Treatments and vaccines for COVID-19
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is interacting with developers of potential COVID-19 treatments and vaccines to enable promising medicines to reach patients as soon as possible. It is also making use of real-world data to monitor the safety and effectiveness of medicines used in patients with COVID-19.
EMA is providing guidance to assist developers of potential COVID-19 medicines, to prepare for eventual applications for marketing authorisation.
This includes scientific advice, as well as informal consultation with the COVID-19 EMA pandemic Task Force (COVID-ETF).
The outcome of any consultation or advice from EMA is not binding on developers.
COVID-19 medicines that have received EMA advice
| Product | Developer | Therapeutic class/drug type | Development stage at time of guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| A64-DP | BCN Peptides SA | Immunomodulator | Non-clinical phase |
| Acalabrutinib | Acerta Pharma BV | Immunomodulator | Clinical phase |
| Ad26.COV2.S | Janssen-Cilag International N.V. | Vaccine | Non-clinical phase |
| Ad5-nCoV vaccine | Cansino Biotech | Vaccine | Clinical phase |
| Adjuvanted whole virion inactivated vaccine | Sinovac Biotech Ltd | Vaccine | Non-clinical phase |
| Anti-SARS-CoV-2 polyclonal hyperimmune immunoglobulin | Alliance hyperimmune project (Biotest AG, Bio Products Laboratory, LFB, Octapharma, CSL Behring and Takeda) | Antiviral | Clinical phase |
| APN01 | Apeiron Biologics | Immunomodulator | Clinical phase |
| Apremilast | Amgen Europe BV | Immunomodulator | Clinical phase |
| AZD7442 | AstraZeneca | Antiviral (monoclonal antibody) | Non-clinical phase |
| Baricitinib | Eli Lilly | Immunomodulator | Clinical phase |
| CD24Fc | Oncoimmune Inc | Immunomodulator | Clinical phase |
| ChAdOx1-SARS-CoV-2 | Vaccitech/AstraZeneca | Vaccine | Clinical phase |
| CHAG-COVID19-CA | ChimAgents | Challenge agent for human infection models | Non-clinical phase |
| Chloroquine | Oxford University | Other therapeutics | Clinical phase |
| Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine cyclops DPI | PureIMS | Other therapeutics | Clinical phase |
| Copper chloride | ACOM srl | Antiviral | Clinical phase |
| Coronavirus-like particle (COVLP) | Medicago | Vaccine | Non-clinical phase |
| CT-P59 | Celltrion | Antiviral (monoclonal antibody) | Non-clinical phase |
| CVnCoV, CV07050101 vaccine | Curevac | Vaccine | Non-clinical phase |
| Danoprevir | Ascletis Pharmaceuticals Co Ltd | Antiviral | Clinical phase |
| Eculizumab | Alexion | Immunomodulator | Clinical phase |
| Emapalumab and anakinra | Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (SOBI) | Immunomodulator | Clinical phase |
| FAV00B | Farmak International Holding GmbH | Antiviral | Non-clinical phase |
| Favipiravir | Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd | Antiviral | Clinical phase |
| Gimsilumab | Roivant | Immunomodulator | Clinical phase |
| Herpes simplex virus vector tetravalent SARS-CoV-2 vaccine | Krystal Bio | Vaccine | Non-clinical phase |
| Kamada Anti-SARS-CoV-2 | Kamada Ireland Ltd | Immunoglobulin | Non-clinical phase |
| Larifan Plus | Auramed Ltd | Antiviral | Non-clinical phase |
| LNP-saRNA CoVid19 vaccine | VacEquity Global Health/Imperial College London | Vaccine | Clinical phase |
| LUNAR-COV19 mRNA vaccine | Arcturus Therapeutics | Vaccine | Clinical phase |
| LY-CoV555 (LY3819253) and LY-CoV016 (LY3832479) | Lilly | Antiviral (monoclonal antibody) | Non-clinical phase |
| M5049 | Merck Healthcare | Immunomodulator | Non-clinical phase |
| Mavrilimumab | Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals | Immunomodulator | Clinical phase |
| Meplazumab | Jiangsu Pacific Meinuoke Biopharmaceutical Co Ltd | Antiviral (monoclonal antibody) | Clinical phase |
| MK-4482 | Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP/Merck Sharp & Dohme (Europe) Inc | Antiviral | Non-clinical phase |
| mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine | Biontech | Vaccine | Non-clinical phase |
| mRNA-1273 SARS-CoV-2 vaccine | Moderna | Vaccine | Non-clinical phase |
| MV-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine | Themis Bioscience GmbH/MSD | Vaccine | Non-clinical phase |
| NVX-CoV-2 rS | Novavax | Vaccine | Non-clinical phase |
| Otilimab | GSK | Immunomodulator | Clinical phase |
| PF-07304814 | Pfizer | Antiviral | Non-clinical phase |
| Protein nanoparticle vaccine | Emergex Vaccines Holding Ltd | Vaccine | Non-clinical phase |
| Raloxifene | Dompé | Antiviral | Non-clinical phase |
| Ravulizumab | Alexion | Other therapeutics | Clinical phase |
| RBT-9 | Renibus Therapeutics Inc | Antiviral | Clinical phase |
| REGN10933, REGN10987, REGN10989 | Regeneron UK | Antiviral (monoclonal antibody) | Non-clinical phase |
| Remdesivir | Gilead | Antiviral | Clinical phase |
| RESP301 | Thirty Respiratory Limited (30 Technology) | Antiviral | Non-clinical phase |
| RGB-22 | Gedeon Richter Plc Hungary | Antiviral | Non-clinical phase |
| rVSVΔG-SARS-CoV-2 live attenuated | MSD/IAVI | Vaccine | Non-clinical phase |
| Sarilumab | Sanofi Aventis | Immunomodulator | Clinical phase |
| SARS-CoV-2 DNA vaccine | Inovio | Vaccine | Non-clinical phase |
| SARS-Cov-2 vaccine | Queensland University/Seqirus | Vaccine | Non-clinical phase |
| SARS-CoV-2 vaccine recombinant, adjuvanted | Sanofi Pasteur | Vaccine | Non-clinical phase |
