Listing of Pharmaceutical Benefits (NHL) - Schedule 4 part 1

Severe active juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Subsequent continuing treatment

Must be treated by a rheumatologist; or

Must be treated by a clinical immunologist with expertise in the management of rheumatoid arthritis; AND

Patient must have previously received PBS-subsidised treatment with this drug for this condition under the First continuing treatment restriction; AND

Patient must have demonstrated an adequate response to treatment with this drug; AND

Patient must not receive more than 24 weeks of treatment per continuing treatment course authorised under this restriction; AND

Patient must be aged 18 years or older.

An adequate response to treatment is defined as:

an ESR no greater than 25 mm per hour or a CRP level no greater than 15 mg per L or either marker reduced by at least 20% from baseline;

AND either of the following:

(a) an active joint count of fewer than 10 active (swollen and tender) joints; or

(b) a reduction in the active (swollen and tender) joint count by at least 50% from baseline; or

(c) a reduction in the number of the following active joints, from at least 4, by at least 50%:

(i) elbow, wrist, knee and/or ankle (assessed as swollen and tender); and/or

(ii) shoulder, cervical spine and/or hip (assessed as pain in passive movement and restriction of passive movement, where pain and limitation of movement are due to active disease and not irreversible damage such as joint destruction or bony overgrowth).

Where the baseline active joint count is based on total active joints (i.e. more than 20 active joints), response will be determined according to the reduction in the total number of active joints. Where the baseline is determined on total number of major joints, the response must be demonstrated on the total number of major joints. If only an ESR or CRP level is provided with the initial application, the same marker will be used to determine response.

The measurement of response to the prior course of therapy must be documented in the patient's medical notes.

If a patient fails to demonstrate a response to treatment with this drug they will not be eligible to receive further PBS-subsidised treatment with this drug for this condition within this treatment cycle. Serious adverse reaction of a severity resulting in the necessity for permanent withdrawal of treatment is not considered as a treatment failure.

A patient may re-trial this drug after a minimum of 5 years have elapsed between the date the last prescription for a PBS-subsidised biological medicine was approved in this cycle and the date of the first application under a new cycle under the Initial 3 treatment restriction.

If a patient fails to respond to PBS-subsidised biological medicine treatment 3 times (once with each agent) they will not be eligible to receive further PBS-subsidised biological medicine therapy in this treatment cycle.

Patients are eligible to receive continuing treatment with this drug in courses of up to 24 weeks providing they continue to sustain a response.