PBS updates

CALQUENCE (Acalabrutinib)

acalabrutinib 100 mg tablet, 56 · ORAL · PBS code 15356F

AUTHORITY_REQUIRED

What it costs

AU$6889.37 PBS-determined price per 56 units

Most patients pay only the standard PBS co-payment, not the full price above — up to AU$25.00 per script (general) or AU$7.70 (concession/Safety Net) in 2026. The figure above is what the PBS pays the pharmacy; the Australian Government subsidises the rest. Always confirm the current amount with your pharmacist.

  • • First listed on the PBS: 2026-06-01.
  • • Repeats: 5.
  • • PBS program: GE.
Eligibility criteria for subsidised access

The following is the government's own wording from the PBS Schedule, shown unchanged.

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

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL)


Grandfather arrangements - Transitioning from non-PBS to PBS-subsidised supply in first-line therapy


Patient must have received non-PBS-subsidised treatment with this drug for this condition prior to 1 June 2026; AND

Patient must not have developed disease progression while receiving treatment with this drug for this condition; AND

The condition must have been untreated with drug treatment at the time of the first dose of this drug; or

Patient must have developed an intolerance of a severity necessitating permanent treatment withdrawal following use of another drug PBS indicated as first-line treatment of CLL/SLL prior to initiating non-PBS-subsidised treatment with this drug for this condition; AND

The treatment must only be prescribed for a patient with active disease in accordance with the International Workshop on CLL (iwCLL) guidance (latest version) in relation to when to prescribe drug treatment for this condition; AND

The treatment must be in combination with venetoclax as continuing treatment for this condition (treatment cycles 3 to 14 inclusive); or

The treatment must be as monotherapy for initial treatment of this condition (treatment cycles 1 to 2 inclusive); AND

The treatment must not be in combination with obinutuzumab; AND

The treatment must not exceed 14 cycles in total with this drug, measured from the initial dose, or, must not extend beyond disease progression, whichever comes first.

A patient may qualify for PBS-subsidised treatment under this restriction once only.

For continuing PBS-subsidised treatment, a 'Grandfathered' patient must qualify under the next relevant treatment phase.

Sponsor: AstraZeneca Pty Ltd ABN 54 009 682 311

Not medical advice. Voxsanity republishes public PBS data in plain English. PBS listing status and criteria can change; always confirm current subsidised availability with your doctor or pharmacist.

Source: Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), © Commonwealth of Australia. Data used and redistributed under permission; not modified from its original wording where displayed verbatim.