European Medicines Agency panel recommends approval for Elonva

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. A European medical advisory committee has recommended approval for a biotech drug made by Merck & Co. for women who have difficulty conceiving.

Merck announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, part of the European Medicines Agency and similar to the advisory committees of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, recommended approval for Elonva (corifollitropin alfa), designed to stimulate follicle growth as part of controlled ovarian stimulation treatment in women participating in assisted reproductive technology programs.

“Elonva will reduce the burden of injections for women experiencing difficulty conceiving, and the positive opinion is an important step toward European approval,” Merck Research Labs SVP Mirjam Mol-Arts said in a statement. “Elonva demonstrates Merck’s commitment to providing effective patient-focused fertility treatments and extends the company’s leadership in this therapy area.”