Decision to remove restrictions from, and award a Tender to, candesartan cilexetil

Medicines Decision

We’re pleased to announce a decision to remove the funding restrictions on candesartan cilexetil, in conjunction with awarding of tenders to the Candestar brand of candesartan resulting from PHARMAC’s 2017/18 annual Invitation to Tender.

What we’re doing

We’re pleased to announce a decision to remove the funding restrictions on candesartan cilexetil, in conjunction with awarding of tenders to the Candestar brand of candesartan resulting from PHARMAC’s 2017/18 annual Invitation to Tender.

Candesartan cilexetil will be open-listed from 1 July 2018, both in the community and in hospitals.

Sole Subsidised Supply Status and Hospital Supply Status will apply to both strengths of Mylan’s Candestar brand of candesartan tablets until 30 June 2021.

This was the subject to a consultation letter dated 9 April 2018.

Any changes to the original proposal?

The decision is unchanged from the proposal consulted on.

Who we think will be most interested

  • Patients taking treatment for hypertension
  • Clinicians who manage treatment of hypertension and other cardiovascular issues, including general practitioners
  • Community and hospital pharmacies and pharmacists
  • Suppliers and wholesalers
  • Ministry of Health
  • Through the 2017/18 Invitation to Tender, PHARMAC has entered into a sole supply arrangement with Mylan for the continued funding of its brand of candesartan cilexetil (Candestar).

Detail about this decision

  • The 2017/18 Tender sought bids both on current access criteria and open access. PHARMAC has decided to accept Mylan’s bids for open access.
  • From 1 July 2018, the Special Authority restrictions will be removed from Section B, and the Indication Restrictions will be removed from Part II of Section H, for all presentations of candesartan cilexetil.
  • As Mylan is the incumbent supplier, there will be no change in brand.
  • From 1 July 2018, the prices and subsidies for the funded presentations of candesartan cilexetil (Candestar) will be reduced in Section B of the Pharmaceutical Schedule as follows:
    Chemical and presentation Brand Pack Size Current subsidy and price
    (ex-man., ex. GST)    		 New subsidy and price
    (ex-man., ex. GST)
    Candesartan cilexetil tab 4 mg Candestar 90 $2.50 $1.90
    Candesartan cilexetil tab 8 mg Candestar 90 $3.68 $2.28
    Candesartan cilexetil tab 16 mg Candestar 90 $6.12 $3.67
    Candesartan cilexetil tab 32 mg Candestar 90 $10.66 $6.39
  • The prices in Part II of Section H will also be reduced on 1 July 2018 as above.
  • Candestar tablets will have Sole Supply Status from 1 October 2018 until 30 June 2021, and will have Hospital Supply Status, with a DV Limit of 1%, from 1 September 2018 until 30 June 2021.

Our response to what you told us

We’re really grateful for the time people took to respond to this consultation. All responses to the consultation were supportive.

For more information on advice we received from our clinical committees, please see the links in our Application Tracker.

If you have any questions about this decision, you can email us at enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz; or call our toll free number (9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday) on 0800 66 00 50.