DUBLIN, Nov 24 (Reuters) - The European Medicines Agency
(EMA) could produce a scientific opinion on COVID-19 vaccines
seeking regulatory approval by the end of the year in a best
case scenario, the regulator's new chief was quoted as saying on
Tuesday.
British drugmaker AstraZeneca followed rivals Pfizer
and Moderna on Monday in publishing successful
pivotal trial data for its COVID-19 vaccine, giving the world's
fight against the pandemic a third new weapon.
"Assuming everything is positive - and we have to look at
the data to be sure - but best case, we could have a scientific
opinion by the end of the year," EMA Executive Director Emer
Cooke told the Irish Independent newspaper in an interview.
"These have been developed very quickly, which is very
promising from a scientific perspective, but it means there is a
lot of attention on the results and we have to make sure we
evaluate those as efficiently as we can without compromising our
usual scientific standards."
The newspaper also quoted Cooke as saying that the EMA's aim
was to reach a positive recommendation on a similar timeline to
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is expected
to have a verdict in mid-December on Pfizer's proposed vaccine.
Cooke added that the agency may recommend the use of
vaccines based on results in different groups, such as the
elderly or people with underlying health conditions.
(Reporting by Padraic Halpin, editing by Louise Heavens)