Medicines Development

EURORDIS fosters the development of rare disease medicinal products via the EURORDIS Round Table of Companies, participation in the International Rare Disease Research Consortium and the European Medicines Agency, and other activities

European Medicines Agency and the COMP

EURORDIS is involved in the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products and other European Medicines Agency activities.

Following the adoption of Regulation (EC) No 141/2000 (the Orphan Regulation) the European Medicines Agency created the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP) to review the medicinal product orphan designation applications. EURORDIS plays an important role in the orphan drug development process through participation in the COMP. We also participate in the European Medicine Agency’s Paediatric Committee (PDCO), the Committee for Advanced Therapies (CAT) and the Patients' and Consumers' Working Party (PCWP).

EURORDIS Round Table of Companies (ERTC)

The EURORDIS Round Table of Companies (ERTC) brings together pharmaceutical companies with a common interest in rare diseases and orphan medicinal product development.

Launched in 2004, the ERTC offers pharmaceutical companies the opportunity to meet regularly to focus on common issues related to the development of treatments for rare diseases. Regular workshops allow ERTC members to meet and discuss common obstacles, sharing ideas and experiences in a neutral setting. These workshops aim to accelerate the development as well as availability of treatments and health services in Europe. They also seek to build relationships with the patient community in a collaborative atmosphere that facilitates discussion.

International Rare Disease Research Consortium (IRDiRC)

EURORDIS is active in the International Rare Disease Research Consortium (IRDiRC), specifically in the Executive Committee and the Therapies Scientific Committee. The IRDiRC brings together researchers and organisations investing in rare disease research, to reach two main goals by the year 2020: developing the means to diagnose most rare diseases, and delivering 200 new therapies for rare diseases.