The EMA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use said Friday it has started a rolling review of Gilead Sciences Inc.'s antiviral, remdesivir, for the potential treatment of COVID-19. The move put into play one of multiple regulatory tools it has deployed "to speed up the assessment of a promising investigational medicine during a public health emergency."

DUBLIN – Novartis AG, Bristol Myers Squibb Co. and Sanofi SA were among firms that secured positive opinions from EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) on marketing authorization applications for new therapies, which will progress to formal approvals 67 days from now. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the committee’s March meeting was held virtually.

DUBLIN – The EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) diverged from the FDA on a key decision at its monthly meeting, which concluded Feb. 28. It refused to back an application from Eli Lilly and Co. for a line extension to its migraine prevention drug, Emgality (galcanezumab), which would have authorized the drug for preventing attacks during an episode of cluster headaches.