Leukaemia, lymphoma drug soon within reach

When his wife was eight months pregnant with their first child, Warren Lippiatt was told he had five years to live.

The soon-to-be father was diagnosed with leukaemia.

"Thinking that you may not see your first child go and spend their first day at school was just, oh I can't describe the feeling at the time," he told reporters and the prime minister at Royal North Shore Hospital.

Later down the track, when his children were three and five, the disease had taken over his body and he had run out of options.

"Four-and-a half-years ago, I could barely walk," he said.

But within weeks of participating in a clinical trial of Ibrutinib - also known as Imbruvica - he started to feel better.

"This drug has not only saved my life but it's saved hundreds and it will save thousands of people's lives in the future."

Malcolm Turnbull toured the hospital on Monday to announce the drug will be listed on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme from December at a cost of $466 million.

"It is a reminder of how keenly focused we are in the fight against cancer," he said.

The medicine, which normally costs $187,390 per course of treatment, will be reduced to $38.80 per script or $6.30 for concessional patients.

It will be available to eligible patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma.

Normally Ibrutinib is used when patients have not responded to standard treatments.

Professor Stephen Mulligan, who was involved in the clinical trials, said previously there were very few other options.

"This new drug really has revolutionised the outlook for these patients with a very marked improvement in their overall survival and wellbeing," he said.

It's estimated the announcement will put the drug within reach of more than 920 Australians each year.