Rare diseases can be described in terms of incidence, etiology, morbidity, and survival. Incidence can vary, however, from rare (e.g., Gaucher disease, cystic fibrosis) to epidemic proportions (e.g., HIV, malaria, cholera). The incidence of less frequently occurring...
Getting an orphan-drug designation opens the door to incentives once the FDA approves a medicine for sale in the U.S., including 7 years’ marketing exclusivity and tax breaks. Last year, just 250 requests for orphan-drug designation were filed, and 160 were...