New report shows modern blood cancer treatments could deliver $265m in benefits over 20 years
:quality(90)/)
Published 23 June 2026
Media release
AUCKLAND Tuesday 23 June 2026 - Funding two innovative therapies could spare nearly 800 New Zealanders with an aggressive blood cancer from any further intensive treatment over a 20 year period, according to a new report released today by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER).
The report, Investing in outcomes: A societal and economic case for modernising blood cancer care in New Zealand, was commissioned by Roche Products (New Zealand) Ltd (Roche) and models the potential broader patient, health system and economic impact of funding polatuzumab vedotin (POLIVY®) and glofitamab (COLUMVI®) for eligible patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
DLBCL is the most common type of aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which is a cancer of the lymphatic system. It is often fatal and affects up to 500 New Zealanders each year. Funded treatment in New Zealand has remained largely unchanged for two decades, leaving a stark gap compared to nations like Australia.
The current first line standard of care fails up to 40% of DLBCL patients, who face life-threatening disease relapses. With limited access to effective subsequent funded options once a patient relapses, the median survival rate drops to just six months.
The NZIER analysis models the 20-year impact if both regimens were to be funded simultaneously:
Reduced treatment burden: 789 patients would avoid relapse and the need for further treatment after their first line, and 3,000 patients would experience significantly longer disease-free survival
Hospital capacity relief: Preventing these relapses would result in 592 fewer courses of secondary chemotherapy and 395 fewer stem-cell transplants, generating an estimated $42.9 million in savings associated with stem-cell transplants alone.
Workforce productivity gains: With 66% of DLBCL patients diagnosed under age 75, rapid access to treatment delivers over $140 million in productivity gains from recovered work time, generating $28.6 million in tax revenue.
Dr Samar Issa, a consultant haematologist based in Auckland, says New Zealand’s standard of care for DLBCL has been static for two decades, leaving the country completely out of step with international standards.
"Because blood cancers can't be prevented or screened for, survival depends entirely on access to modern treatments," says Dr Issa. "Funding these therapies isn't just a cost — it is an investment that would spare nearly 800 Kiwis from grueling secondary treatments, save our hospitals up to $40 million, and give patients a genuine pathway to survival."
The advanced treatment regimens can deliver:
Significant survival benefit: Clinical trials show the new first-line combination reduces the risk of progression or death by 27%. For secondary treatment, the modern alternative nearly doubles median survival from 12.9 to 25.5 months.
Improved health inequities: Māori are 1.71 times more likely to die following a non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis than Europeans. Earlier access to effective treatments is one of the most direct ways to improve equity in cancer outcomes for Māori.
Matthew Needham, Roche’s Director of Healthcare Ecosystem Partnering, says the assessments of medicines for public funding have traditionally focused too narrowly on upfront costs, overlooking wider health system, workforce and whānau impacts.
“A broader, system-wide approach recognises the full value of effective treatment – reducing pressure on hospitals, improving equity and delivering better results for patients and their families.
“Addressing the funding gap for DLBCL treatments extends beyond a single disease. It presents a clear opportunity to shift how New Zealand approaches long-term health investment, by accounting for hospital capacity, productivity and health equity alongside clinical outcomes.”
-ENDS-
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Notes to editors
About the report:
The NZIER report, Benefits of new medicines for DLBCL: A societal perspective, was commissioned by Roche New Zealand and models outcomes over a 20-year period from 2026 to 2045.
The analysis looks at impacts on the health system, patients, and whānau, but does not include medicine costs due to commercial sensitivity
About blood cancer in New Zealand:
Blood cancer is New Zealand’s third leading cause of cancer death, claiming over 1,000 lives each year. Around 27,000 New Zealanders are living with blood cancer, with more than 3,000 new diagnoses annually
Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and has high relapse rates under current treatment approaches.
The analysis also reinforces Blood Cancer New Zealand's recent State of Blood Cancer report launched in April 2026, highlighting a strained system and extreme financial trauma: 69% of patients must draw on life savings, and one in seven spends over $100,000 on unfunded medicines.
References:
NZIER. May 2026. Investing in outcomes: A societal and economic case for modernising blood cancer care in New Zealand. NZIER report to Roche NZ. Available here.
Blood Cancer New Zealand. State of Blood Cancer in New Zealand. April 2026.
Polivy® (polatuzumab vedotin) Consumer Medicine Information available at medsafe.govt.nz
Columvi® (glofitamab) Consumer Medicine Information available at medsafe.govt.nz
Polivy Consumer Panel
Polivy® (polatuzumab vedotin), 140mg and 30mg vials, is a Prescription Medicine used to treat a type of cancer called diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). It is used when the cancer has never been treated before; when the cancer has come back or has never responded to one or more previous treatments for this type of cancer; and when you cannot receive a stem cell transplant
Ask your doctor if Polivy is right for you.
Polivy is an unfunded medicine for DLBCL. Ask your health professional about the cost of the medicine and other fees that may apply.
Use only as directed. If symptoms continue or you have side effects, see your healthcare professional. For more information about Polivy:
talk to your health professional; or
visit medsafe.govt.nz for Polivy Consumer Medicine Information; or
visit roche.co.nz or call Roche on 0800 276 243
Polivy has risks and benefits.