| Siltuximab | EUSApharma | Immunomodulator | Clinical phase |
| SNG-001 | Synargein | Immunomodulator | Clinical phase |
| S-trimer subunit vaccine | Clover Biopharma | Vaccine | Clinical phase |
| Subunit vaccine adjuvanted | Medigen | Vaccine | Non-clinical phase |
| Tocilizumab | Roche | Immunomodulator | Clinical phase |
| UNI911 | Union Therapeutics | Antiviral | Clinical phase |
| VIR-7831, VIR-7832 | Vir Biotechnology/GSK | Antiviral (monoclonal antibody) | Clinical phase |
| VLA 2001 vaccine | Valneva | Vaccine | Non-clinical phase |
| VRP-033 | Venus Pharma GmbH | Immunomodulator | Non-clinical phase |
| BRII-196, BRII-198 | Brii Biosciences | Antiviral (monoclonal antibody) | Non-clinical phase |
| SCTA01 | Sinocelltech Ltd. | Antiviral (monoclonal antibody) | Clinical phase |
| Itolizumab (Bmab 600) | Biocon Biologics Limited | Immunomodulator (monoclonal antibody) | Clinical phase |
| TAP-COVID-19 | Kentucky Bioprocessing, Inc | Vaccine | Non-clinical phase |
| BI 764198 | Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH | Other therapeutic | Clinical phase |
| COVID-eVax | Takis S.r.l., Rottapham Biotech | Vaccine | Non-clinical phase |
| Nitric Oxide (RESP301) | Thirty Respiratory Limited (30 Technology) | Antiviral | Clinical phase |
| 4P021 | 4P-Pharma | Antiviral | Non-clinical phase |
This information should not be read as an endorsement of any medicine.
EMA’s CHMP is assessing all the applications for COVID-19 medicines under the minimum timeframe necessary to allow for a thorough evaluation of the medicine’s benefits and risks.
EMA is assessing COVID-19 medicines in accordance with its usual standards for quality, safety and effectiveness.
COVID-19 vaccines
EMA's CHMP is evaluating the following COVID-19 vaccines:
| Vaccine | Vaccine developer | Stage | Key milestones | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ad26.COV2.S | Janssen-Cilag International N.V. | Rolling review ongoing | Start of rolling review: 01/12/2020 | EMA starts rolling review of Janssen’s COVID-19 vaccine Ad26.COV2.S |
mRNA-1273 | Moderna Biotech Spain, S.L. | Conditional marketing authorisation application under evaluation | Start of evaluation of conditional marketing authorisation application: 01/12/2020 Start of rolling review: 16/11/2020 | EMA receives application for conditional marketing authorisation of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine EMA starts rolling review of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine by Moderna Biotech Spain, S.L. |
| BNT162b2 | BioNTech, in collaboration with Pfizer | Conditional marketing authorisation application under evaluation | Start of evaluation of conditional marketing authorisation application: 01/12/2020 Start of rolling review: 06/10/2020 | EMA receives application for conditional marketing authorisation of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 EMA starts second rolling review of a COVID-19 vaccine |
| ChAdOx1-SARS-CoV-2 | AstraZeneca, in collaboration with the University of Oxford | Rolling review ongoing | Start of rolling review: 01/10/2020 | EMA starts first rolling review of a COVID-19 vaccine in the EU |
For more information on the expedited evaluation procedure EMA is applying for COVID-19 vaccines, including the rolling review, see: COVID-19 vaccines: Scientific evaluation and approval: Accelerated evaluation.
COVID-19 treatments
EMA’s CHMP is evaluating the following COVID-19 treatments:
| Treatment | Treatment developer | Stage | Start of evaluation | More information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dexamethasone Taw | Taw Pharma | Marketing authorisation application under evaluation | 31/08/2020 | EMA receives application for marketing authorisation of Dexamethasone Taw for COVID-19 |
EMA's CHMP has assessed the use of the following medicines to treat COVID-19.
COVID-19 treatments
The following treatments can be used in the EU for the treatment of COVID-19, following assessment by the CHMP.
| Treatment | Status | More information |
|---|---|---|
| Veklury (remdesivir) | Conditional marketing authorisation granted | First COVID-19 treatment recommended for EU authorisation Update on remdesivir - EMA will evaluate new data from Solidarity trial |
| Dexamethasone | Use endorsed following referral procedure | EMA endorses use of dexamethasone in COVID-19 patients on oxygen or mechanical ventilation |
For more information on how EMA fast-tracks the evaluation of promising potential COVID-19 medicines, see Guidance for medicine developers and companies on COVID-19: Accelerated procedures for COVID-19 treatments and vaccines.
EMA is taking steps to ensure that it can leverage real-world data from clinical practice to monitor the safety and effectiveness of medicines used in patients with COVID-19.
The real-world monitoring of medicines and vaccines on the market complements EMA's regular safety-monitoring activities, including spontaneous reporting of suspected side effects by patients and healthcare professionals.
EMA has contracted institutions specialising in observational research to conduct the research projects detailed below. Click on the research areas below to read more about each project.
In June 2020, EMA extended its medical literature monitoring service to identify suspected adverse reactions by adding authorised active substances that could treat COVID-19.
