1720 – 68Ga PSMA-11 PET/CT imaging for patients who are candidates for PSMA targeted therapy

New MBS item.

ILLUCCIX® is a kit for the preparation of 68Ga-PSMA-11 injection. The kit allows for non-invasive positron emission tomography/ computed tomography (PET/CT) for the imaging of prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-expressing colon cancer. 

PSMA-11 is a synthetic urea-based peptide inhibitor of PSMA, it incorporates a chelate HBED-CC and binds to PSMA. Once PSMA-11 is radio labelled with the radioisotope gallium-68 (68Ga), it results in 68Ga-PSMA-11, made up to three individual patient doses, which can then be administered to patients intravenously as a PET-tracer to image PSMA-expressing prostate tumours, including metastatic diseases.

Type: Investigative technology

For Australian men, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer (>19000 cases pa) and the second most common cause of death via cancer (>3000 pa).

More than 90,000 Australian men are estimated to be currently living with a diagnosis of prostate cancer, however, although breakthroughs in treatments mean that they are living longer (studies between 1986-1990 and 2011-2015 showed a survival rate increase from 59% to 95%) they are still afflicted with common side effects, such as; depression, anxiety, urinary incontinence, sexual impairments and bowel function impairments.

Overall quality of life for men diagnosed with prostate cancer declines over time, with 35-40% of men experiencing poorer physical and mental health 10 years after diagnosis, due to disease and treatments.

• PASC consultation: Not applicable
• MSAC consultation: Closed Friday 16 February 2024

• PASC meeting: Expedited – bypassed PASC
• ESC meeting: 15–16 February 2024
• MSAC meeting: 4–5 April 2024