By Wednesday, 24 September 2025, 11:26 Am Press Release: Roche New Zealand

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AUCKLAND Wednesday, 24 September 2025 –
Roche Products (New Zealand) Ltd today welcomed
Pharmac’s decision to consult on proposed funding of four
treatments that could transform care for thousands of New
Zealanders living with serious health conditions.

approved, these medicines would offer new and more
convenient options for people living with cancer, multiple
sclerosis (MS), and eye disease. The provisional agreement
covers access to:

PHESGO® (pertuzumab and
trastuzumab) – extends the lives of some people with
HER2-positive breast cancer, combining two medicines,
pertuzumab and trastuzumab, delivered via a subcutaneous
(under the skin) injection. This provides patients with a
significant reduction in treatment time per cycle compared
to the current intravenous (IV) infusion delivery. If
funded, it will be the first time a subcutaneous version of
an intravenous cancer treatment will be publicly reimbursed
in New Zealand

OCREVUS® SC (ocrelizumab) – a
subcutaneous treatment for some people living with multiple
sclerosis (MS), delivered by six-monthly injections. It
reduces treatment time substantially, enabling better use of
health system resources and significantly benefiting people
living with MS

VABYSMO® (faricimab) – preserves
vision for some people with wet age-related macular
degeneration (wAMD), the leading cause of sight loss for New
Zealanders over 50 years old, and diabetic macular oedema
(DMO). This dual-action treatment, administered via an
injection into the eye, has the potential to extend the
treatment interval up to four months compared to the more
frequent one-to-two monthly injections that many patients
currently face

ROZLYTREK® (entrectinib) – a
targeted treatment for some adults with ROS1+ non-small cell
lung cancer (NSCLC), a rare and aggressive cancer most often
affecting non-smokers. This treatment is delivered orally
outside of the hospital environment and will provide a
much-needed treatment option for these

Transforming care for patients

Kerryn Symons, Country Medical Director for Roche New
Zealand says these medicines are not just about better
health outcomes – they also give people back precious time
and independence.

“This is a really positive step
for patients and their whānau. Funding these four
treatments would free up much-needed capacity in hospitals
and clinics, helping doctors and nurses to care for people
and support them on their treatment

Strengthening the health

Alongside patient benefits, these treatments
will deliver broader system gains, including cutting waiting
times, releasing clinical capacity, and improving equity of
access. As one example, a report released today by the New
Zealand Institute of Economic Research values the
substantial benefits OCREVUS® SC will provide for people
living with MS, their whānau, and the health system at
close to $2m per year.1

Together, the
medicines proposed to be funded as part of this agreement
would directly support three of the Government’s Health
Targets: faster access to cancer treatment; quicker access
to first specialist appointments; and shorter elective
surgery waiting times. Importantly, they would be expected
to achieve this at no additional cost to the country’s
current health budget – proof that better outcomes do not
need to come at a higher price.

milestone shows our ongoing commitment to a healthier,
stronger country. For more than 50 years, Roche has been
proud to be part of New Zealand’s health story, with
investment in research and clinical trials that continue to
deliver benefits for patients and their whānau,” Dr
Symons says.

Roche encourages patients, families, and
clinicians to share their views in the consultation process
outlined on Pharmac’s website.

For more than 120 years, Roche has been
committed to improving lives. Headquartered in Basel,
Switzerland, Roche continues to search for better ways to
prevent, diagnose and treat diseases and make a sustainable
contribution to society. We have one purpose: to do now what
patients need next.

We have had a presence in New
Zealand since 1973 and operate across two key businesses,
Roche Pharmaceuticals and Roche Diagnostics. The ultimate
aim of our almost 100 employees across the country is to
enable New Zealand patients to gain access to our medicines
and diagnostic tests in order to detect illnesses early, and
to treat them with life-saving medicines.

New Zealand
plays an important role in the global research and
development (R&D) network for Roche. Over the past five
years, Roche has invested over NZD $30 million in local
research and development, providing more than 1,200 New
Zealanders with access to advanced treatments through
clinical trials across a range of disease areas. No matter
which part of the business we work in, our team understands
that life-changing discoveries will only matter if the right
medicines get to the right patients.

Consumer Panel

Phesgo® (pertuzumab and trastuzumab)
600 mg/600 mg and 1200 mg/600 mg solution for subcutaneous
injection is a Prescription Medicine used
for early breast cancer, either before or after surgery and
for breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the

PHESGO® has risks and benefits.
Possible less serious side effects include:
constipation, indigestion or stomach pain, sore
mouth, throat or gut, fatigue or tiredness, getting tired
more easily after light physical activity such as walking,
shortness of breath especially when lying down or being
woken from your sleep with shortness of breath, nail
problems especially inflammation where the nail meets the
skin, hair loss, feeling dizzy, tired, looking pale, hot
flushes, frequent infections such as fever, severe chills,
sore throat or mouth ulcers, nose bleeds, heartburn, eye
problems such as producing more tears, insomnia (trouble
sleeping), weak, numb, tingling, prickling or painful
sensations mainly affecting the feet and legs, dry, itchy or
acne like skin, loss of appetite, loss of or altered taste,
joint or muscle pain, muscle weakness, sore throat, red,
sore or runny nose, flu-like symptoms, and fever which may
lead to infection of the ear, nose, or throat, pain at the
injection site, reddened skin (erythema) and bruising at the
injection site, general pain in the body, arms, legs and/or
belly including sharp jabbing, throbbing, freezing or
burning pain, feeling pain from something which should not
be painful, such as a light touch, reduced ability to feel
changes in temperature, loss of balance or
coordination.

Do not use Phesgo® if:
you are pregnant or if you are allergic to
pertuzumab, trastuzumab, or any of the ingredients in

Tell your doctor immediately or go
to your nearest Accident and Emergency Centre if you notice
any of the following signs and symptoms:
allergic or anaphylactic reactions:
including swelling of your face, lips, tongue
or throat with difficulty breathing, or swelling of other
parts of your body, shortness of breath, wheezing or trouble
breathing, rash, itching or hives on the skin, feeling sick
(nausea), fever or chills, headache or feeling tired;
injection related reactions: these
may be mild or more severe and may include feeling sick or
vomiting, fever, chills, feeling tired, headache, loss of
appetite, joint and muscle pains and hot flushes;
heart problems: slower or faster
heartbeat than usual, fluttering of the heart, abnormal or
irregular heartbeat, cough, shortness of breath, swelling
(fluid retention) in your legs or arms; tumour
lysis syndrome (where cancer cells die
quickly): kidney problems – signs include weakness,
shortness of breath, fatigue and confusion, heart problems –
signs include fluttering of the heart or a faster or slower
heartbeat, seizures (fits), vomiting or diarrhoea and
tingling in the mouth, hands or feet; severe
chest pain: spreading out to the arms, neck,
shoulder or back and diarrhoea: may
be mild or moderate

Use only as directed. If symptoms
continue or you have side effects, see your healthcare
professional.

If you are pregnant or plan to become
pregnant, PHESGO® may be harmful to an unborn baby. If
there is a need for PHESGO® treatment when you are
pregnant, your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits to
you and the unborn baby. You should use effective
contraception to avoid becoming pregnant while you are being
treated with PHESGO® and for 7 months after stopping

If you become pregnant while receiving
PHESGO®, or within 7 months following the last dose of
PHESGO®, please contact your oncologist for medical advice.
Report the pregnancy to Roche Patient Safety at
nz.drugsafety@roche.com or 0800 276 243.

information will be requested during a PHESGO®-exposed
pregnancy and the first year of the infant’s life. This
will enable Roche to better understand the safety of
PHESGO® and to provide appropriate information to health
authorities, healthcare providers, and patients.

additional information, please refer to the PHESGO®
Consumer Medicine Information at
www.medsafe.govt.nz

Consumer Panel

OCREVUS® IV
(ocrelizumab) 300mg vial, and OCREVUS® SC (ocrelizumab 920
mg/23 mL solution for subcutaneous injection) are
Prescription Medicines used to treat
relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS) and primary
progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS). Ask your doctor if
Ocrevus® is right for you.

Use only as directed. If
symptoms continue or you have side effects, see your
healthcare professional. For more information about

Talk to your health professional;

Visit medsafe.govt.nz for Ocrevus Consumer
Medicine Information; or

Visit getonwithlife.co.nz
or call Roche on 0800 276 243.

OCREVUS® has risks
and benefits.

Possible common side effects
include: swelling of your face, lips, tongue or
throat with difficulty breathing; swelling of other parts of
your body; shortness of breath, wheezing or trouble
breathing; skin problems including rash, itchiness or hives;
feeling sick (nausea); fever, flushing or chills; cough,
throat irritation or pain; feeling tired; headache;
dizziness or light headedness; fast

Do not use OCREVUS®
if: you have had an allergic reaction to
OCREVUS® or any of the ingredients.

doctor if: you have an infection, or a history of a
recurring or long-term infection such as hepatitis B; you
are taking or have previously taken medicines which may
affect your immune system, such as other medicines for MS
you or your child intend to have or have had immunisation
with any vaccine; you are allergic to any other medicines or
any other substances such as foods, preservatives or dyes;
you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant; you are
breast feeding or plan to breast feed; if you are taking any
other medicines, including any that you have bought without
a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food
shop; you notice any signs of an infection such as fever or
chills, cold sore, shingles or genital sores; stuffy nose or
chest; thick mucus in the nose, throat or chest; persistent
cough; difficulty sleeping (insomnia); diarrhoea, vomiting
and/or stomach cramps (gastroenteritis); skin infections,
sinus infections.

