Pegylated interferon alfa-2a (Pegasys): Supply issue

Affected product

Echo Therapeutics (the supplier) is carefully managing supply of this product to ensure people in New Zealand can continue to access treatment. They have placed it on "scarce supply", which means they are manually allocating stock. This may cause short delays to filling orders.

• Chemical: Pegylated interferon alfa-2a 
• Presentation: Inj 180 mcg prefilled syringe
• Brand name: Pegasys
• Pharmacode: 2162806

Schedule listing for Pegasys(external link)

Information for people who use Pegasys

Please order Pegasys from your pharmacy early. There may be delays in the supply chain between wholesalers and pharmacies.

Please ask your pharmacy to contact their wholesaler if you need your Pegasys now. If you are not using your normal pharmacy, please let it know if it needs to get stock allocated.

There is enough stock to meet demand in New Zealand currently.

Information for pharmacies

This should be available for you to order through CDC or Propharma. Although, supply is tightly constrained, please check with your wholesaler in the first instance. 

If you are having difficulty accessing this, pharmacies can email Echo on customerservice@echotherapeutics.net

Please let them know:

• The name of your pharmacy
• The wholesaler and branch that you use
• The number of patients you need to get stock for

This will allow the team at Echo to review and where possible prioritise supply for specific wholesalers.

Information for people who prescribe Pegasys

Supply of Pegasys may be limited between June and October 2025. The President of the Haematological Society of Australia and New Zealand has issued a statement about actions prescribers can take to help manage this supply issue.

Anticipated shortage of Peginterferon alfa2a (PEGASYS)(external link)

Alternative products

The alternatives are not Medsafe approved and will need to be prescribed and dispensed in line with the Medicines Act. 

Echo alternative

Echo has arranged for supply of Irish-labelled stock from the new manufacturing facility in Austria and will continue to supply this until the regulatory work to approve the new facility is completed in New Zealand. Echo expects this to be completed by November 2025. This Irish labelled Pegasys® is manufactured at the new Austrian plant. Other than the labelling, this product is identical in formulation to the NZ stock. It is fully approved for supply in Ireland.

• Chemical: Pegylated interferon alfa-2a
• Presentation: Inj 180 mcg prefilled syringe
• Brand: Pegasys S29
• Pharmacode: 2706768
• Price: $1355.71 (per 4)

Link alternative

Pharmac has arranged for a limited quantity of pegylated interferon alfa-2a 135 mcg prefilled syringes to be supplied by Link Pharmaceuticals. This supply will be funded from 1 August 2025. 

• Chemical: Pegylated interferon alfa-2a
• Presentation: Inj 135 mcg prefilled syringe
• Brand: Pegasys S29
• Pharmacode: 2710994
• Price: $887.35 (per 1)

Prescribing and supplying an unapproved medicine

Section 29 of the Medicines Act 1981 allows for medicines that are not Medsafe approved to be prescribed and supplied to people. The medicine must be prescribed by someone registered with the Medical Council of New Zealand – such as, a doctor. 

We know supplying a medicine under section 29 is not ideal. In this case, however, this will allow patients to be able to access an appropriate treatment. 

We apologise for any inconvenience this causes. 

Advice for prescribing under section 29 – BPAC website(external link) 

Prescriber and pharmacist requirements for section 29 medicines – Medsafe website (external link)

Medsafe’s section 29 Declaration / Notification Form [DOC](external link)

What patients need to know about unapproved medicines – Healthify website(external link)

Expected resolution

Echo Therapeutics is working to ensure this product remains available for everyone who needs it in New Zealand. They have found alternative stock to ensure people can continue to access this product. Supply will remain constrained until October 2025.

Who to contact

If you have questions about this issue, email enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz

Please include as much information as you can about the product (presentation, brand, pharmacode) and who your wholesaler is.

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