Covid-19 medicine baricitinib is the fifth drug secured by Pharmac to be used to treat those with the virus in New Zealand.
Moderate to severe Covid-19 cases can be treated with it.
Baricitinib joins remdesivir, tocilizumab, molnupiravir and Ronapreve.
Health Minister Andrew Little said this was good news for patients and for the country's health system.
"Like tocilizumab, baricitinib can be used to treat patients who are very sick, as it reduces the severity of symptoms and cuts time in hospital and reduces the likelihood of death."
Five-hundred courses of baricitinib are expected to arrive in the country within a matter of weeks, Pharmac said.
An oral tablet, it is not currently approved by the country's medical regulator Medsafe to treat Covid-19, so clinicians will need to comply with Section 25 of the Medicines Act.
Money for all five medicines will come from the Government's Covid-19 fund.
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