Tell your doctor immediately
or go to your nearest Accident and Emergency Centre if you
notice any of the following: swelling of your face,
lips, tongue or throat with difficulty breathing; swelling
of other parts of your body; shortness of breath, wheezing
or trouble breathing; local reaction at the injection site
(OCREVUS® SC only), skin problems including rash, itchiness
or hives; feeling sick (nausea); fever, flushing or chills;
cough, throat irritation or pain; feeling tired; headache;
dizziness or light headedness; fast

VABYSMO® Consumer

VABYSMO® (faricimab) 120 mg/mL
solution for injection for intravitreal use is a
Prescription Medicine for the treatment of
neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (wet
AMD), diabetic macular oedema (DMO) and macular oedema
secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO). Ask your doctor
if VABYSMO® is right for you.

Use only as directed.
If symptoms continue or you have side effects, see your
healthcare professional. For more information about

Talk to your health professional;

Visit medsafe.govt.nz for VABYSMO® Consumer
Medicine Information; or

Visit roche.co.nz or call
Roche on 0800 276 243.

has risks and

Possible common side
effects include: eye pain, burning, stinging,
itching, redness, gritty or scratchy feeling; blurred,
cloudy or decreased sharpness of vision or yellowing of
colours; increased production of tears or watering eyes or
eye discharge; a sensation that something is in your eye;
moving spots (floaters) or shadows in your vision; small or
distorted pupil.

Do not use VABYSMO®
if: you are allergic to faricimab. Always
check the ingredients to make sure you can use this
medicine; if you have or suspect you have an infection in or
around your eye; if you have inflammation in or around your
eye (may be indicated by pain and/or

Tell your doctor if you:
experience any problems during the

You may not see as well after you are given
VABYSMO® and after the associated eye examinations. This is
temporary. Do not drive or use machines until your eyesight
has returned to normal.

VABYSMO® should not be used
during pregnancy unless the potential benefit outweighs the
potential risk to your unborn child.

doctor immediately or go to your nearest Accident and
Emergency Centre if you notice any of the following:
sudden vision loss or change in vision; signs of a
possible eye infection or inflammation, such as worsening
redness of the eye or blood in and around the eye, eye pain,
increased eye discomfort, blurred or decreased vision, an
increased number of floaters (small particles) in your
vision, increased sensitivity to light; you experience signs
of a stroke, such as weakness or paralysis of limbs or face
or difficulty speaking.

Use only as directed. If
symptoms continue or you have side effects, see your
healthcare professional. Medsafe CMI

Consumer Panel

ROZLYTREK®(entrectinib) 100mg/200mg
capsules, is a Prescription Medicine used
for the treatment of adult patients with ROS1-positive,
locally advanced or metastatic (spreading) Non Small Cell
Lung Cancer (NSCLC), and the treatment of adult and
paediatric patients 12 years of age and older, with
neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) fusion-positive
locally advanced or metastatic solid tumours, where other
treatments have not worked or are not suitable for

Use only as directed. If symptoms continue or you
have side effects, see your healthcare professional. For
more information about ROZLYTREK®:

Talk to your
health professional; or

Visit medsafe.govt.nz for
ROZLYTREK® Consumer Medicine Information; or

Visit cancertreatments.co.nz or call Roche on 0800 276

ROZLYTREK® has risks
and benefits.

Possible common side
effects include: feeling tired, pain including
headache or head pain or joint or muscle pain or pain or
discomfort in limbs or bones, fever, constipation,
diarrhoea, feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting) or
stomach pain, difficulty in swallowing, changes in taste, an
abnormal or unpleasant sense of touch, numbness or weakness
of the arms and legs, loss of muscle coordination or being
unsteady when walking, symptoms of anaemia such as
tiredness/headaches/being short of breath when
exercising/dizziness/looking pale, weight gain, loss of
appetite, dehydration, muscle weakness, bone fractures, lung
infection, urinary tract infection, blurred vision, rash,
swelling or puffiness of the skin, disturbances in your
sleep pattern, red, hot, stiff or swollen

Do not use ROZLYTREK®
if: you are allergic to entrectinib or any
of the other ingredients in this medicine, or if you or your
partner are pregnant or you are breastfeeding. Do not take
this medicine after the expiry date printed on the pack or
if the packaging is torn or shows signs of

Tell your doctor if: you
have allergies to any other
medicines/foods/preservatives/dyes, you have heart problems
such as a condition called ‘prolonged QT interval’ or a
condition called ‘congestive heart failure’ or ‘heart
failure’, you have an inherited problem called
‘galactose intolerance’, ‘congenital lactase
deficiency’ or ‘glucose-galactose malabsorption’,
liver or kidney problems, or if you are planning a pregnancy
or plan to breastfeed. Tell your doctor if you are taking
any other medicines.

Tell your doctor
immediately or go to your nearest Accident and Emergency
Centre if you notice any of the following: signs of
heart problems (heart failure) such as persistent coughing
or wheezing, shortness of breath, and swelling in your legs
or arms (fluid retention); feeling dizzy or light-headed as
this may be a sign of an abnormal heart rhythm or low blood
pressure; feeling confused, changes in mood, having memory
problems or seeing things that are not there
(hallucinations); loss of consciousness or fainting;
symptoms of a condition called tumour lysis syndrome,
including nausea or vomiting, muscle cramps or twitches,
decreased urination, irritability, sudden uncontrolled fits
(seizures).

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