PBS expands Kisqali access for early breast cancer

Australians with early breast cancer will have more treatment options available following today’s decision that Kisqali® (ribociclib) will be listed on the PBS for those at a high risk of recurrence who meet the treatment criteria.  

The drug will be available of people with HR+/HER2- breast cancer stage II and III, node positive with a high risk of recurrence.  

Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) has welcomed this decision which represents a significant reduction in the financial barriers to access treatment for many Australians.  

Previously, Kisqali has only been listed in the PBS for people with metastatic breast cancer. 

Kisqali is a CDK4/6 inhibitor which works to slow the growth of cells in the body.  

Austin Health and Olivia Newton-John Cancer Institute Research Oncologist Dr Belinda Yeo says that the decision to include Kisqali on the PBS will add to the tool kit of treatment options. 

“This opens out more therapeutic options for our patients. Oestrogen-positive breast cancer is the most common cancer that we see, and this announcement will widen the proportion of our patients that will have this treatment available to them.”