Barcelona, Spain - 18 June 2025 - The GvHD Alliance is proud to announce its expansion into Europe — a significant milestone in its mission to improve the lives of people affected by Graft-versus-Host Disease (GvHD). The European launch was marked by a high-level kick-off meeting on June 16, 2025, bringing together patient advocates, academic leaders, and industry partners. Among the distinguished participants was Meredith Cowden, representing the Meredith A. Cowden Foundation, who shared key insights and learnings from the GvHD Alliance’s collaboration with North American member organisations.
This milestone event will serve as the foundation for a more unified, global response to the challenges of GvHD—a serious and often life-threatening complication of stem cell or bone marrow transplantation. By uniting healthcare professionals, patient advocacy groups, researchers, and policy leaders, the Alliance seeks to foster collaboration and amplify patient voices across Europe.
“We are thrilled to take this important step forward in our global mission,” said Anna Sureda, EBMT President and spokesperson for the GvHD Alliance Europe. “Expanding into Europe allows us to build on the momentum we have established and work even more closely with the international community to improve care, access, and outcomes for patients living with GvHD.”
The June 16 meeting set the strategic direction for the European initiative, including the development of region-specific education, advocacy, and research collaboration programmes. Participants shared insights, aligned on goals, and began shaping the next chapter of the Alliance’s work.
For more information about the GvHD Alliance, please visit: https://www.gvhdalliance.org
More information about Graft-versus-Host Disease (GvHD)
Graft-versus-Host Disease (GvHD) is a potentially life-threatening complication that can occur after an allogeneic stem cell or bone marrow transplant. It arises when the donor's immune cells (the graft) recognise the recipient's body (the host) as foreign and attack healthy tissues. This immune response can affect various organs, most commonly the skin, liver, and gastrointestinal tract.
The severity and presentation of GvHD can vary, and effective management is crucial to improve patient outcomes. Treatment often involves immunosuppressive therapies to control the donor immune cell response.
About EBMT:
The EBMT is a non-profit medical and scientific organisation established in 1974 which hosts a unique patient registry providing a pool of data to perform studies and assess new trends. We aim to be the connection between patients, researchers and other stakeholders to anticipate the future of cellular and stem cell-based therapies. Our community of healthcare professionals is focused on innovation, research and the advancement of these fields to save and improve the lives of patients with blood-related disorders.
For more information, please visit www.ebmt.org .
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Press Contact :
Mélanie Chaboissier
Communication Coordinator, EBMT
Email: melanie.chaboissier@ebmt.org