LONDON, July 21 (Reuters) - Sanofi and Regeneron's new cholesterol drug Praluent could be recommended forapproval in Europe as early as this week, along with the world'sfirst malaria vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline.
A European green light for Praluent would put the closelywatched so-called PCSK9 drug two months behind Amgen's rival product Repatha, which was formally approved by theEuropean Commission on Tuesday after a positive opinion in May.
According to an agenda posted on the European MedicinesAgency's (EMA) website, a committee of experts will considerwhether to recommend Praluent and GSK's malaria vaccine at afour-day meeting concluding on July 23. (http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Agenda/2015/07/WC500190095.pdf)
The EMA usually communicates its decisions on the Fridayafter the meeting ends, or July 24.
The fact that the products are being discussed this weekdoes not automatically mean a decision will be taken, sinceexperts may decide they have further questions.
Recommendations for marketing approval by its Committee forMedicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) are normally endorsed bythe European Commission within a couple of months.
The development of GSK's malaria vaccine -- called RTS,S orMosquirix -- has been backed by billionaire philanthropist BillGates and is designed for use in sub-Saharan Africa, wheremalaria kills one child almost every minute.
(Reporting by Ben Hirschler, editing by Louise Heavens)