Analysis of nusinersen for spinal muscular atrophy (adults), June 2025
Page last updated: 2 December 2025
Drug utilisation sub-committee (DUSC)
June 2025
Abstract
Purpose
To review the utilisation of nusinersen for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in adult patients as requested by the PBAC at its March 2022 meeting.
Date of listing on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
Nusinersen was PBS listed for the treatment of SMA in adult patients on 1 August 2022.
Data Source / methodology
Data extracted from the PBS database maintained by Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, processed by Services Australia were used for the analyses.
Key Findings
- In 2023, 93 adult patients were supplied 314 prescriptions for the treatment of SMA.
- In 2024, 80 adult patients were supplied 230 prescriptions for the treatment of SMA.
- The median age of initiating nusinersen patients was 37 years.
- The data was too immature to analyse the time on nusinersen treatment, the median treatment duration was not reached by the analysis end date.
A greater number of adult patients have been treated with risdiplam compared to nusinersen.
