Decision to widen access to bortezomib for Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia

Pharmac is widening access to bortezomib for people with Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (WM), a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Pharmac included bortezomib in the 2024/25 invitation to tender, and as a result of a price reduction, Pharmac is now widening access to bortezomib from 1 February 2026.

This will allow people with Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia to receive bortezomib as an initial treatment or following treatment with other funded medicines such as bendamustine with rituximab.

We're also announcing a decision to change the funded brand of bortezomib inj 3.5 mg vial through our annual Invitation to Tender. This decision will occur from 1 April 2026 and secure ongoing supply of bortezomib injection.

• More information about the decision is available here

  
  

We understand that even with this decision there remains a significant unmet health need for people with Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia and its subtype Bing-Neel syndrome.

Ngā mihi,

Matt McKenzie | Senior Therapeutic Group Manager

Pharmac | Te Pātaka Whaioranga | P: 0800 660 050 | www.pharmac.govt.nz