In another positive step forward for access to calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) medications in New Zealand, the Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee (PTAC) has recommended fremanezumab (Ajovy) be funded by Pharmac with a high priority for people with chronic and episodic migraine.
The high priority recommendation was made at PTAC’s August 2025 meeting.
PTAC assessment is one step in the medication approval process. The high priority funding recommendation will now be considered by Pharmac using its Factors for Consideration framework and internal economic assessments. If Pharmac does decide to add fremanezumab to its list of ‘Options for Investment’ at a high priority – where it will join the other anti-CGRP medications galcanezumab (Emgality), erenumab (Aimovig) and atogepant (Aquipta) – it will still depend on whether Pharmac chooses to invest in funding these medications within its fixed budget.
We strongly support Ajovy to join other anti-CGRP medications on Pharmac’s Options for Investment list.
Emgality, Aimovig and Aquipta were added to Pharmac’s Options for Investment list in June 2024. Since then, we’ve continued to advocate for access and also for greater transparency and accountability from Pharmac regarding its processes. Among other things, we’ve been involved in Pharmac’s consumer workshops at the end of 2024, we’re part of a consumer group network that has had regular meetings with the acting Pharmac CEO (Brendon Boyle) and we’ll continue to meet with the new CEO (Natalie McMurty) from September. Our co-founders Sarah and Fiona have also been invited to participate in the second Valuing Life Summit at Parliament in October, following our attendance at the inaugural summit during April 2024.
Access to a wide range of migraine-specific preventive medications in New Zealand is, in our view, non-negotiable. Just one or two isn’t sufficient, when the evidence shows that people who don’t respond to one anti-CGRP medication often respond to a different one.
We need all the options, as each of these medications have different properties. Ajovy, for example, can be given as 3-monthly injections, whereas Emgality and Aimovig are monthly injections. The three-monthly cycle can be an advantage for people who are frequently travelling, as the injections need to be kept refrigerated.
In the USA, the FDA recently approved fremanezumab (Ajovy) for children and adolescents with episodic migraine aged 6–17 years who weigh at least 45kg. In New Zealand, Ajovy currently only has approval for use in adults, but it’s possible that the drug manufacturer will ask for this to be reviewed to include those of younger ages. This would be a huge step forward for young people in New Zealand who are affected by migraine and have few evidence-based options for preventive treatment that have been tested to be safe and effective.
We’ll continue to advocate, like many other organisations and individuals are doing, to put pressure on the government to increase Pharmac’s budget. Without appropriate investment into new medications, New Zealand will continue to slip further behind other OECD countries in relation to funding of and access to modern medicines.
Relevant further reading
Progress update about fremanezumab (Ajovy) in New Zealand
Modern migraine medicines added to Pharmac’s Options for Investment list