Tell your doctor immediately or go to your nearest Accident and Emergency Centre if you notice any of the following signs and symptoms:
During an infusion: swelling of your face, lips, tongue or throat with difficulty breathing; swelling of other parts of your body such as your hands or feet; shortness of breath, wheezing or trouble breathing; abnormal or irregular heartbeat; rash, itching or hives on the skin; flushing (warm, red) skin; pain or swelling at site of injection; burning or tingling sensation, tenderness and redness at site of injection; blistering or ulceration at site of injection; feeling sick (nausea) or vomiting, diarrhoea; pain or discomfort (including stomach pain, back pain, chest or neck pain); fever or chills. After an infusion: flu and/or cold-like symptoms, chest pain, coughing, sweating; fever, sore throat, tiredness, sores in the mouth or gums; bruising, bleeding gums or nose, rash on legs with red dots, blood in urine or stools; numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, sharp or jabbing pain, burning or freezing sensation, pins and needles; weakness, lack of energy, feeling unsteady; difficulty walking; muscle cramps or spasms, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, mood changes; swelling of the hands or feet, yellow skin or eyes, rapid heartbeat, appetite changes; confusion or memory loss, muscle spasms and cramps, facial twitching, numbness; nose bleeds, feeling dizzy, tired, looking pale; nausea or vomiting; constipation or abdominal pain; diarrhoea; rash, itching or hives on the skin; decreased appetite, weight decrease; changes in blood tests; dry skin, skin infection; urinary tract infection; upper respiratory tract infection; breathlessness and difficulty in breathing.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.
Do not use Polivy if: you have an allergic reaction to polatuzumab vedotin or any of the ingredients in Polivy.
Tell your doctor if: you have ever had nerve problems such as numbness, tingling in the hands or feet or eyesight problems; you have ever had liver problems such as hepatitis; you think you may have an infection. Pregnancy/Lactation; you are pregnant or breastfeeding or plan to become pregnant whilst taking Polivy.
Panel dated 06 Jan 2026.
Columvi Consumer Panel
Columvi® (glofitamab), 2.5 mg/2.5 mL and 10 mg/10 mL vial, is a Prescription Medicine used for the treatment of adults with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). It is used when the cancer has come back (relapsed) or the cancer did not respond to previous treatments.
Ask your doctor if Columvi is right for you.
Columvi is an unfunded medicine for relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Ask your health professional about the cost of the medicine and other fees that may apply.
Use only as directed. If symptoms continue or you have side effects, see your healthcare professional. For more information about Columvi:
talk to your health professional; or
visit medsafe.govt.nz for Columvi Consumer Medicine Information; or
visit roche.co.nz or call Roche on 0800 276 243.
Columvi has risks and benefits.
Possible common side effects include: Reduced levels in blood tests of: neutrophils or lymphocytes (types of white blood cell), which may cause fever or symptoms of an infection; red blood cells (anaemia), which may cause tiredness, feeling unwell and pale skin; platelets (a type of blood cell), which may cause unusual bruising or bleeding; low levels in blood tests, phosphate, magnesium, calcium or potassium; low sodium levels in blood tests, which may cause tiredness, muscle twitching or cramps; increased levels in blood tests of liver enzymes and bilirubin (yellow substance in blood), which may cause yellowing of skin or eyes, and dark urine; fever; rash; headache; new or recurring viral infections, such as lung infection, shingles or cytomegalovirus; bacterial infections, such as urinary tract infection; infection in or around the stomach; respiratory tract infections, such as runny nose, sore throat, sinus infections, and chest colds; lung infection (pneumonia), which may cause fever, cough, and difficulty breathing; infection in blood (sepsis), which may cause fever, chills and confusion; fungal infection; COVID-19 infection caused by a virus called coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2); fever with low levels of neutrophils; constipation; diarrhoea; feeling sick (nausea); vomiting; bleeding in the stomach or gut (gastrointestinal haemorrhage), which may cause black stools or blood in vomit; abdominal (belly) pain; inflammation of the large bowel, which may cause abdominal pain, bloody stools and the urge to have a bowel movement; confusion; trembling; sleepiness; pain in muscles or bones; numbness, tingling, a burning sensation, pain, discomfort or weakness and /or difficulty walking (peripheral neuropathy); inflammation of the pancreas.
Do not use Columvi if: you are allergic to glofitamab or any of the ingredients in Columvi.
Tell your doctor if: you have any other medical conditions or take any other medicines. Pregnancy/lactation: tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding.
Tell your doctor immediately or go to your nearest Accident and Emergency Centre if you notice any of the following: Cytokine release syndrome: symptoms include fever, fast heartbeat, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, chills, shortness of breath, fever with low levels of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell). Neurologic toxicity including ICANS: symptoms include confusion, disorientation, sleepiness, or change in consciousness level. Infections: symptoms include fever, chills, difficulty breathing, burning pain when passing urine. Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis: symptoms include fever, enlarged liver and/or spleen, lymph node enlargement, easy bruising, kidney abnormalities, and breathing problems. Tumour flare: symptoms include your cancer appearing to become worse, developing tender swollen lymph nodes, chest pain, cough, inability to breathe easily, or pain at the site of the tumour. Tumour lysis syndrome: symptoms include weakness, shortness of breath, feeling confused, irregular heartbeat, muscle cramps. Gastrointestinal/digestive system: symptoms include inflammation of the large bowel, which may cause abdominal pain, bloody stools and the urge to have a bowel movement.
Panel dated 18 March 2026
All trademarks mentioned herein are protected by law. Roche Products (New Zealand) Limited, Auckland.
M-NZ-00001689 /MR13568/JUN2026