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The European Commission has granted orphan drug designation to Zygel, Zynerba Pharmaceuticals’ cannabidiol (CBD) transdermal gel candidate to treat for behavioral symptoms in people with fragile X syndrome. Orphan designation is assigned to promising therapies for life-threatening, rare diseases affecting fewer than 5 in every 10,000 people in…
Horizon Therapeutics has launched its #RAREis Representation program aimed at increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion among patients with rare diseases. There are about 400 million people worldwide living with a rare disease; for many of them, access to diagnosis, care, and treatments can be challenging. Accessing better care depends on…
Boys, ages 2 to 6, with fragile X syndrome who have trouble talking can join the BRIDGE study to help researchers learn how brain development affects language growth. The study is being led by Carol Wilkinson, MD, PhD, at the Boston Children’s Hospital Labs of Cognitive Neuroscience in Massachusetts,…
Bionews, the publisher of this website, hosted a virtual panel discussion on Rare Disease Day 2022, taking a deeper dive into what it’s like to live with a rare disease, including conversations about advocacy, mental health, survivor’s guilt, treatment of minority patients, and more. The Monday event, “A…
A rare disease puts an economic burden on the patients, families, and caregivers that it affects, and will no doubt be an integral part of discussions on Rare Disease Day 2022, which brings international awareness about the more than 300 million people living with rare disorders. Part of that…
Healx has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Ovid Therapeutics to develop and commercialize gaboxadol in a potential combination treatment for fragile X syndrome and other disorders. The announcement follows Ovid’s decision to discontinue the development of gaboxadol (previously called OV101), despite it being deemed safe and well-tolerated in…
The nonprofit RARE-X is creating an easily-accessible, centralized data hub for all rare disease patient data that can help researchers answer questions about existing disorders, discover new ones, and work toward finding treatments. It was spun out of the work that Nicole Boice, founder and chief engagement officer of…
A survey of women with fragile X syndrome revealed that most identified with a label other than that of the chromosomal disorder, and that the majority either did not want to have a child with the genetic disease or were conflicted. Despite most respondents reporting some learning disabilities, the…
It’s been nearly a year since the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases released its expansive report finding the total economic burden of rare disorders in the U.S. to be nearly $1 trillion.
Since 2008, Rare Disease Day — the last day of February — has brought together patients, caregivers, family members, friends, and advocates from around the world to raise awareness and improve equity for the more than 7,000 known rare diseases that affect more than 300 million people. In 2022, the…
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