Coronavirus: Commission supports international clinical research network to treat COVID-19

The Commission announced today that it will support with €15.7 million an ambitious new research initiative, EU-RESPONSE, which will establish a clinical research network to treat COVID-19 and other emerging infectious diseases. The funding is part of the Commission’s €1.4 billion pledge, from which €1 billion come from Horizon 2020, for coronavirus research and innovation directed towards the development of vaccines, new treatments and diagnostic tools to prevent the spread of the virus. Commissioner Mariya Gabriel said: “EU-RESPONSE is a major step towards pan-European clinical trials that not only give us the scale we need to rapidly assess potential treatments, but can also adapt rapidly as new facts and ideas emerge. This EU clinical trials network will serve Europe now to address COVID-19 and help us prepare for future threats by offering speed, scale and solidarity.” The EU-RESPONSE consortium, led by the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), brings together 21 partners with world-class research capabilities from 13 EU countries, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey. The project adds to the portfolio of EU-funded research and innovation actions and complements the public health policy and activities that the Commission is coordinating with the Member States. More information is available here.