European Medicines Agency

EMA's Head of Stakeholders and Communication Division Melanie Carr has been appointed as Deputy Executive Director as of 1 August 2026. Melanie will undertake delegated activities in Emer Cooke's absence, and will add strategic oversight of IT security to her portfolio of responsibilities that already includes crisis and emergency management, as well as continuing to lead the Stakeholders and Communication Division.    A new Head of Veterinary Medicines Division has also been appointed. Franck Foures joins EMA on 1 September 2026. Franck is currently Director of the French Agency for Veterinary Medicinal Products and brings more than 20 years of experience in veterinary public health and regulation of veterinary medicines at national, European and international level.    Both roles are currently held by Ivo Claassen, who retires on 31 July 2026. Among many career highlights, Ivo and his team worked with the veterinary medicines network on the successful implementation of the 2019 Veterinary Medicinal Products Regulation. Ivo’s commitment to public and animal health, his outstanding leadership and contribution to the veterinary medicines network, leave an indelible mark on the Agency’s work.   The Agency thanks Ivo for his dedication and remarkable work.    For more read our news announcement 👉 https://lnkd.in/d2b3QVab

Could medicines one day be developed without animal testing?   As scientific innovation advances, momentum is growing in Europe and globally to reduce and ultimately replace the use of animals in research. The EU has launched a roadmap towards phasing out animal testing for chemical safety assessments, and EMA continues to build on its longstanding commitment to the 3Rs principles (replace, reduce, refine) and support the development of alternative approaches that protect both science and patient safety.   In the latest episode of Inside EMA, Stefano Ponzano, Head of Translational Sciences, discusses the future of animal testing in medicines development and regulation. He explores the challenges and opportunities of moving beyond animal studies, and how innovative methods could not only reduce animal use but also deliver more human-relevant data to improve medicines development.   🎧 Listen now: https://lnkd.in/ebmSFmAb

📢EMA's human medicines committee, the CHMP, recommended 12 new medicines for approval in the EU, including: ☑️ A medicine for age-related macular degeneration ☑️ A medicine to treat plaque psoriasis ☑️ 3 medicines to treat high cholesterol Read more in the highlights published today 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e8ncEqap

Could medicines one day be developed or even manufactured in space? It may sound far-fetched, but microgravity in space is already being explored for its potential to support medicines research and future manufacturing. Scientific innovation is changing how medicines are discovered, developed and manufactured. Horizon scanning helps EMA and the European medicines regulatory network identify emerging technologies early and turn regulatory awareness into preparedness and action.    Two new EU-Innovation Network Horizon Scanning reports illustrate this pathway across different time horizons: from technologies already showing clinical promise to ideas that may shape the future of medicines development: 🧬 Targeted Protein Degradation – an emerging approach already treating patients by destroying, rather than simply blocking, disease-causing proteins and unlocking new possibilities for treatment ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eiHhVkB9 🚀 Manufacturing and medicinal product development in microgravity – exploring how space environments could support biological modelling, crystallisation, formulation research and future manufacturing applications ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ezYSJmyY By identifying innovation early, horizon scanning supports timely dialogue with developers, anticipates future assessment needs and strengthens Europe’s competitiveness and ability to enable safe, effective and innovative medicines for patients. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/ecEqNUFa

Interested in using clinical trial data to support the evaluation of medicines in the EU?   The European Medicines Agency is looking for a Clinical Trials Data Management Specialist to join our team in Amsterdam.    In this role, you will work with clinical study data to support the evaluation of medicines, helping to validate, analyse and visualise data that informs regulatory decision-making across the EU.    If you have at least 3 years' relevant experience, and strong skills in clinical trial data management or statistical programming, then apply before 31 July! https://lnkd.in/e33-gQen

Science delivers its greatest impact when it is inclusive, evidence-based and rooted in the realities of the communities it serves. As Amsterdam prepares for WorldPride, Bruno Christian Ciancio, Head of Directly Transmitted and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), reflects on why inclusive science and compassionate care are essential to better public health outcomes, as well as why we still need to fight stigma around sexually transmitted diseases. At EMA, we are proud to work with ECDC and partners across Europe to ensure that medicines development and public health action are informed by evidence, community engagement and real-world needs. Thank you Bruno, and find out more in the article below. #WorldPride #Unitedforhealth #Loveisthebestmedicine

Innovation thrives through collaboration. We're pleased to strengthen our partnership with European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) through a new letter of intent, reinforcing our shared commitment to support Europe's health innovators. By combining expertise, training and regulatory guidance, we'll help researchers, start-ups and SMEs bring safe, effective and cutting-edge health solutions to patients faster. Together, we're building a stronger innovation ecosystem for the benefit of patients across Europe. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eWZdBmni

During its July meeting, our safety committee, the PRAC, agreed on direct healthcare professional communications about:   📌a small increased risk of meningioma associated with prolonged use of desogestrel- or etonogestrel-containing contraceptives medicines;   📌strengthened warnings on the potential risk of certain serious side effects with the Janus kinase inhibitor Litfulo, a medicine to treat alopecia areata.   Check out the PRAC highlights: https://lnkd.in/euYeJVTc

Our human medicines committee, the CHMP, has started a phased review to accelerate the assessment of a medicine for metastatic pancreatic cancer, a disease with a high unmet medical need. In a phased review, data are evaluated in phases, as they become available. This approach may allow for a more agile, streamlined evaluation of medicines, which is expected to lead to earlier patient access to promising treatments. Medicines assessed under phased reviews are subject to the same standards for quality, safety and efficacy as any other medicine. Read more in our latest news announcement: https://lnkd.in/dzFCsmam