Two new cancer drugs will be funded in the next two months as part of the Government’s $604 million boost to the budget of New Zealand’s drug-buying agency Pharmac.

Pembrolizumab, known as Keytruda, will be funded from October 1 for eligible people with advanced triple-negative breast cancer, head and neck cancer, colorectal cancer, bladder cancer, and Hodgkin lymphoma.

Nivolumab, known as Opdivo, will be funded from November 1 for eligible people with kidney cancer.

It was expected 600 people would be able to access the new treatments within the first year. That would increase to about 2300 people over five years.

A Pharmac press release detailing the announcement included comments from Gut Cancer Foundation Liam Willis, who welcomed the funding confirmation given kidney cancer patients hadn’t had any new treatments funded for more than 20 years.

“[T]his decision means more people will get access to this treatment and those currently self-funding will be able to have that financial burden removed,” he said.

Alongside the new cancer drugs, Pharmac confirmed medicines posaconazole and voriconazole, which helped treat people at high risk of invasive fungal infections, would be funded from October 1.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had to apologise following the omission of National's cancer drug promise in this year's Budget. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Government provided a $604m boost to Pharmac’s budget in June following weeks of backlash it received after National’s election promise to fund 13 new cancer drugs was absent in this year’s Budget.

The omission, for which Prime Minister Christopher Luxon later apologised, prompted the substantial funding allocation that would fund up to 26 new cancer treatments alongside 28 other medicines, many more than National’s commitment.

Purchasing the drugs would cost $604m over the next four years - $108m this financial year, $146m in 2025/26 and $175m for each of the following two years. The money was a pre-commitment on next year’s Budget.

Health Minister and senior National MP Dr Shane Reti this afternoon said the new drugs were “life-changing” and congratulated his party on going further than its original election promise.

“Actions like these reinforce that National’s promise to deliver on health, and specifically improving outcomes for people with cancer.”

Pharmac Minister David Seymour and Pharmac chairwoman Paula Bennett speak following the former's release of his letter of expectations for the agency. Photo / Mark Mitchell

About 20 minutes after Reti’s statement, Pharmac Minister and Act Party leader David Seymour released one of his own, expressing his support of Pharmac’s efforts to listen to patients.

“I’m pleased to see Pharmac’s responsiveness to the voices of patients and their families by expanding access to Keytruda for more groups, including those with certain types of breast and bowel cancer.

“This decision reflects our commitment to a more adaptable and patient-centered approach.”

While releasing his letter of expectations for Pharmac in July, Seymour spoke of the need to improve Pharmac’s culture and transparency, given previously reported complaints from patients and advocacy groups about the agency.

Seymour today confirmed Pharmac had so far consulted on funding for 24 treatments - 13 for cancer and 11 for other conditions.

It was expected some of the funding would expand access to previously unfunded drugs from next year.

Adam Pearse is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team, based at Parliament. He has worked for NZME since 2018, covering sport and health for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei before moving to the NZ Herald in Auckland, covering Covid-19 and crime.