KU Leuven

KU Leuven stands as the highest‑ranked university in Europe for Horizon Europe project participation, and within that ecosystem, the research unit led by Professor Steven Simoens plays a central role in shaping evidence‑based health policy and access pathways.

The unit’s work spans the full spectrum of Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR), with a strong methodological and policy orientation. Its core activities include:

Core Expertise

• Market access and pricing studies for pharmaceuticals and other health care interventions

• A comprehensive, system‑level view of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) frameworks, including methodological innovation and policy evaluation

• Evidence generation to support value assessment, reimbursement decisions, and sustainable access models

Key Therapeutic and Technological Focus Areas

• Biosimilars, including uptake dynamics, competition, and policy levers

• Advanced therapies (e.g., ATMPs), with attention to long‑term value, uncertainty, and payment models

• Orphan drugs, addressing the unique challenges of rare‑disease evidence, pricing, and access

• Vaccines, including economic evaluation, public‑health impact, and reimbursement pathways

Strategic Interests

• Personalized medicine, especially the economic and regulatory implications of tailoring treatments to individual patient profiles

• Medical devices, with attention to evidence standards, HTA methodologies, and lifecycle evaluation