered by Pharmac’s Board (or its delegate) prior to making a decision on this proposal.

Your feedback may be shared

Feedback we receive is subject to the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). Please be aware that we may need to share your feedback, including your identity, in response to an OIA request. This applies to anyone providing feedback, whether they are providing feedback themselves or for an organisation, in a personal or professional capacity.

We can only keep feedback confidential as allowed under the OIA and other related laws. If you want any part of your feedback treated as confidential, you need to tell us. Please let us know if you want to keep part of your feedback confidential, and why. Is it commercially sensitive, confidential or proprietary, or personal information? Clearly state this and tell us which parts of your feedback you want to keep confidential for these reasons. We will consider your request under our OIA requirements.