Coversyl: your medicine is updating
There has been a change to your Coversyl medicine. You will need a new prescription.
Why is Coversyl changing?
Your original version of Coversyl is no longer being made. The supplier, Servier, will be bringing a new version of Coversyl to New Zealand instead.
There are some small differences between the versions, but the new version is as effective as your current Coversyl. The new Coversyl has been used in Australia since 2006.
The old Coversyl has an active ingredient called perindopril erbumine. The new Coversyl's active ingredient is called perindopril arginine.
New prescription needed
The slight change to part of the active ingredient means that the strength of tablet you need to take has changed. For example, if you took a 2 mg Coversyl, you will need to take the new Coversyl 2.5 mg to have the same effect.
If you take the 2 mg or 8 mg Coversyl, you will need a new prescription from early September 2026.
If you take the 4 mg Coversyl, you will need to get a new prescription from October 2026.
You will be able to pick up 3 months' supply of Coversyl again after 1 September.
New Coversyl has a new look
The new Coversyl comes in bottles, and you might notice the tablets look a little different. You should not notice any difference in how Coversyl works.
Medsafe has reviewed the new Coversyl and found that it meets New Zealand standards of safety, quality, and effectiveness. Medsafe has confirmed that the new strengths will work the same way as the original Coversyl.
Prescriber action needed
Prescribers, please transition your patients currently on Coversyl 2 mg and 8 mg tablets to the equivalent perindopril arginine (Coversyl 2.5 mg and 10 mg) from 1 September 2026.
Coversyl 4 mg tablets will remain available longer. Please transition these patients to the equivalent Coversyl 5 mg tablets from October.
Pharmacist substitution between erbumine and arginine strengths is not possible due to different labelled strengths.
Why are there different dose strengths?
The salt in the perindopril molecule has changed, perindopril erbumine is changing to perindopril arginine. Medsafe has determined that the salts are interchangeable. The active part, perindopril, remains unchanged.
Because the two salts have different weights, the labelled tablet strengths will change, but it is the same amount of active perindopril.
Thank you for supporting this change.
Servier, the supplier, has provided the following dose equivalence table.
|
Current product (perindopril erbumine) |
Pharmacode |
to |
New product (perindopril arginine) |
Pharmacode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 tablet COVERSYL® 2 mg |
2603942 |
⇒ |
1 tablet COVERSYL® 2.5 mg |
2726491 |
|
1 tablet COVERSYL® 4 mg |
2603950 |
⇒ |
1 tablet COVERSYL® 5 mg |
2726505 |
|
1 tablet COVERSYL® 8 mg |
2643316 |
⇒ |
1 tablet COVERSYL® 10 mg |
2726513 |
Pharmacists
With the change of salt, people will need a new prescription. You won't be able to substitute between erbumine and arginine strengths due to different labelled strengths.
Thank you for the work you do to help people when changes like this happen.
When is this happening?
The supplier expects stock of the 2 mg and 8 mg Coversyl to run out during September. The 2.5 mg and 10 mg will be available to order from mid-August.
The 4 mg is expected to run out during November 2026. The 5 mg tablet should be available to order from mid-September 2026.
Please urge all your patients who take Coversyl to get a new prescription for Coversyl before stock of the old Coversyl runs out.
Three-monthly dispensing
Perindopril has been on monthly dispensing since 1 July. This was to try to preserve the remaining stock of the old Coversyl until the new Coversyl was funded and available.
All strengths of Coversyl are returning to three-monthly dispensing from 1 September.
This flyer is available to act as a prompt for your patients.
- July 2026 Coversyl Medicine Change [PDF 103 KB]
Who to contact
If you take Coversyl, please talk to your pharmacist or the person who prescribes your medicine about what this change means for you.
If you have any questions about the funding changes, email enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz