European Medicines Agency approves fewer drugs in first half of 2014 than same period in 2013

The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products from Human Use (CHMP) recommended 39 medicines in the first half of 2014. This is down on last year’s figures, when 44 were recommended in the same time period, but higher than 2012’s, when they recommended 33.

These 39 medicines include some which have the potential to meet unmet medical needs, treat diseases for which there was previously no treatment available, or bring significant added benefit over existing treatments. Anti-cancer medicines Mekinist (trametinib) and Gazyvaro (obinutuzumab), and Translarna (alaturen) and Sylvant (siltuximab), used to treat rare hereditary conditions, were among those approved.

The CHMP gave scientific advice to more than two in three applicants during the development phase of the medicines, and for innovative medicines this number was four in five. This marks an increase on the same period last year, where half received scientific advice, and is in line with the growing number of requests for advice received by the Agency.