Eculizumab for aHUS: utilisation update
Page last updated: 12 July 2019
Drug utilisation sub-committee (DUSC)
February 2019
Abstract
Purpose
In September 2017, DUSC considered a 24 month predicted versus actual utilisation analysis of eculizumab for the treatment of atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS). The committee requested a brief update on utilisation when an additional 12 months of data were available; including the number of initiating and prevalent patients, and the extent of continuation, stopping and restarting therapy.
Date of listing on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
1 December 2014
Data Source / methodology
The analyses used data from the Department of Human Services (DHS) supplied prescriptions database for dates of supply up to and including 30 September 2018. Analyses in the report include:
- New and prevalent patient counts by year
- Prescriptions by treatment phase
- Patient age at initiation
- Hospital setting
- Prescriber type
- Length of treatment
Key Findings
- Since its listing in December 2014, 220 patients have been supplied eculizumab for aHUS (to September 2018). Of these 220 people,
- 82 people were on treatment at the end of the analysis period (September 2018); meaning 138 people had stopped treatment.
- 12 had a break (of more than 84 days) followed by a second treatment episode.
- In 2017, there were 109 patients supplied eculizumab; of whom 48 received their first PBS supply in 2017.
- The rate of growth in PBS patients has declined each year.
