Omalizumab and mepolizumab patient numbers and Special Authority approvals in past 5 years
28 October 2021
Dear [name and contact details withheld]
Request for information
Thank you for your request dated 1 October 2021 under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) for information relating to omalizumab and mepolizumab. You requested:
Number of Special Authorities (divided into initial applications and renewals) issued annually for the following treatments for severe asthma:
- Omalizumab for past 5 years (listed under SA1744)
- Mepolizumab since April 2020 (listed under SA 1896)
Number of Patients Treated for Severe Asthma Annually for the Past 5 years (or since date of listing for mepolizumab) for the following treatments
- Omalizumab
- Mepolizumab
Please see the tables below for data for your request.
Number of Special Authorities approved annually for 'Severe Asthma' or 'Severe eosinophilic asthma' in the last 5 years
Initial applications
Mepolizumab | Omalizumab | ||
---|---|---|---|
SA1896 | SA1490* | SA1744 | |
2016 | ≤10 | ||
2017 | 19 | ||
2018 | ≤10 | 22 | |
2019 | 52 | ||
2020 | 140 | 29 | |
2021 | 123 | 25 | |
Grand Total | 263 | 36 | 128 |
Renewal applications
Mepolizumab | Omalizumab | ||
---|---|---|---|
SA1896 | SA1490* | SA1744 | |
2016 | ≤10 | ||
2017 | 16 | ||
2018 | 12 | ≤10 | |
2019 | 44 | ||
2020 | ≤10 | 40 | |
2021 | 64 | 27 | |
Grand Total | 66 | 34 | 113 |
*SA1490 was replaced by SA1744 on 1/10/2018 when access to omalizumab was widened.
The number of patients, by calendar year, who have been dispensed at least once under the indication 'severe asthma'/'severe eosinophilic asthma' under the given SA form numbers in the last 5 years
Mepolizumab | Omalizumab | ||
---|---|---|---|
SA1896 | SA1490* | SA1744 | |
2016 | ≤10 | ||
2017 | 35 | ||
2018 | 36 | 16 | |
2019 | 22 | 80 | |
2020 | 122 | 12 | 105 |
2021 | 238 | 113 | |
Grand Total | 360 | 120 | 314 |
Please note:
- Latest Dispensing Data we can provide is to 31 July 2021
- Years are in Calendar Years
- While in some cases we have data on the specific Special Authority criteria used in Special Authority applications, PHARMAC cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this data.
We trust that this information answers your queries. We are making our information more freely available, so we now publish selected OIA responses (excluding personal details) on our website. Please get in touch with us if you have any questions about this.
Yours sincerely
Rachel Read
Manager, Policy and Government Services