EMA updates on vaccines and treatments for COVID-19

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has been in collaboration with around 40 developers of therapeutic medicines for COVID-19. The agency has published an update on potential treatments and vaccines .

Supporting the rapid development and approval of effective and safe treatments for and vaccines against COVID-19 is EMA's top priority to help save lives during the pandemic. Over recent weeks and months, the Agency has engaged with many developers of therapeutic medicines and there are a number of developments underway. However, at this point, on the basis of the preliminary data presented to the Agency, no medicine has yet demonstrated efficacy in treating COVID-19.

EMA welcomes the launch of large clinical trials as they are necessary to generate the robust data needed to establish evidence for which medicines do work and thus to give appropriate advice to healthcare professionals and patients and enable regulatory decision-making, as advised by EMA's human medicines committee (CHMP).

EMA has updated about the following potential treatments for COVID-19, currently undergoing safety and efficacy clinical trials-

Remdesivir - an investigational antiviral drug initially developed for the Ebola and Marburg viruses, has also shown antiviral activity against other coronaviruses SARS and MERS.

Lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra) - presently authorised as an anti-HIV medicine.

Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine - currently authorised as treatments against malaria and certain autoimmune diseases.

Systemic interferons - Interferon-beta currently authorised to treat multiple sclerosis (and others).

Monoclonal antibodies with activity against components of the immune system.

The Agency has also had discussions with developers of a dozen potential COVID-19 vaccines. Two vaccines have already entered phase I clinical trials, which are the first trials needed and are carried out in healthy volunteers. The EMA estimates that it may take at least a year before a vaccine against COVID-19 is ready for approval and available in sufficient quantities to meet the needs of all EU countries.

EMA welcomes the launch of large clinical trials as they are necessary to generate the robust data needed to establish evidence for which medicines do work and thus to give appropriate advice to healthcare professionals and patients and enable regulatory decision-making, as advised by EMA's human medicines committee (CHMP).

For further reference log on to:

European Medicines Agency. Update on treatments and vaccines against COVID-19 under development . [Accessed 31 March 2020]